Coll Muir

A cat and a bird negotiate a friendship in this picture-book from British author/artist Coll Muir. Each points out places where the other can engage in activities they find pleasurable, but what can they do together, that they both enjoy? It looks like their friendship is over before it has even begun, when they finally find something they have in common...

An engaging debut from Muir, Can Cat and Bird Be Friends? pairs a sweet (if somewhat slight) tale of friendship with lovely artwork. I show more was attracted to this one on the shelf, based on that cover, and the artwork within did not disappoint. Droll, expressive, and entertaining, the illustrations utilize a subtle palette (one that expands suitably at the conclusion), and appealingly stylized figures. Recommended to anyone looking for fun new friendship tales for the picture-book set. show less

Simple illustrations and language but a wonderful story. What does it mean to be friends? Can we understand one another even though we're very different?

Pro tip: it's also a great book to read in two parts with an older child. There isn't a narrator, so the child can be the cat or the bird and have fun with voices. Does the story change if the cat is really dramatic and loud?

Oh, look, my 2000th Goodreads review. It goes so quickly when you log five to six hundred every year. If I thought these things out, I might have chosen a book with some significance, but I'm just glad it's a good one. The dialogue between the cat and the bird is fun to read out loud and the art is cute.

Just so heartwarming. The deceptively simple art suits the message perfectly. Friendship is possible with kindness and communication. And it really helps to have an activity in common! Highly recommended to anyone who doesn't quite 'get' friendship... or who knows someone facing the challenge of making (or keeping) friends.