Cat Shapes

Written and illustrated by Aidan Cassie

Kids Can Press

978-1-5253-1327-1

24 pp.

Ages 1–3

June 2026 

 

Aidan Cassie recognizes that cats can be very different, but she means more than just their sizes, colours, and personalities. Because cats are so curious and playful, they can also produce wonderfully eclectic shapes.

From Cat Shapes, written and illustrated by Aidan Cassie

Aidan Cassie, known for her charming picture books Sterling, Best Fork Dog Ever (2018) and Little Juniper Makes It Big (2019), seems to know cats well. She knows the curious ones who can jump in boxes and take on the shape of a square. She knows that a hungry one may want to jump into a goldfish bowl and become the shape of a circle. There's a fancy cat, a thirsty cat, a sneaky one, and a sleepy one too. And each one becomes the shape of what it enters. But Aidan Cassie knows the best shape that cats become, as do all cat lovers.

From Cat Shapes, written and illustrated by Aidan Cassie

From Cat Shapes, written and illustrated by Aidan Cassie

Many concept books—those that teach a simple concept like letters, numbers, or colours—can become formulaic. Sometimes the author has a theme and wants the concept to fit into that theme. But Aidan Cassie does not do this. Cat Shapes is more than a book about shapes. Children will learn the basic shapes of square, circle, triangle, oval, rectangle, diamond, and more, but, because it's all based on the silly behaviours of cats, Cat Shapes does more than teach a concept. It delights with its authenticity and humour, speaking to cat lovers young and old. 

From Cat Shapes, written and illustrated by Aidan Cassie

Aidan Cassie's previous books have shown us the breadth of her illustrative style, but she's matched her digital artwork perfect to a concept book for very young children. There are just enough details to set the scene, whether it's a hungry cat eyeing a goldfish or one hiding in a drawer, so that little ones know what's going on. Even if they don't have cats, young readers will be able to look for the shapes in familiar settings and start to understand why cats do what they do. Cat Shapes may be about identifying common shapes but it's also a quick lesson in cat behaviour.

 

I wonder if the six distinct cats in Aidan Cassie's book are the same six that she names in her dedication because they are so unique. If so, I suspect she's seen a lot of adorable cat action over the years. With Cat Shapes, those cats can now add educators and shape-masters to their accomplishments. Of course, I always knew cats were clever. Cat Shapes just proves it.