On the Night of the Comet

Anne Hutchings, a former elementary-school teacher-librarian with the
Durham Board of Education, is an educational consultant.

Peter is awake, unable to sleep. When his Persian kitten tells him of
the two tigers and the white leopard at the door, he lets them in. On
the night of the comet, the animals can speak.

The felines are on their way to see the Great Cat, who will answer
their questions. Peter yearns to go with them, to have his question
answered too. Unable to do so, he is comforted by the snow leopard and
finally falls asleep.

When Peter awakens, the night of the comet is nearly over. The animals
must hurry to reach the Great Cat. Peter tells his father of the strange
events of the night and worries that he forgot to say goodbye. His
father assures him that it’s never too late to do so. Thus reassured,
Peter bids farewell.

Children will, in all likelihood, find this story confusing. Is Peter
really awake, or is he asleep and dreaming? Are the tigers and snow
leopard a dream within a dream? Why do Peter and his father look sad?
Why is the bedroom empty and the plants uncared for?

Leslie Elizabeth Watts’s illustrations are the redeeming feature of
this picture book. Her paintings—especially those of the beautiful
snow leopard—are simply stunning. Recommended with reservations.