Rigatoni The Pasta Cat
From penne to spaghetti, Rigatoni loves every kind of pasta. His owners, Ruth and Tina, make sure to serve him pasta at least once every day, and if by chance they ever forget, Rigatoni has a special pasta miaow to remind them. He likes to be stroked and tickled; he has his favourite spot on the couch to relax and a special dish to eat his pasta out of. All in all, Rigatoni has a pretty great life.
But when Ruth and Tina have to leave for a little while to take care of Ruth’s sick mother, Rigatoni is left with George the cat-sitter. Which would be fine, but George doesn’t seem to understand that Rigatoni is a pasta cat. Faced with eating tins of Good Mews for the rest of his life, Rigatoni decides to take matters into his own hands (paws?) and sets out to find pasta for himself.
Michael Rosen has crafted yet another story full of fun, adventure and pasta – lots and lots of pasta. Rosen’s usual wit and humour are on full display here and complemented perfectly by Tony Ross’s illustrations. Rigatoni’s adventure is simple but touches on topics like loneliness, abandonment and feeling misunderstood in a way young readers will understand and relate to.
A short read, and one that will teach young readers that the best kind of meal is one shared with the people that you love. Perfect for cat and pasta enthusiasts alike.
