The Big Meow by Elizabeth Spires

Illustrated by Cynthia Jabar. 40 p., Candlewick, 2002.

The other cats won't play with Little Cat because they think his voice is too loud, even though his parents reassure him that it's wonderful. When a bulldog chases the cats, Little Cat tries to scare it away with a big meow. At first Little Cat is too scared to do this, but when the dog teases him, he gets angry, and lets out meows that blow the dog away to the next town. After this, the other cats accept Little Cat. This story will help children see how to detach others' "negative" labels from their attributes.

Ages 3-5
Main character's cultural background: non-human
Cultural context: non-human