"The Caldecott Award was created to reward America artists, and so only they may reap its rewards. For that reason, I salute those publishers with the courage of their convictions to still put the following books out. Were they eligible, I'd say every book on this list would have a shot. As it stands, they don't, but darned if it wouldn't be cool if they could.Laser-cut paper hasn't really made its name in the world of picture books as often as one would like. This little beauty (which may or may not be French in origin) is entirely black and white. Its story concerns a black cat, hounded from a city, who retires to the country in warmer months only to find that in his absence the rats and mice have taken over. I was rather taken with the story, but the star here is the art. Just paying attention to when Guilloppé chooses to use white instead of black, or black instead of white, is worth the price of admission alone." Elizabeth Bird, School Library Journal

"The title character of Mephisto is a black cat who has suffered previously from the superstition-induced fears of others.If Edgar Allen Poe had taken time out from inventing Gothic horror fiction and the detective story to write a book suited for precocious 5-year-olds, the result might well have sounded a lot like this delicious strange and lugubrious monologue." Leonard Marcus, New York Times Book Review

" Mephisto accurately describes how it feels to be left out of normal activities, whether cat or child. Children will like the rugged cat. Some will unfortunately be able to relate to Mephisto's feelings of being unloved, unwanted, and unacceptable. Mephisto's story is one of nonacceptance. Mephisto accurately describes how it feels to be left out of normal activities, whether cat or child. Children will like the rugged cat. Some will unfortunately be able to relate to Mephisto's feelings of being unloved, unwanted, and unacceptable." Sue Morris, Kid Lit Reviews