Mr. Wuffles is a cat disdainful of every effort by his human to engage him. Then he discovers aliens-yes, little green people!-inside a toy spaceship. But the spaceship is no toy to the aliens; it's their way home once they figure out how to repair it. Sneaking past the cat on foot, they find refuge-and aid-beneath the radiator, where the walls are covered in dramatic cave-like paintings of the cat's encounter with various insects. Several ants and a ladybug provide sustenance (small cheesy crackers), and visual communication becomes the key as more drawings are used to hatch a plan. Various objects-a red pencil eraser, a yellow marble, a blue M&M-become critical to the plot's success in a story that concludes with a breathtaking escape. It's disappointment for Mr. Wuffles and triumph for all the rest. An almost wordless picture book told through panel illustrations once again reveals David Wiesner's bold, spirited imagination in full force. But it's more than fun, as the complex language of the aliens, represented by symbols, and the sophisticated drawings of the insects underscore the power and agility of pictures to convey ideas and emotions and tell stories. (Ages 5-10)

A 2014 Caldecott Honor Book In a near wordless masterpiece that could only have been devised by David Wiesner, a cat named Mr. Wuffles doesn't care about toy mice or toy goldfish. He's much more interested in playing with a little spaceship full of actual aliens--but the ship wasn't designed for this kind of rough treatment. Between motion sickness and damaged equipment, the aliens are in deep trouble.

When the space visitors dodge the cat and take shelter behind the radiator to repair the damage, they make a host of insect friends. The result? A humorous exploration of cooperation between aliens and insects, and of the universal nature of communication involving symbols, "cave" paintings, and gestures of friendship.