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Cats' Night Out

Cats’ Night Out is a children's book written by Caroline Stutson and illustrated by Jon Klassen. It was published and won the Governor General's Award in 2010 for its illustrations.

Synopsis
This picture book starts off with two cats doing the samba on a rooftop on a Saturday night, then four, six, and the number of dancing cats grow by twos until there are twenty cats dancing together. The neighbors shriek "Cut it out! ...No more dancing on Easy Street!" The cats slip away to go to sleep during the day. The book ends off showing the next evening, with two cats dancing in a way reminiscent of the beginning pages of the story.

Reception
The book has received positive attention for its rich illustrations and the playful way it becomes a lesson on counting by twos. The repeated question "How many cats will dance tonight?" encourages the reader to predict the happenings of the story ahead of time. The descriptive language and detailed costumes make for an endearing and interesting tale. The cats become refined and graceful in the way they are portrayed, with muted shades of brown, grey, and black as the primary fashion.

Awards
Jon Klassen won the Governor General's Award in Children's Literature for his illustrations in Cats' Night Out with its muted tones and textures.