• Age: 3 to 7
• Grade: p to 2

New from the creator of Wallpaper and Skunk on a String comes a witty and uplifting picture book that will speak to families of all varieties about how family really is what you make it.

Minimal text paired with bright paper-collage illustrations create comparisons on each spread in which the narrator talks about their family—especially the striking similarities between Dad and the cat. Both have orange hair, love milk, start their days with stretches, appreciate a good nap, and are brave (some of the time). The narrator is more like Mom, with wild hair, blue eyes, and a love of dancing.

A surprising twist at the end reveals the narrator’s unexpected identity, also hinted at with clues in the art throughout the book. Warmth and whimsy in the illustrations add a playful balance to the story’s deeper message about the love that makes a family a unit, no matter how unusual it may look from the outside.

THAO Lam has been creating pictures for as long as she can remember. For her, drawing has always felt as natural as breathing. She has an insatiable love for coloured and textured papers, which she uses to create her exuberant collages. Passionate about children’s books, Thao is especially interested in visual storytelling. She draws inspiration from the stories she hears, from the beauty in everyday things, and from the work of the many illustrators she admires. As an art buyer for an education publishing company, she has the opportunity to work with thousands of different artists from all around the world. Since studying illustration for three years at Sheridan College in Toronto, Thao has developed her dual careers of illustrating and art buying. Her art works have appeared in publications such as Cricket and Highlight magazines. In 2008, she won the Highlights Five Pewter Plate award for verse illustration of the year. She has twice been chosen for the American Illustration Award. She lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Thao Lam's profile page

• Commended, Best Books for Kids and Teens
• Commended, Cover of the Year
• Commended, A Booklist Editors' Choice
• Commended, Best funny picture books of the year

"A gentle and adorable book that ticks all the boxes."

Canadian Review of Materials

“Never didactic, this is a warmhearted window into the things, expected and otherwise, that make up a family.”

Booklist - STARRED REVIEW

"Clever and sweet, with broad appeal for all ages, this is a title young readers and their adults will reach for again and again."

School Library Journal - STARRED REVIEW

"The humor plus the comforting message that "family is what you make it" is likely to solidify My Cat Looks Like My Dad as a new favorite."

Shelf Awareness

“A tale sure to find a home among myriad types of families.”

Kirkus Reviews

"Lam’s brightly colored paper-collage illustrations are unique and silly, a winning combination."

The New York Times