Esau the Paw by Chris Gurney and illustrated by John Bennett, paperback picture book, published by Scholastic New Zealand Limited in 2014.

Esau the Paw is a very fluffy cat, and very proud of his full fur coat. He also likes to explore the great outdoors, rolling through mud, climbing trees and squeezing under bushes. Unfortunately all that outdoor fun leads to many tangles and knots that just can’t be brushed out. A quick trip to the vet and Esau finds himself with rather less fur, and is highly embarrassed by it. Will it ever grow back?

Humourous rhyming text, an engaging story and charming illustrations makes Esau the Paw a very entertaining book. Perfect for reading aloud, Esau has delighted my kindergartner and my third grader equally. I am also quite taken with him. My grandmother’s elderly cat had to be shaved for the same reason, and the pictures of Esau match the reality perfectly. There is something innately amusing about a cat that only has a furry head with a fluffy pom pom on the end of their tail! Esau’s attempts to regrow his fur are also highly amusing, and I feel for him as his friends show off their own thick coats. Poor Esau!

Esau the Paw is quickly becoming a favourite in our home. We will be searching for more books by this wonderful Kiwi author in the future.