The New Cat

Stephanie V. W. Lucianovic & Chris Park

Touch the Sky

Old cat Hunca Munca thinks his family’s baby is a new cat (with hardly any fur!). As the baby grows, he teaches it all the things a growing cat needs to know: how to clean himself, how to share food, and the best way to yell at a wall. Above all, he teaches the young boy how to be gentle. 
In time, Hunca Munca passes away. But the boy still remembers what the old cat taught him. And when the boy becomes a big brother, he teaches the new baby all the things a growing cat needs to know. A hilarious and heartfelt celebration of a very good cat.

Carolrhoda Books

Picture Book

Age 4+
32 pp 
hc | 254 x 203 mm
Publication: October 2026


Author: Stephanie V. W. Lucianovic
Illustrator: Chris Park

All rights available, excl. Chinese (simpl. & compl.), Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish

  • A hilarious and touching tale of a beloved family pet
  • Both funny and poignant
  • Prompts readers to consider what pets can teach people
  • Reunites the author and illustrator from 'Touch the Sky', a 2025 White Raven Book

Awards

“With humor and heart, this story reassuringly addresses how families can change and grow and accept new members without forgetting those who came before.”—Booklist, 16 September 2026

“Hunca Munca’s unforgettable role is captured with affecting precision in this visually magnetic book.”—Publishers Weekly, 3 August 2026

“Lucianovic and Park dive deep into the sweetest aspects of sibling and pet affection … A twist on both new baby and mortality of pet tales, all the stronger for the merger.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews, 26 June 2026

 

By the same author and illustrator