BODEGA CATS

A kindhearted boy offers a frightened stray cat refuge in his parents’ bodega.

Miguel hopes he can convince Mami and Papi to let him keep the kitty, and once the vet clears the little feline—christened Lord Lovey Dubby Lobo, or Lolo for short—his parents relent. Blanca y Roja Bodega is now Lolo’s home! But Miguel faces another battle: persuading his pragmatic parents, who want Miguel to become an engineer, to let him join his school’s art club. An aspiring comic book artist, Miguel longs to explore the world (or, at least, the rest of New York City). Desperate, he lies and secretly joins the club but struggles to balance his artistic passions with his responsibilities to his parents, immigrants from the Dominican Republic who have sacrificed to give Miguel a better life. Meanwhile, Lolo, grateful to be off the mean streets, doesn’t understand why Miguel would want to leave the comforts of home. Lolo faces a more worrisome threat when another kitty starts showing up around the bodega. Exploring the burden of parental expectations, this sweet series opener alternates between chapters told from Miguel’s and Lolo’s equally feisty perspectives. Faison’s delightful artwork fleshes out Miguel and his community; interspersed throughout are Miguel’s comics, which star Lolo as the courageous Super Cat. Dollops of gentle humor and a breezy pace contribute to an overall lighthearted tone.

Paw-sitively charming.