Mr. Wuffles!

Based on the 2013 picture book by author and illustrator David Wiesner, this nearly wordless iconographic-animated adaptation of the Caldecott Honor Book follows the titular housecat as he plays with a mini-UFO filled with small green aliens. The feline lazily knocks the spacecraft around, causing equipment damage inside, which leads the agitated extraterrestrials to join forces with ants and ladybugs in order to repair their craft and escape the enemy. Since there is little dialogue (except for occasional instances of the cat's owner—voiced by Susie Berneis—cooing observations such as “What's so interesting, Mr. Wuffles?”), the bulk of the soundtrack is filled with the unintelligible electronic bleeps and bloops of the aliens. A clever idea that nevertheless feels somewhat stretched here (although it may be more appreciated by diehard cat lovers), this is a strong optional purchase. Aud: K, P. (J. Williams-Wood)