This is a lovely little book! The illustrations are beautiful and calming, and I will definitely be coming back to this one time and time again.
I would love to see more from George.

This is clearly using AI to "illustrate" this children's book. It's quite a shame as the story (which I also now wonder if it was written using chatgpt based on how very repetitive it is) is pretty cute and could have gone a long way if it wasn't for the AI.

Remember folks! AI art of any kind, be it pictures, writing, or audiobooks, is actually theft of intellectual property!

Thanks to netgalley and publishers for the chance to check out this sweet read! It's very cute and appealing, the illustration style is very well-suited. I do have a few qualms, which is that I'm not entirely sure what age this is aimed at? It seems like it would be cute for storytime, but I don't think it would work.

This was both adorable and incredibly zen. It reminded me of a cat version of "A Sloth's Guide to Mindfulness" by Ton Mak. I'm not quite sure who the audience is for this book, though. It's far too long to be a picture book for kids. The illustrations were charming and approachable.

A picture book about George the cat, with the lesson that being quiet isn’t boring or a bad thing, and there’s a lot of love and beauty to be found in the quiet.

The illustrations are charming and whimsical, reminding me of stickers, and George is adorable, naturally. I was a little confused with the writing, because while for the most it seemed directed to a young audience, there were pages with a lot of text and vocabulary that kids wouldn’t be familiar with and might be frustrating for them to read themselves. Those parts felt like they were directed toward adults, but I’m not sure it was necessary. It also felt a little long for a picture book, and I would’ve liked a bit more of a story to it, as it felt a little repetitive.

Reading through some other reviews and taking a closer look at the art, however, there is some weirdness and unnatural parts, like someone under the covers of a bed but they’re missing a head, or George the cat looking slightly different from page to page (particularly the eyes), and George’s tail coming out unnaturally from the side of the box. The illustrations are charming, but they seem like they might be AI generated, which isn’t something I would want to see in books.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What George Thinks When He Sits Still is an adorable picture book that makes you slow down and appreciate the little things. The artwork is so adorable and the color scheme is very calming. I enjoyed the simplicity of the story and the message of it.

This was a beautifully illustrated book and incredibly wholesome. As someone who lives alone with her pet dog I could relate to it a lot as I often wonder what my dog is thinking and this was a sweet whimsical way to look at it. I can only hope all animals have such pure thoughts. This was a great comfort cosy read.

This is a heartfelt meditative book about a cat called George, which would easily resonate with lovers of cats, and especially mindful cats like George.
It resonated with me fully, and I read it to my child too, who loved it.
It is like a poem and testament to the minor details in life and the beauty of sitting still.
I loved the cover, and many of the illustrations, George’s expressions were well done.
Though, the art would benefit from some more colour in some scenes, different colour schemes, and a bit more detail.
A lovely gem of a book.

This was a very cute and calming book to read and look through.
It feels like a reminder to take things easy and enjoy the little things in your everyday life, to stand still and remember what your favourite things are and to cherish the things and beings you love most.

The art style was very cute, though I did see some strange looking images (like where George the cat is laying on someone's feet at the end of the bed, but it's just feet and no actual person visible), these are some small things that could be fixed.

What George Thinks When He Sits Still is a gentle, visually rich book that offers a poetic glimpse into the imagined inner life of a cat named George. One of the strongest aspects of the book is its emotional tone, especially the opening paragraph that includes my favorite quote: “Love is waiting in the quiet moments.” It immediately sets a reflective, comforting mood, and that thread of quiet intimacy carries well through many parts of the story.

The illustrations are particularly lovely — warm, expressive, and a perfect companion to the contemplative nature of the text. I found myself pausing to enjoy the artwork as much as the words.

As feedback, I wanted to share a few thoughts that came up as I read. Although the book is labeled as children’s fiction, the language structure and paragraph length might be challenging for younger readers (especially under ten). It reads more like something that would be enjoyed aloud with an adult, or even appreciated by older children or adult readers who connect with quiet, reflective stories about animals.

The book starts with grounded, everyday observations of George, which I found engaging and relatable. But as the story shifted into more fantastical elements — like George as a knight and his owner as a princess — I felt that the narrative became harder to follow. These imaginative scenes were visually creative, but the transition into fantasy wasn’t always clearly framed, so the overall structure felt a bit unanchored at times.

In some ways, the story felt more like a personal collection of reflections or thoughts about a beloved pet, rather than a traditionally structured narrative. That’s not inherently a bad thing, in fact, it can be quite charming. For a children's book though, a bit more clarity or continuity might help maintain engagement, especially with younger readers.

I really appreciated the ending section filled with cat facts. It felt grounded and informative, and provided a nice contrast to the poetic nature of the earlier pages. It’s a lovely way to end — both emotionally satisfying and educational.

Overall, I think this book will resonate most with cat lovers and readers who enjoy thoughtful, gentle storytelling. It feels like a love letter to a pet and I think that kind of sincerity will always find its audience. With a few adjustments to structure or clarity, this could connect even more deeply with both children and adults.

Thank you for sharing George’s world.

The art was the winner for me. This book is so cute and I love George seems like such a loveable orange cat. I wish I had a kitty to boss me around. The poetry was just okay to me but I think prints of the art would be lovely to hang. I like the color choices as well.

This is such a soft, cozy read. George elicits the goodness in quiet self reflection, imagination, and curiosity. The idea that you don't know what's happening in another being's mind and the possibilities are endless in the best way. The art style is so warm and inviting detailing the simple pleasures and dreams of life as a cat. This made me smile so much thinking of my cat and all of the places his mind went.

This is such a sweet story. The illustrations are sooo cute and I love that there's a bit of fact dropping. I also like the concept of being comfortable with stillness. Thank you so much for the arc!

What George Thinks When He Sits Still is an adorable, cozy picture book about finding contentment in the silence and stillness of everyday life. I loved the illustrations and the color palette, both of which perfectly complemented the soft, warm, snug feeling of the story. This book has less of a true narrative flow and more of a vignette style, but the overarching theme is apparent throughout. I can see this being a hit with kids who love cute cats!

This book is adorable! I really enjoyed the illustrations and colour palette - I found it very calming which really suits the message of the book. I also really liked the scientific notes at the end of the book - it’s great that kids can learn more about cat behaviour by reading this! As a cat owner myself, I would definitely buy this book to gift to my godchildren, for example,

What George Thinks When He Sits Still is a beautiful ode to slowing down, explored through the eyes and heart of a cute cat. This story shares the value of stopping and staying still, as well as sharing tips of soothing things to focus on, simply by sharing things that George the cat notices when doing so. An important addition to every collection in such an overly paced, fast consumption based world. This can serve as a great exercise in make believe, with hidden skill building for parents of kids of any age.

This was absolutely adorable. I don't have a cat, but the stray I pet constantly is getting extra turkey tomorrow because I'm so emotional and soft and fuzzy over this little gem of a book.

The writing is filled with love and the illustrations are so pretty and comforting<3

I don't care if you're a child, grandpa, cat owner, allergic to cats, have never seen a cat in your entire life : You NEED to read this.

This is a children's book that is very very adorable, I'm not sure if there was an underlying message I did not get, but I'm betting any kid would fall in love with cats after this. It's such a heart warming book to read through for a child!! Loved it

A cute picture book told from the perspective of a cat named George about slowing down and appreciating the small things in life. The pictures are adorable. Perfect for kids and cat lovers!

What George thinks when he sits still is such an adorable book! The hidden meaning of sitting still when life is too stressful is a great one. Sometimes we just need to take a breather to rest ourselves.

The art in this book is some of the cutest art I have ever seen. My favorite pages were George licking an ice cream cone, George staring at the moth, George with a chef hat on and all of the clouds and sail boats. My absolute favorite had to be the one of George in the catnip garden with the dragon. I see a lot of my own cat on George during certain points in the book. This was such a cute read! Thank you to NetGalley, Chantilly Cat Press, and Caroline Bell for an ARC of this book. This is my own honest review.