Catkin [Paperback]

Antonia Barber (Author), P.J. Lynch (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

Catkin is a tiny cat given by the Wise Woman to protect the human child Carrie. One day Carrie is taken under the hill by the Little People. Sent to bring her back, Catkin finds his courage and cleverness tested to the full.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Barber (The Mousehole Cat) and Lynch's (East o' the Sun and West o' the Moon) elegant collaboration rings with the depth and nostalgia of the best fairy stories and the primacy of myth. When a Wise Woman sees danger in young Carrie's future, she provides the girl with a feline protector, Catkin. The girl and her cat are inseparable until the day that a butterfly distracts Catkin, and the Little People bear away the child to their underworld. At the risk of binding himself to the Little People forever, Catkin undertakes the strenuous task of returning the child to her devastated parents. Luminous illustrations complement the graceful text, reflecting the shadows and sunshine of the two worlds. The Little People's underground kingdom is swathed in deep greens, moss and earth tones, while Catkin and Carrie themselves gleam with a golden aura. The sense of legend that pervades this work is borne out by the formal design, which incorporates art of varying sizes and handsome framing devices. Ages 4-up.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3?Told in folkloric cadence, Barber's story is about the rescue of baby Carrie, who was switched for a changeling by the Little People. The hero of the tale is a multitalented cat called Catkin, so named because he was "...so small that he could sit in comfort on the palm of a man's hand." Because Carrie was stolen while in Catkin's care, the furry fellow risks all to venture into the enchanted land inside the hill. There, of course, he answers three riddles, the last of which frees Carrie but also binds him to that land forever. Posed with a final dilemma, the Lord of the Little People seeks guidance from the Wise Woman; her solution is to have the child and cat spend each winter in the underground realm and return to their own land each spring. The language is graceful and traditionally formal, and the story is charming, resonating of the Tam Lin and Persephone legends. The full-color illustrations, mostly on pages facing text, are dark and magical, and use light and shadow impressively to create drama. Elegantly designed, with Celtic-inspired borders and backgrounds, the book is a sensory pleasure. Independent readers will enjoy it on their own, and it will be a fine choice for read-aloud as well.?Carolyn Noah, Central Mass. Regional Library System, Worcester, MA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (November 4, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156402976X
• ISBN-13: 978-1564029768
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,445,772 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magical story and illustration keep you and child riveted., September 28, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Catkin (Paperback)

With this extraordinarily well-told blend of folklore and mythology, Antonia Barber takes you and your child on a page-turning journey to an enchanting world of simple folk and wondrous "little people". The tale appeals at many levels with a straightforward telling of the successful return of a lost child belying the moral quandry created by trying to fairly serve all who love her. Add the courageous self-sacrificial offer of the wrong-righting title character (a diminutive kitten, no less) along with artfully crafted prose (including clever riddling) and you have a book that truly teaches while entertaining.

P. J. Lynch's illustration intrigues without distracting. The well-integrated artwork and layout perfectly reflect the timeless magic of the text and spur the viewer's imagination.

This story captures the Brother's Grimm without the off-putting horror, Tolkein without the dizzying detail. It entertains our "read-to" 3-year-old and would interest older "self-readers" exploring fantasy fiction. Catkin is that rare find that even parents will enjoy upon the hundredth telling.

Leaves Disney in the dust!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An enchanting book about a cat and a little girl., April 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Catkin (Paperback)

This great book is about a girl and a cat who are friends. The pictures are beautiful and all ages will enjoy it. In the story, when the "Little People" capture the girl, it's up to Catkin to get her back. Read This Book!!!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Utterly, Truly Beautiful, March 5, 2003

By 

R. M. Fisher "Raye" (New Zealand = Middle Earth!) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Catkin (Paperback)

Catkin is the smallest kitten in the litter of cats belonging to the Wise Woman, who names him for the tiny catkins growing outside her window. She takes him to the home of a farmer and his wife to watch over their new-born daughter Carrie, but little does anyone know how great this tiny cat will soon become.

Carrie and Catkin are inseparable until one day Catkin is distracted by a butterfly and leaves the baby to her sleep, and in his absence the child is taken away by the Lord and Lady of the Little People and their followers, leaving a changeling in her place. The farmer and his wife are devastated, and the Wise Woman sends Catkin to the underground world of the Little People to win the child back, giving him some valuable advice - never reveal his name to the fairies, for with the knowledge of his name they could bind him to them forever.

The real beauty of this exceptional story is twofold: first, that although it reads like a traditional fairytale, it is completely original. Yet despite this, it turns to real folktale elements and styles to blend into the narrative, making it vaugely familiar - ideas such as the hollow hills of the fairies, the changeling baby, the power of a simple name, the threefold riddle competition, and the nature of the waters of the two powerful trees - the willow for forgetfulness, and the hazel for wisdom. Added to this is the perfect melding of all these components, for instance the Wise Woman advices Catkin to drink only from the hazel tree waters to obtain great wisdom, whilst Carrie has already drunk from the willow waters and forgotten her home. These two elements are echoed as the answers to the the first two riddles that the Lord asks of Catkin, and Catkin's own name as the answer to the third, tying in the warning that the kitten must never utter his own name. I'm explaining this very clumsily, but my point is that all themes and story lines come full circle, creating a perfect whole. It is simply beautifully crafted storytelling.

The second part that makes this story so wonderful is P. J. Lynch's exceptional watercolours. If you are a fan of Alan Lee (best known for his Tolkien illustrations) than nothing will delight more than Lynch's images of green hill and dark cave, the sun-lit visions of Carrie and Catkin, and the green tinted shades of the Lord and Lady of the Little People. Only two small quibbles come to mind - when the faerys first appear the text describes the Lord as riding on a pony, but the picture shows him walking hand in hand with the Lady, and in one scene baby Carrie's head looks far too big for her body. But don't take any notice of these, for the painting and skill are exceptional - make sure you look out for this artist's other books.

My highest recommendation - all ages and both genders will adore this story and its ideals of courage, sacrifice and love. The pictures delight, and the echoes of it stay with you for a very long time.