Chin Yu Min and the Ginger Cat [Hardcover]

Jennifer Armstrong (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up

The proud and haughty widow Chin Yu Min finds happiness and humility through her friendship with a mysterious ginger cat in an original, moving and beautifully told story of Chinese culture. Dramatic, arresting, and richly colored pastel illustrations. Full color.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Nimble, polished prose and elegant, cinnamon-toned paintings distinguish this pungent Chinese folktale. Newly widowed (and newly impoverished) Chin Yu Min is nearly done in by her own haughtiness after she spurns the kindness of her neighbors: "Coin by square-holed-coin, her strings of cash flowed away like streams from a fishpond." Encountering a cat expertly catching fish with a graceful flick of its tail, she eagerly offers the creature a home in exchange for food. Complacent once again, the old woman rudely dismisses a beggar, giving him nothing but "a torn and tattered basket"--unaware that her beloved cat is asleep inside. In a dynamic debut, Grandpre's tony illustrations--featuring strikingly angular, elongated figures--capture every humorous nuance, even as they convey Chin Yu Min's anguish at her own folly. Armstrong's ( Hugh Can Do ) vigorous text is rich with imagery and regional flavor, making the ultimate reunion of the repentant woman and her faithful feline all the more endearing. Neatly turned phrases and carefully considered language fall pleasantly on the ear without becoming flowery or overdone. In sum, the graceful balance of word and image yields a treat to be savored. Ages 4-9.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-4-- Chin Yu Min, a haughty and frivolous rich woman in a fictitious Old China, must mend her ways when her husband dies and her money runs out. She meets a ginger cat who fishes so well with his tail that she recoups some of her fortunes from selling his catches. When he disappears, Chin Yu Min is so distraught that she humbles herself enough to ask her neighbors for help; when the cat is found, she invites them to dinner. Despite a rather abrupt volte-face, this is an amusing story that is told with gusto in mellifluous prose. The exaggerated melodramatics of Chin Yu Min offset her vicissitudes with comic effect and successfully soften the implied moral. The illustrations, in watercolor and pastels, accentuate the entertaining theatricality of the text. Colors are rich, yet applied with subtlety. Composition is dramatic, and perspective is employed strikingly. The eponymous cat is properly anthropomorphized without losing his felinity. As this is a fanciful invention, inaccuracy of detail in clothing, dwellings, implements, etc. can be overlooked. However, the exaggerated stylization and angular pitch of the characters' eyes and cheekbones perpetuate an unfortunate, offensive stereotype. This surprising and distressing feature disqualifies an otherwise enterprising work for inclusion in any children's collection. --John Philbrook, San Francisco Public Library
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers; 1st edition (February 16, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517586568
• ISBN-13: 978-0517586563
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,108,687 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's about treating people with repect, March 19, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Chin Yu Min and the Ginger Cat (Paperback)

I was sorry to hear that other readers found this book to be about making the rich evil. I did not find that at all. The moral of the story is about treating others with respect. It's about appreciating what is around you and not taking those in your life for granted. It's a wonderful book with beautiful illustrations.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Children's story about growing through hardship, December 31, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Chin Yu Min and the Ginger Cat (Paperback)

What a wonderful children's story! This book is complete with marvelous illustrations, tells an interesting story and teaches a valuable lesson in humanity. At the beginning of the story, Chin Yu Min is a nasty, regrettable woman. She wants for nothing materially and is too pleased with herself to realize any of her other needs. She is soon widowed with no income, and her pride propells her into poverty. At the point of desparation, an unlikely alliance with the ginger cat provides food for her body and soul.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Favorite Book, April 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Chin Yu Min and the Ginger Cat (Paperback)

This is my very favorite book ever. It is absolutely brilliant and heart-warming. I am amazed that a children's book could have such an effect on a crusty old adult like myself. I read it every time I'm feeling cranky, and it makes me feel better.