In poems and paintings as wise and wicked as the cat herself, this book presents the creature in all her glory - taunting dogs and stalking mice.'
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Alternating narrative poems with haikus, this mostly savvy compilation of verse distills the essence of cat with humor and, occasionally, wry elegance. Schertle (Advice to a Frog) is at her best in her comic poems. In the tongue-in-cheek "Sophie, Who Taunted the Dogs," she describes the demise of her feline heroine, slain by a "cur" she has unwisely teased, and follows the episode up with a mock-ghostly conclusion: "And still, it is said, when the moon rises round/ and gold as a cat's eye, the dogs hear a sound.../ That devilish voiceA/ how it hunts them and haunts them!/ That soft, silken songA/ how it teases and taunts them!" The haikus and the more serious poems have eloquent moments (a cat "lap[s] in soft gray/ waves against my legs") but sometimes fall prey to banality or clich? (a sweet ode to a kitten ends with a reference to its "tiger's heart"). Buehner (The Escape of Marvin the Ape) accentuates the swing rhythm of the text, illustrating the haikus with small insets and heightening the jaunty poems in energetic page-size acrylic and oil paintings with exaggerated perspectives. As he did in My Life with the Wave, Buehner paints in hidden creatures (dinosaurs as well as domestic animals) and cleverly planted surprises (one cat marches past a background of bird wallpaper, on which five birds have been Xed out with chalk). Ages 6-up.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 1-6Four longer poems alternate with haiku in this slim, bold collection that observes different cats in tones both affectionate and sardonic. In the beginning,/when the Cat could fly,/the Master placed a pan/of white milk/in the sky. So begins an account of a feline in paradise whose silken wings are taken away when she falls from grace. In the end, shes reduced to running through a rainy alleyway with snarling dogs in pursuit. In four double-page spreads, another poem celebrates Sophies canine-taunting exploits, until, The last thing she heard/was a triumphant growl/as his jaws closed around her./Twas murder most foul. Done in acrylic and oil paints, Buehners dark-hued view of the terrified cat passing just in front of the toothy open mouth of the dog speaks volumes about Sophies nightmarish demise. Other illustrations are lighter in tone, and there are always bits of humor. Figures of mice and fish are outlined in a cats fur, and other small animals peek out of unexpected places. Perspective and shadow add interesting nuances to scenes that are sometimes cartoonlike and often a bit surreal. The final entry features a tawny tabby set against a copper-toned spoof of an Egyptian mural with cats in human form. These amusing images are enlarged on the endpapers. The strong pictures and verses offer enjoyable browsing and reading-aloud material and opportunities to pair with other items in booktalking.Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect rythmn and delightful prose. Darling illustrations!,
By A Customer
This review is from: I Am the Cat (Hardcover)
The illustrations and prose were combined with perfect rythmn and rhyme. The cat tales were humorous, imaginative, and truly delightful. I especially loved the story about how cats lost their wings. Cat lovers will read this book with a smile on their face and in their heart. Although this book is recommended for ages 4-8, I at 46 and my luncheon companion of 72 loved this as if we were 4 and 8. I recommend this book for anyone who loves cats and a good book that takes you beyone your own imagination.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Beautiful Blend of Text and Art,
By A Customer
This review is from: I Am the Cat (Hardcover)
I love this book! When I heard about it, I decided to buy a copy for a friend who loves cats. (I am a dog person) But when I sat down and read the delightful poems and studied the wonderful illustrations, I decided to keep the book for myself. (I just won't tell my dogs.)I'll just buy another copy for my friend. Take time to study the illustrations, even the end papers. There are "hidden pictures" in every one and they compliment the poems so well. The poems capture the true Spirit of Cat. Meow!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not for Sensitive Kids,
By A Customer
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: I Am the Cat (Hardcover)
I cannot recommend this book for young children. The poem in which a dog kills a cat was very upsetting to my child.I gave the book 3 stars because I would recommend it to adults or mature children.
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