From Publishers Weekly
In her affecting but message-driven debut children's book, da Costa relays the story of two boys who live in Jerusalem's Old City Avi in the Jewish Quarter and Hamudi in the Muslim Quarter. A fluffy white cat wanders between the homes of the two boys, relishing the scraps each feeds her. Then weeks pass without any sign of the cat, alarming each boy. Looking skinny and dirty, the cat at last visits Avi, who then follows her to Hamudi's neighborhood, where the youngsters begin to argue, each claiming the cat is his. As a rare snowfall begins, the boys stop bickering and, fearing that the beloved animal will freeze, follow her through Jerusalem to a dark alley where they discover four kittens in a box. As the mother purrs loudly and rubs against the boys, they conclude, "She does not want us to fight.... She wants peace." The watercolor art by this husband-and-wife team (Mei-Mei Loves the Morning) balances precise, close-up portraits of the boys with softly focused backgrounds that depict the various cultural nuances of the setting. A glossary defines the Hebrew and Arabic words integrated into the text. Ages 6-10.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
K-Gr 3-As the problems in the Middle East continue to rage, this didactic story of finding common ground and a way to make peace seems both simplistic and apropos. Both Avi, who lives in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem, and Hamudi, from the Muslim Quarter, love the white stray cat they feed. After she disappears and reappears, Avi follows the feline and discovers Hamudi feeding her. As they argue about ownership, snow begins to fall, and she runs away. Predictably, when they find her, she has four new kittens, which they argue over and finally agree to share, each taking two of them home. The narrative flows smoothly, and da Costa's language makes the story seem more a legend or folktale than a modern tale. The watercolor-and-pencil illustrations are done in a realistic style that suits the narrative, but the boys look alike except for their different jackets and the fact that Avi wears a yarmulke. The endpapers, which depict the old city with the Wailing Wall and the Dome of the Rock practically touching, are quite effective. School libraries may want to consider this serviceable title for opening discussions about the Middle East.
Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
