"That's me over the fireplace. When I was a little girl and living with my parents on the farm, Mr. Ammi Phillips came, and I sat for a portrait. Well, I almost sat. In those days, I couldn't sit still for long".
The arrival of a travelling painter is cause for great delight when the young narrator is looking for someone to play with. She's too young to help the cook, her brothers, her sisters, her father and mother. But what else can she do? Sit for a painting, of course! But it's not as easy as it looks -- sitting still isn't as much fun as playing with her cat and dog. Or is it?
The original Girl in Red with Her Cat and Dog by Ammi Phillips might have been painted in much the same setting as this striking book. Cynthia von Buhler's illustrations, reminiscent of nineteenth century American folk art -- together with Nicholas B. A. Nicholson's engaging story and helpful background note -- will appeal to children and collectors alike.
