The Owl and the Pussycat [Library Binding]

Edward Lear (Author), James Marshall (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

The Owl and the Pussycat of Lear's ballad are truly made for each other, as depicted by James Marshall in these poignant, slaphappy illustrations. Only Marshall could have shown us the Owl serenading the pampered Pussycat on the deck of the S.S. Dorabella, or the Pussycat posing for travel photographs, or the happy couple's goofy wedding dance "by the light of the moon."

Here is a final gift from this greatly beloved creator of children's books.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"The Owl and the Pussycat went to sea / In a beautiful pea-green boat. / They took some honey, and plenty of money, / Wrapped up in a five-pound note." The Owl and the Pussycat make quite a couple. On the decks of the pea-green S.S. Dorabella, the lovesick, bulgy-eyed Owl serenades his jowly feline sweetheart, inspiring her to grab him, dip him, and propose (demand?) marriage. They sail to an island, where they persuade the Piggywig to sell them the ring at the end of his nose to use as a wedding ring, are married by a turkey who lives on a hill, and then dance by the light of the moon. James Marshall--beloved creator of the unforgettable hippos George and Martha--graces Edward Lear's classic nonsense poem "The Owl and the Pussycat" with his winsome, goofy watercolor sketches in the final work before his death in 1992. As his dear friend Maurice Sendak writes in the afterword of this historic book, "There was never such an Owl and Pussycat, certainly not since Edward Lear, and for my money James surpasses Lear's original pictures in sheer giddy humor and heartfeltness." This is the kind of book that adults wish they had grown up with, and that children will remember their whole lives. (All ages) --Karin Snelson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

If there is a slightly sketchy, unfinished quality to Marshall's exuberant watercolors in this enchanting interpretation of the classic poem, it's because the gifted artist never lived to complete them. In true Marshall fashion, the artist lifts Lear's quirky duo to new heights, retaining the characters' eccentricities while endowing their relationship with human dynamics. In a preview to the book's title page, dapper Owl appearsAwith the look of one long accustomed to such scenariosAin jacket, tie, vest and spats showing a still-primping Pussycat his pocketwatch. He then dons a bowler and Pussycat sports a wide-brimmed chapeau as the two, chauffeured by a diminutive dog, depart in a roadster pulling a wagon stacked with no fewer than 19 valises and hat boxes. Marshall's inventive take on the "beautiful pea-green boat" is the S.S. Dorabella, an appropriately hued cruise ship that puts the QE II to shame. Despite the other implied guests aboard, Marshall retains an intimate focus on the romantic couple. A tux-clad Owl serenades his "lovely Pussy" on deck as his beloved reclines in a lounge chair, and they come ashore alone together in "the land where the bong tree grows." Marshall's supporting cast is as nattily and humorously turned out as these principals (e.g., the portly Piggywig, who supplies the wedding ring, is resplendent in grass skirt and a colorful lei). Maurice Sendak, as friend and colleague, pays eloquent tribute to Marshall's talent in an afterword. It would be difficult for readers to imagine a better couple to set sail with than Marshall's Owl and Pussycat. All ages.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers (October 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062050117
• ISBN-13: 978-0062050113
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,998,164 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, January 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Owl and the Pussycat (Hardcover)

I memorized this book in the first grade with the rest of the class and I thought it was great then, and now, 12 years later, I still think that it is wonderful! It's a must for young children. :-)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars James Marshall's pics, not Jan Brett's!, September 24, 2008

By 

Leena Lintila - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Owl and the Pussycat (Hardcover)

First of all, Amazon.com seems to have screwed up somehow and most of the reviews here are for "The Owl and the Pussycat" illustrated by Jan Brett which transfers this classic tale into a Caribbean setting bursting with colors. I collect versions of this poem so I have that book too and it is truly beautiful. But the one on this page was illustrated by James Marshall and according to the afterword by Maurice Sendak, this was some of his last work before his death. So please don't buy this one based on the reviews, this is not the Jan Brett book.

The pictures of this book are faithful enough to the story and whimsical, done in a little more cartoonish style than Jan Brett's realistic ones. They are full of subtle deadpan humor, especially if you look close enough and read between the lines. For example, what disturbs me greatly, the Pussycat changes colors in this book!!! First she is gray with stripes, then orange with stripes, then grey again, and once the Owl sings to a small guitar she turns white and remains white throughout the rest of the book. What is this??? Is this supposed to imply that the Owl ditched the original Cat for some other kitty while on board the beautiful pea green boat (which is a ship reminiscent of the Titanic, by the way)? Also, the Pussycat looks like a Tomcat in drag. Is this a deliberate allusion to Some Like It Hot? No wonder the Owl looks a little apprehensive in most pictures, rolling his eyes and probably thinking of ways to get out of this stew.

The poem, of course, is a classic... and the reason why I collect these books.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best illustrations James Marshall ever did, August 1, 2007

By 

Kim Castle (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Owl and the Pussycat (Hardcover)

What a beautiful version of Edward Lear's poem. I've always been a James Marshall fan, but this book is absolute tops for his illustrations. The colors are glorious, the characters, as his always are, deftly and lovingly handled. I understand that it was his last work, and it's a shame that it is out of print. Buy it, save it, and pass it around.