The Owl and the Pussycat (Board book)

~ (Author), Jan Brett (Illustrator) "The Owl and the Pussycat went to sea..." (more)

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: Baby-Preschool
  
• Board book: 18 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (August 4, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399231935
• ISBN-13: 978-0399231933
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #144,440 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jan Brett's Illustrations Make this Edition, August 22, 2004

By	D. Nugent "WestSideNYMom" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have to speak out in favor of Jan Brett's illustrations, in light of the reviewer below who criticizes them. This book is one of my all-time favorites because of the illustrations. They are what makes the story. I don't like Brett's other illustrated books (The Mitten, and one other that escapes me) but not because of the illustrations, it's because of the stories. Brett's illustration of this time-honored nonsense poem invokes the 19th century on an unnamed carribean island. Each page is rich with color and contains such exquisite detail that with each reading you notice something new. (There is even a "sub-plot" which I will leave it to you to discover ...it took me months to notice it.) My daughter has been mesmerized by the drawings since we started reading it when she was 7 months old. I heartily recommend this version.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the best, March 28, 2000

By	Alison Creech (Nova Scotia, Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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

I have always loved this rhyme, and when I found a version illustrated by Jan Brett, I knew that for me this would be the definitive version. Jan Brett's illustrations bring the Caribbean Islands to life right in front of your eyes. The cat with her headscarf, the beautiful tropical fish in the borders, the lush vegetation, this is so richly illustrated that you can look at the pages over and over again. And if you tire of the Owl and the Pussycat, there's always the story told in the borders to provide a change.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Such a Wonderful Story That Pictures Do Not Matter!, July 13, 2000

By	A.Trendl HungarianBookstore.com "What should ... (Glen Ellyn, IL USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

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

What Lear has done with words is define the children's rhyme-tale. While The pictures are delightful, they are not the emphasis.

"Owl..." is so unique among children's literature. It is a story so innocent, so kind that imagination's are stirred and lessons in language are learned. It ranks with "A Child's Garden of Verses" by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Buy the hardcover. You'll be re-reading it so often you'll want something sturdy.

I recommend this book fully.

Anthony Trendl