Overview
The quirky ways of cats are exquisitely captured in more than thirty original visual poems. From acrobat-flipping to toilet-bowl-sipping, couch-scratching to dog-catching, this insightful collection celebrates the fickle feline in ways that any cat lover will appreciate.
Synopsis
The quirky ways of cats are exquisitely captured in more than thirty original visual poems. From acrobat-flipping to toilet-bowl-sipping, couch-scratching to dog-catching, this insightful collection celebrates the fickle feline in ways that any cat lover will appreciate.
Children's Literature
Cats pounce, slink and curl up in these 32 concrete poems by Betsy Franco. Sly humor and a deep appreciation of feline quirks add to the fun as do Michael Wertz's bright, stylized illustrations. There is a poem perfect for any situation and kitty personality, including a verse about an angry cat and a brand-new hat and a haiku about a hairball. "Yoga Cat Pose" and "Her Royal Highness" are especially playful. The first has undulating lines that reflect a cat arching and tilting, and the second portrays a diva kitty snoozing on her "throne of/folded laundry." These poems are purr-fect for young animal lovers—and may inspire kids to write shaped poems about other four-legged friends. Reviewer: Mary Quattlebaum
Editorials
Children's Literature -
Cats pounce, slink and curl up in these 32 concrete poems by Betsy Franco. Sly humor and a deep appreciation of feline quirks add to the fun as do Michael Wertz's bright, stylized illustrations. There is a poem perfect for any situation and kitty personality, including a verse about an angry cat and a brand-new hat and a haiku about a hairball. "Yoga Cat Pose" and "Her Royal Highness" are especially playful. The first has undulating lines that reflect a cat arching and tilting, and the second portrays a diva kitty snoozing on her "throne of/folded laundry." These poems are purr-fect for young animal lovers—and may inspire kids to write shaped poems about other four-legged friends. Reviewer: Mary QuattlebaumSchool Library Journal
Gr 3-6
Franco understands the nuanced world of the fluffy, fractious, and faithful feline friend. Thirty-two unusual, concrete poems, one per page with a single exception, are matched by Wertz's monoprints. The words move in several directions and sometimes inhabit multiple objects. The poems are so embedded within the illustrations that it is hard to imagine them without the artwork; they are virtually inseparable. In a print of a cat licking its neck, its exceptionally long tongue is created out of words. Readers following the poem will find they are forced to turn the book to the side, and may crane their own necks, experiencing an odd identification with the activity of the cat. The poem "Princess" uses arrows as part of the illustrated content to keep readers on the language path as "Princess paces down and up" awaiting her supper. At times, the path isn't obvious, but youngsters delight in solving puzzles, and these are merely little challenges that prove fun to master. In "Hot Daze," a red devilish arrow points to the poem's beginning. Among the various subjects are fat cats, shy cats, a kitty who "sips from toilet bowl," and a polydactyl cat with "poofy fur" and "prissy looks." Cat lovers will recognize their felines stretching, purring, and napping. This collection would pair nicely with Sharon Creech's Hate That Cat (HarperCollins, 2008).-Teresa Pfeifer, Alfred Zanetti Montessori Magnet School, Springfield, MA