Publishers Weekly
Dodd turns from canines to felines in this tale of a "stalking and lurking, adventurous cat." The hero makes such a ruckus that he wakes his human family. Ages 2-5. (Apr.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Children's Literature
Many children relish book characters' bad behavior, and Slinky Malinki, "a stalking and lurking adventurous cat," is wicked indeed. Each night he changes from a "cheeky and cheerful" house pet into a "fiendish" thief. The skinny, slinky black feline doesn't seem to care what he steals—with evil yellow eyes glowing he drags home heaps of loot for the sheer pleasure of pilfering. Slinky Malinki's hauls are a hodgepodge of miscellaneous household items—"Slippers and sausages, biscuits, balloons, brushes and bandages, pencils and spoons." Of course, the felonious feline gets his comeuppance. He ends up snarled in unraveled yarn, bottles, pegs and glue, a victim of his own pile of ill-gotten plunder. A filched alarm clock goes off, alerting Slinky's owners, who put an end to their pet's thieving career. Dodd's lively rhyming narrative has a smooth yet jumpy rhythm with perfect cadence. It is peppered with humorous, fun-to-read-aloud lists such as "A tatty old sneaker, a smelly old sock and Jennifer Turkington's pottery smock." Watercolor illustrations in nighttime hues portray the lean black pilferer's sneaky, sinuous movements in a manner that recalls the evil twin Siamese cats in Disney's Lady and the Tramp. 2001 (orig. 1990), Gareth Stevens, $21.27. Ages 4 to 7. Reviewer:Robyn Raymer
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 1-- Told in rhyme, this is the story of a slinky black cat who prowls at night and becomes a thief. After his loot is discovered, he decides to stay home nights. While there's nothing wrong with this book, there's nothing to recommend it, either. The text is somewhat workmanlike, with very precise rhythm but not much charm. The full-color illustrations lack the personality needed to draw children into the story or to make Slinky an interesting character. Quite simply, the cat steals stuff, then stops. It's hard to imagine many preschoolers who would sit through the whole book. There's just nothing to it.-- Christine A. Moesch, Buffalo & Erie County Public Library
