A Curious Collection of Cats

By Betsy Franco

Book 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... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1582462488
• ISBN13: 9781582462486
• Release Date: April 2009
• Publisher: Tricycle Press
• Length: 40 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 7.7" x 9.8"
• Age Range: 3 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

Gorgeous Art, Frisky Poetry

Purchased my own copy immediately after processing one for the library. This is a delightful journey into the world of our finicky feline friends with clever illustrations and smart poetry.

Curiouser and curiouser

I say to you, "Cats and poetry." Now stop! Don't think! What's the first thing that just popped into your head? I would bet that a fair amount of you thought of T.S. Eliot and his improbable impossible felines (a certain generation of you could probably sing such poems as songs too). I suppose that this is an unfair reaction when you consider all the other cool cat-related sestinas, haikus, and limericks that exist out there. Surely the time has come for a book of cat-related poems...more I say to you, "Cats and poetry." Now stop! Don't think! What's the first thing that just popped into your head? I would bet that a fair amount of you thought of T.S. Eliot and his improbable impossible felines (a certain generation of you could probably sing such poems as songs too). I suppose that this is an unfair reaction when you consider all the other cool cat-related sestinas, haikus, and limericks that exist out there. Surely the time has come for a book of cat-related poems that upsets the status quo in some fashion, yes? I'm talking about a title that would not only create a wide variety of poems and poetic styles, but also one so visually stimulating you could feel more than a mite inclined to rip the pages from the book and frame them on your walls. Which I'm not advocating, obviously, but the instinct is there. Now I like Tricycle Press. It's a small imprint from the relatively small Ten Speed Press of Berkeley, California. And it is always a supreme pleasure to be able to give a little love and attention to a small publisher. Particularly when they go above and beyond the call of duty by pairing an established poet (Ms. Betsy Franco) with an extraordinary up-and-coming illustrator (Mr. Michael Wertz). I do not normally tout poetry books for children with any regularity, but I do know a good thing when I see it. This book is a good thing. Thirty-two poems cover every aspect of all things cat. From their tendency to attack feet from within paper bags to their dislike of leashes to their less than brave encounters with the native squirrel population, Franco endeavors to cover this cat related topic by using a variety of different poetic techniques. Complementing her efforts is debut illustrator Michael Wertz who captures perfectly not only the feline physique and manner, but also its attitude, quirks, and personality. Set against a colorful background constructed out of monoprints and Adobe Photoshop, this is one poetry book destined for every library collection. I appreciate that the poems are more than just your average aw-ain't-cats-cute selection. I mean, there are some nasty cats in the world, and Ms. Franco has taken care to display some of the species' less than sterling qualities. The poem "that cat peed on my hat" sort of speaks for itself. Ditto "a tomcat's yard is his kingdom". What Franco does so well is to pinpoint the true nature of cat ownership, finding stories and situations to tell that might not otherwise come up in your rote poetr