I am Cat (mini edition) by Jackie Morris
| I am Cat (mini edition) by Jackie Morris | |
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| Category: Emerging Readers | |
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Reviewer: John Lloyd
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| Summary: Almost scandalously small, this reprinted picture book has both a heart and intelligence. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 32 | Date: February 2014 |
| Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books | |
| ISBN: 9781847805072 | |
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You're always supposed to tell when a dog is dreaming – the twitching limbs and jerking joints allegedly proving the sleeping Fido is imagining himself on the chase. Cats are, as always, a bit more secretive, but Jackie Morris offers evidence here that they are more or less thinking the same thing – even the domestic moggy, curled up and closed in, is picturing a different self – one sleeking through snows, relaxing on the savannah or alertly moving through its territory. It's a very pleasant view into the mindset of cats.
It's a very small view, in this edition. I always riled as a child that pocket books were actually too big for pockets, but this reissue isn't. What would have been, and perhaps should still be, a large glorious picture book is now a small gift, wrapping its gentle words and poetry in wee hard covers. It's still big enough to contain two parts – the cat telling us of its dreams, as I say in a poetic manner – never naming each species of cat specifically, but engaging us with its situation; and an appendix where the characters are described and drawn more scientifically.
I'm not sure the images in the main body of work are that brilliant – I'm no cat owner, or artist, but for me the eyes stood out as working more effectively than the rest of the figures. I did like the quiet intelligence of the words, making this a great choice to use to introduce blank verse to a child, as well as perhaps biology as regards the family life of cats, and evolution – why does the cat dream of such contrasting kin? But you don't have to use this book, specifically, beyond the sheer enjoyment of it, and the simple, low-key wording makes for an affecting little work.
I must thank the publishers for my review copy.
We seriously enjoyed the author's more recent Song of the Golden Hare - let's hope it stays in the large format!
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You can read more book reviews or buy I am Cat (mini edition) by Jackie Morris at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
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