"At school, my friends go on about
how excellent their cats are.
Camilla can wear her cat like a scarf.
Jack's cat can fetch a stick.
Emilio's cat has its own Instagram.
My cat stares at the wall.
He's kind of negative, your cat."
Last for now, but not least, is this cat book from an author/illustrator for whom I have great admiration. I have been following Sophie Blackall's work since Ruby's Wish (2003). That's a while now, and she never disappoints.
I was very excited to read that she had a new book on the horizon, and waited patiently until I could get a copy. Her author's note tells a family story of a much-loved rescue cat. The family loved Claudia despite her demeanor. Sophie's son described her as a negative cat. Years later, Sophie put herself on the road to telling this tale.
The young man who narrates is on his 427th day of asking for a cat. His parents have had enough. They give in to his pleas. The family (including his snarky sister) voice a number of conditions. One is about reading for twenty minutes each day.
"Ugh! I'm not so great at reading!
Words only make sense when I read
them out loud slowly, and the kids
at school stare and laugh at me.
But I agree to the rules before my
parents change their minds."
An excitement overload leads to a quick shelter visit, and Pookie. Not an appropriate name in any way. Its name is immediately changed to Maximilian Augustus Xavier, nicknamed MAX. Turns out that Max is not amenable to any overtures. He just stares at the wall. Family members do their best to appease; Max retaliates as only a negative cat might do. That creates an angry household and a repetition of the demands made prior to the rescue.
The shelter lady arrives for a home check. Wanting to avoid any contact with her, boy and cat retreat to his room to take care of two of his required responsibilities. Once his room is tidied, he comes up with a brilliant idea for his reading time. Max turns out to be a fascinated, attentive listener to a book the boy reads called Millions of Cats, (first published in 1928 and still in print today). Problem solved, and a new community service is activated.
The engaging digital art is placed on the back side of old wallpaper which affords a lovely textural feel. Expressive faces, varying perspectives, and humor built into Max's persona will certainly attract readers to this delightful story. The fact that it is a quiet homage to the power of reading is not lost on older readers.
The following quote comes from an interview with Sophie Blackall: 'Negative Cat will be published in 2021, when Eggy is 21 and Claudia is no longer with us. Funnily enough, she became a sweet old cat and even allowed us to pet her in her final years. She continued to eat the flowers and throw up. As for me, after the past year, I may be in need of socializing, myself. I wouldn’t mind being let out of the cage, stretching out on a sunny patch of the floor, and being read to.' J'agree!
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