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Library | Audience | Home Location | Material Type | Shelf Number | Status |
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Searching... Central | Kid/Juvenile | Open Stacks Picture Books | Open Stacks Kids Book | E BERRY | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
On a pale gray night
with a bright full moon,
Witch is preparing for a bash.
She asks her cat
for a little help,
but Cat's too busy chasing Rat
or eyeing Bat
or stalking Ghost.
And all we can say to that
is WATCH OUT, CAT!
Author Notes
Lynne Berry has published numerous poems in Cricket and Ladybug magazines, and she is the author of the picture books Duck Skates , The Curious Demise of the Contrary Cat , What Floats in a Moat? , and Pig and Pug . Lynne lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
Luke LaMarca is an illustrator. His first book was The Curious Demise of the Contrary Cat by Lynne Berry. He lives in Maryland.
Reviews (5)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Safe to say, pet owners should think twice before sharing Berry's (Duck Skates) rhyming suspense story, which cheerily bounces to its foretold conclusion. This tale's "contrary cat" has better things to do when Witch hosts a party. As gnomes and skeletons arrive, " `Cat,' said Witch, `fetch me a chair!'/ But Cat was busy, eyeing Bat./ `Cat?' said Witch./ `Purr?' said Cat./ `Chair!' said Witch./ `Grrrrr,' said Cat./ And that was the end of that." This pattern repeats, with the wicked Cat stalking guests and an in-house Rat, rather than bringing a cup to serve punch or sweeping up afterward. In his picture book debut, LaMarca depicts the haunted rumpus in pen-and-ink illustrations that emit the weird and wild energy of a Betty Boop cartoon. Witch shakes her fist and jumps up and down in vexation with Cat, and readers begin to dread her wrath. Ultimately she needs a toad for a potion, and with no real toad available, she makes a substitution in the recipe. Berry's pseudo-Victorian title and LaMarca's memorable illustrations allude to Edward Gorey (who himself was inclined to skewer "Gashlycrumb Tinies" in his lampoons of children's books), but the only mystery is how the predatory, ill-mannered cat will meet its end. Although presented as a lightly frightful comic, this still places a low value on animal life. Dan Yaccarino's Birthday Fish offers better advice on appreciating pets' natural idiosyncrasies. Ages 3-7. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
While preparing to host a party, Witch repeatedly asks Cat for assistance. Cat, however, is too busy chasing Rat and otherwise disturbing the proceedings. The darkly humorous, Gorey-esque black-and-white illustrations make ample use of white space and shadow; the story's strong yet unconventional rhythm carries the silly tale to its inevitable conclusion, in which Cat pays the price for being disruptive. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
It's a pale gray night with a bright full moon, and Witch is throwing a party. In spite of Cat's shenanigans, a good time is had by all, the guests being an appropriately strange, but not too scary, assortment of well-dressed skeletons, ghouls, and similar beings. Cat responds to each of Witch's requests for help with a GRRRRR. This continues after the party ends, until Witch realizes that she needs a toad for one last spell, and GRRRR becomes a GRRR--rribbit, --and THAT was the end of Cat. The book design and the detailed pen-and-ink cartoon-style illustrations are reminiscent of the work of Edward Gorey, and they have just the right element of wackiness to fit the tone of the text. The repetition used in the text will make this a popular read-aloud, and the limited vocabulary puts the story within reach of beginning readers. Although the book has all the trappings of Halloween, that holiday isn't specifically mentioned, which will make this a delightful year-round read. --Randall Enos Copyright 2006 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-As Witch prepares for and hosts a party for ghosts, trolls, bats, spooks, and sprites, she asks Cat to fetch things to assist her. But the contrary feline is too busy chasing guests to help. The rhythmic text echoes Witch's plaintive requests and Cat's upturned-nose refusal ("`Cat?' said Witch./`Purr?' said Cat./`Chair!' said Witch./`GRRRRR,' said Cat./And that was the end of that"). Finally, at the end of the night and of her wits, she conjures up a last spell that needs a toad. When the feline won't fetch one, its final "GRRR" ends up as "rribbit?" Rendered with simple lines and crosshatched patterns, the black-and-white pen-and-ink illustrations convey plenty of action and humor. The pictures are full of small details, and the gently spooky characters are loaded with personality. Children will appreciate the tale's amusing predictability and will love chiming in with Witch and Cat as a call-and-response. A perfect choice for Halloween and for group sharing.-Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha Public Library, WI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Few creatures can flaunt disdain like a contrary cat, and this rhyming tale of a test of wills between Witch and her pet proves it. Witch is dressing for a bash: " 'Cat,' said Witch, 'fetch me a hat!' But Cat was busy, chasing Rat." For each of Witch's requests--chair, hat, fife, cloak, broom and toad--Cat is busy pursuing Bat, Ghost, Troll, Spook and Gnomes. "DRAT THAT CAT!" As the tale and tail become more tangled, comeuppance for Cat is within paw's reach, ending in a surprise transformation. The real cat's meow here is the exaggerated black-and-white, pen-and-ink illustrations that portray every wart, gremlin and eerie monstrosity with delicious delight. Reminiscent of Boris and Natasha cartoons, the melodramatic mockery is made for multiple readings with chants for joining in. No pussyfooting around, this is an out-and-out outlandish, original opus of pure fun and witchery that will have kids spellbound. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
