Review by Booklist Review
Anyone who has seen Lucky Cat ceramic figurines in Japanese stores and restaurants will recognize Tama's beckoning posture. Based on a version of the Lucky Cat legend from Japan's Edo period, this folktale features a stray cat who comes to live with a poor monk and ends up saving the life of a traveling samurai warlord by beckoning him out of the way of a falling cherry tree branch. In true folkloric tradition, this good deed results in rewards for Tama and the monk, enabling them both to live in comfort while the monk provides for the worshipers who pray at his temple. Beautiful pale watercolors in cool shades of brown, icy gray, moss green, and steel blue portray the mountainous Japanese setting. Especially exquisite are the pale pink cherry blossoms, all the more alluring for their potential danger. Although there are a few other picture-book versions of this tale, it isn't one of the most commonly retold ones, and Jaeggi's art makes it a worthwhile purchase.--Foote, Diane Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Ceramic cats with one upraised paw, said to bring good luck and prosperity, are fixtures in Japanese storefronts. In her debut, Henrichs retells the traditional story of the cat's origin, in which a lordly stray befriends a monk in a temple, the monk shares his meager provisions with the cat, and the cat's beckoning gesture saves the life of a samurai warrior whose grateful reward relieves the temple's poverty. Henrichs allows the cat to narrate, a device that can feel clunky ("Without warning, I ran out of the temple and into the mighty storm, startling my master"), but does better when explaining unfamiliar elements ("In Japan, it is believed that when a cat washes its face, a guest will arrive"). Jaeggi (Monsoon Afternoon) lavishes care on the watercolor illustrations, in which everyday features of Japanese life-altar statuary, ragged-edged paper umbrellas, and bamboo fencing-add historical and architectural interest. She paints them in subdued, wintry whites and blues, with lively pink cherry blossoms signaling spring as the story moves toward its happy ending. Ages 5-9. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Evocative watercolor illustrations capture ancient Japan in this picture-book retelling of the lucky-cat legend. Cat Tama narrates how she came to live with a poor monk in his rundown temple and her habit of sitting with her right paw upheld in the traditional Japanese greeting, "Come to me." Food is scarce, but the monk and feline live contentedly. One spring day during a raging storm, the animal dashes out to the temple gate. There she meets a traveling warlord, and through her beckoning gesture saves his life and changes the temple's fortune. An author's note explains the origin of the story and includes photos of beckoning cat figurines and the temple where the legendary Tama lived. The story's tone is formal but not stilted, as when the cat says, "I smiled at him with my pale green eyes, for I was not hurt." The artist studied in Osaka and her traditional training comes through, blending formal composition with light comic touches, such as Tama mimicking the monk's lotus pose. The images alternate between full-page paintings and panels reminiscent of Japanese screen paintings. With its compelling story and stunning art, this is a worthy addition.-Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, OR (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
This quiet retelling of a popular legend will have limited appeal.The plot is straightforward, and the cat narrator pleasant if not especially engaging. The qualities of compassion and generosity that are gently demonstrated and the theme of virtue rewarded are undeniably laudable. Unfortunately, readers and listeners will likely feel distanced not just by the time and place of the story (Japan several hundred years ago) but by the formal language, lengthy text and limited, low-key action. A poor monk adopts a stray cat. The monk also cares for the physical and spiritual needs of the people in the surrounding area to the best of his abilities and (very) limited resources. The cat's habit of raising one paw in a beckoning motion eventually brings good fortune when a rich samurai who happens to be passing is saved from a falling tree during a fierce storm. Like the text, the pictures fail to generate much interest. Jaeggi's lovely watercolors reflect the serene tone and evoke the exotic setting, and her use of panels echoes traditional Japanese artwork. Depictions of the cat in its characteristic pose seem awkward, but other pictures show flashes of sly feline charm and add some humor and movement.Overall, however, the illustrations have a static feel that weighs down the already slow story. Koko Nishizuka and Rosanne Litzinger'sThe Beckoning Cat(2009) tells the same story but with greater success.Superficially attractive but ultimately misses the mark. (author's note)(Picture book/folktale. 6-9)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
