Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-2-In a house with tangerine walls and blue shutters, Cat is surrounded by everything he needs to be happy. His "gilded cage" allows views of a garden with changing trees in warm shades-persimmon, crimson, and lemon-surrounding a bird with a "delicious" song high in the treetops. The cat contemplates a meal, but realizes he simply envies the bird and persuades his new feathered friend to free him from a lovely but lonely prison with pecks from his beak. Across rooftops, they dance in the moonlight; deep plums, vivid reds, warm pinks, and cool blues grab the eye in a tribute to master artist Paul Klee and his 1928 oil Cat and Bird. Painted geometric shapes and the artist's trademark intensity of color create the cat and his surroundings, while a first-person narrative carries readers from page to page. The book includes a two-page note about Klee and his style, emphasizing the artist's use of lines and harmonious color. An intriguing juxtaposition of text, images, and art, this offering is a first-purchase recommendation for all libraries.-Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX (c) Copyright 2012. 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 Horn Book Review
A cat locked in a gilded cage, dreaming of freedom, narrates this tale of how a bird helped facilitate his escape. The story, inspired by a painting--Klee's Cat and Bird--verges on heavy-handed, but the cat's musing narration complements the abstraction of the stunning art in the master's style. A reproduction of the original painting and biographical information on Klee are included. (c) Copyright 2012. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
