Won Ton and Chopstick A cat and dog tale told in haiku

Lee Wardlaw, 1955-

Book - 2015

Won Ton and his boy are enjoying a fine life until "Doom" arrives--a dog that is smelly and steals his dinner, but soon the disgruntled cat learns that his new family member might have some good points, too.

Saved in:

Children's Room Show me where

jE/Wardlaw
1 / 1 copies available
Location Call Number   Status
Children's Room jE/Wardlaw Checked In
Subjects
Genres
Picture books
Published
New York : Henry Holt and Company 2015.
Language
English
Main Author
Lee Wardlaw, 1955- (-)
Other Authors
Eugene Yelchin (illustrator)
Edition
First edition
Item Description
Sequel to: Won Ton, a cat tale told in haiku.
Physical Description
1 volume (unpaged) : color illustrations ; 29 cm
ISBN
9780805099874
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

Wonton the cat has lived a privileged life with Boy all to himself but now another four-legged intruder has come to stay. The puppy is young and rambunctious and upsets Wonton's quiet, peaceful routine. But who gets in trouble with Boy? It's not the puppy, of course. Puthimoutputhim / outputhim . . . Wait, / I said him, not me! From the early stages of rivalry and intentional disregard to reluctant acquiescence, Won Ton learns to (mostly) share Boy with the puppy, Basho. Wardlaw's humorous poems are further enhanced by Yelchin's delightful, expressionistic graphite and gouache illustrations. This story of sibling rivalry in disguise will ring true for children with younger brothers or sisters or children who acquire a new pet that must acclimate to a home with another animal. Young readers who fell in love with Won Ton in Wardlaw and Yelchin's first book, Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku (2011), will enthusiastically welcome this new adventure, and those not yet familiar with the earlier book will likely seek it out.--Petty, J. B. Copyright 2015 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review

K-Gr 2-In this charming sequel, a new puppy threatens the titular feline's idyllic existence in an enjoyable spin on the "adjusting to new baby" theme. As in Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku (Holt, 2010), Wardlaw relates his tale through a series of senryu, short unrhymed lines of haiku containing a maximum of 17 syllables. This ancient form of Japanese poetry seeks to capture the essence of a moment, and Wardlaw uses it to humorous effect to capture Won Ton's horrified reaction to the new puppy, Chopstick. Won Ton defends his territory against the newcomer and acts out. There's an altercation at the dinner bowl: "Who. Ate. My. Dinner./Your eyes say "no-no," but your/breath brags of tuna." Yelchin's cartoony illustrations, using graphite and gouache on watercolor paper, convey Chopstick's wide-eyed innocence and Won Ton's prickly vulnerability. Though this is a stand-alone sequel, there are echoes of the first book, where readers learned that Won Ton's true name is Haiku; here, readers learn that Chopstick has a true name as well (hint: a famed haiku poet). Abundant wordplay and comic elements, such as Won Ton's repeated cry: "Puthimoutputhim/outputhimoutputhim-wait!/I said him, not me!" make this an enjoyable read-aloud. In the end, Won Ton discovers that he and the puppy have much in common: both enjoy rummaging through the garbage and cuddling with their boy. Peace is restored, and all ends happily. A wide audience of readers will be cheering Won Ton's return as well.-Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA (c) Copyright 2014. 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

In this sequel to Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku (rev. 3/11), the cautious kitty has another reason to be worried: an adorable new puppy. Won Ton is not happy when he catches his first glimpse: "Ears perk. Fur prickles. / Belly low, I creeppeekFREEZE! / My eyes full of Doom." He scoffs at the ideas the people suggest for names, and ferociously warns the new pup: "Trespassers bitten." Yelchin's graphite and gouache illustrations depict with sensitivity and humor the sleek gray cat's initial fear and horror alongside the roly-poly brown puppy. Pastel backgrounds cleverly incorporating shadow and light allow the funny poses and expressions of the pair to shine. Each haiku is complete in itself, capturing the essence of cat with images such as the banished and lonesome Won Ton "Q-curled tight," and together the poems create a whole tale of displacement and eventual mutual understanding. At the end, both cat and puppy snuggle in bed with the boy, meeting nose-to-nose as friends. susan dove lempke (c) Copyright 2015. 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.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

Black cat Won Ton's perfect life with Boy hits a puppy of a hiccup. "It's a fine life, Boy. / Nap, play, bathe, nap, eat, repeat. / Practice makes purrfect." Then toys no cat would be interested in show up, and a mysteriously closed door that was never closed before hides a nasty surprise: a dog! "Puthimoutputhim / outputhimoutputhimwait! / I said him, not me!" Poor Won Ton. The humans name the puppy Chopstick, but Won Ton guesses his real name is Pest. Rules are laid down and broken. An altercation over Chopstick's eating Won Ton's food leads to Won Ton's banishment outside. Won Ton adjusts, but he secretly enjoys Chopstick's encounter with a skunk and revels in the superiority of a self-cleaning cat. One stormy day, though, Won Ton finds puppies make fine pillows. "Some parts of woof I / will never understand. But / practice makes purrfect." The two snuggle down with Boy. Wardlaw's fine feline phrasing in the haiku-related senryu form of Japanese poetry again pairs neatly with Yelchin's watercolor-and-pencil illustrations. Both capture the canine and the feline in this fresh take on the "new puppy in a cat's house" tale. A satisfying companion to Won Ton's eponymous first outing (2011). (Picture book/poetry. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.