The Loyal Cat - Hardcover

Kindergarten-Grade 4?In this retelling of a family tale, a cat is rescued and cared for by Tetsuzan, a priest at Hukuzo-ji, a mountain temple in the north of Japan. Tetsuzan is content with his simple life of prayer and work. As he becomes poorer and poorer, he must even beg for food for Huku, the cat. Huku, wanting a more comfortable life for himself, as well as for the good priest, decides to use his magic powers to gain both recognition and funds. The determined and clever feline is successful, but at first disappointed when Tetsuzan is content with just enough gold to repair the temple and live simply. Huku, ever loyal, adjusts, although he occasionally thinks about the luxuries they could have had. The magic adds suspense and humor to the tale, and the pictures, stunning in design and exceptional in detail, are a visual delight, adding greatly to the impact. The technique, Japanese paper cutting, is done by placing intricately cut black paper over papers that have been airbrushed or painted with watercolors. The resulting art has a depth that draws viewers into the scenes. Children who are fond of animal stories will keep this title in continuous circulation. Adults will appreciate the authenticity of the illustrations and the easy flow of the writing and will find numerous curricular connections for the book.?Susan Middleton, LaJolla Country Day School, CA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Clean lines, crisp typeface and an attractive balance between white space and illustrations endow this picture book with unusual grace. Based on a folktale Namioka (April and the Dragon Lady) learned from a relative, the story tells of a humble priest who rescues a kitten. The cat in turn saves him and his temple from poverty by employing its magical powers to levitate the coffin at a royal funeral. Neither warriors, wrestlers or the pompous prayers of famous priests can bring it back to earth-it's up to the cat's master to accomplish that task, and with the gold thus won, priest and cat resume to their simple, peaceful life. It's a satisfying tale of good rewarded, lit up by Sogabe's (Cinnamon, Mint & Mothballs) arresting illustrations, produced by layering hand-cut black paper over watercolored rice paper. The resulting stained-glass window effect is altogether striking. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.