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May 14, 2009
Posy by Linda Newbery and Catherine Rayner
Most of the time, I buy picture books based on reviews or, most often, based on reading the book myself. In the case of Posy by Linda Newbery and Catherine Rayner, I bought a copy of the book based on how much I liked the cover when I saw it in a catalog. Here is a poor reproduction:
When the book came in and I read it, I bought two more copies right away. After I read the book in storytime this past week, I decided to buy two more copies again, plus a third to go on our Story Shelf. I am, I will admit, a sucker for cat books, but this one deserves the six-copy treatment.
Let's start with my first love, the illustrations. Rayner illustrates Posy in inks and watercolor pencil-crayons, creating an overall effect that's very kittenlike-warm, soft, and full of movement. She also knows her kittens. Look at Posy there in the cover illustration with her head titled and her tail head high, curious and maybe considering batting something with her paw. The book is full of these moments, like when Posy's fur pools around her hind legs when standing up to catch a spider or her slight crouch when she's trying to sneak up on a sandwich. The design is perfect here, too, with the illustrations on lovely, creamy paper that subtly adds to the warm-and-fuzzy factor.
Now let's talk about Newbery's words, which I didn't fully appreciate until I read them aloud to a group. The book is page after page of two-word descriptions of Posy, descriptions that use a wonderful range of vocabulary-"playful wrangler," "squabble stirrer," "board-game wrecker." They're good descriptions of a kitten and a pleasure to read aloud, like poetry. It puts me a bit in mind of Eleanor Farjeon's Cats Sleep Anywhere, which would be a great partner for Posy in a cat-themed storytime. (Although, really, aren't they *all* cat-themed storytimes? A year or so ago, I realized that quite accidentally almost every single story, rhyme, or poem I've bothered to memorize in some way involves a cat.)
Simple, lovely, everyone should own a copy. 5/5 little fuzzy toy mice.
Books mentioned:
Farjeon, Eleanor, and Anne Mortimer. Cats Sleep Anywhere. New York: HarperCollins, 1996. (Ridiculously out of print)
Newbery, Linda, and Catherine Rayner. Posy. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2009. (HC: 9781416971122)
Posted by adrienne at May 14, 2009 08:19 AM
Comments
Oooo, I'm linking to this review next week!
Posted by: Deb at May 14, 2009 03:08 PM
someone told me the other day that we don't have enough cat books at the library. i told her i would see what i could do, walked into my office and laughed out loud.
Posted by: dot at May 14, 2009 05:35 PM
Deb, Yay!
Dorothy, That's not even possible. About half the books published for kids are about cats. You would really have to put effort into not having gajillions of them around.
Posted by: adrienne at May 14, 2009 11:08 PM
Oh yay! I'm so glad you did this post. We got this from the library a while ago. I am with you on how the cover draws one in. It's a wonderful book, and "Posy" has been added to my very long list of great literary cat names (Princess Fancy from LULU being my new favorite one).
(Come to think of it, I had this book out from the library when I got my brand-spankin'-new camera, and I think my five-year-old suggested I name my camera Posy. Which is, you know, fitting.)
The art really is perfect. Note to self to explore Catherine Rayner's work.
Posted by: Jules at May 15, 2009 10:17 AM
I was going to email to ask if you'd read it, Jules, because I thought you'd like those illustrations.
Posted by: adrienne at May 15, 2009 08:49 PM