The Quayside Cat

March 1, 2014

Gr 1-4-An old-fashioned story about a cat's nostalgia for his heady days at sea. Old Tregarn remembers chasing "rats big as chickens" and fighting with pirates. Jim, the feline who listens to him, is so motivated by his experiences that he convinces his friend to go back aboard. The two cats experience the rocking of the ship, the "waves as big as hills," and the thrill of the open sea. Even when a storm blusters, the animals stay strong. Cat lovers and boat enthusiasts may be drawn to this expertly illustrated book, but most readers will find the story line choppy and confusing. The author does not build suspense in an effective way or create a satisfying release of tension. For example, a violent storm shakes the boat, and one page later, before readers even have time to fear for the cats' well-being, the storm is over. The quick shift from danger to safety leaves children feeling cheated and a little puzzled. Readers are told that the boat has been severed (offstage), which doesn't raise much alarm, either, and the cats are offered safe passage. The author skips most opportunities for onstage drama in a tale that is supposedly an adventure. Many young people will be put off by the slow pace, lengthy text, and dated-sounding ship-speak ("Hark to that rattle. That's the anchor, lad.") The illustrations are dramatic, powerful, and skillful but muddy in color. The vintage style makes this book appear to be a century old, although lacking the charms of classic literature.-Jess deCourcy Hinds, Bard High School Early College, Queens, NY

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2014
A wharf cat gets a taste of life at sea. Jim meets up with Old Tregarn at the harbor, raptly listening to his yarns about life as a ship's cat. Hearing them, Jim insists he wants to go to sea too, so both cats sneak aboard a vessel that sails on the night tide. Once aboard, Jim learns that the maritime life takes some getting used to. Facing down rats in the hold, experiencing seasickness and bad weather, and climbing to the top of the mast are all part of Jim's new life. Forward's lyrical language flows off the tongue--"When the sea sucks back from the harbor wall and the sunlight strokes the cobbled streets"--and is rich in its evocation of the roll and swell of the ocean's rhythm. Minimal dialogue attribution initially may cause readers some confusion about which cat is speaking, and these sections may have to be read twice. How much time has passed is also not completely clear, since the narrative reads, "The storms come..." followed on the page turn by, "After the storm..." leaving readers to wonder whether one event or many over a longer time period is indicated. Brown's consummate paintings burst with sensory detail--the water sloshes, the lines fray, the wind whistles. Gorgeous illustrations combine with the poetic language of the narrative to create a winsome journey. (Picture Book. 3-7)

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