The Owl and the Pussy-cat

by Edward Lear, Charlotte Voake (Illustrator)

Overview

Follow the adventures of the Owl and the Pussy-cat in a beautifully illustrated new edition of the beloved classic.

Edward Lear’s lyrical rhyme about an unusual couple who sail far, far away has delighted and captivated readers for generations. With expressive illustrations by Charlotte Voake and a forward by master storyteller Julia Donaldson, this is a book to be treasured by Lear fans young and old.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780763690809
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	01/03/2017
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Edward Lear was an English artist, illustrator, musician, author, and poet who is best known today for his nonsense verse, particularly his limericks. The Owl and the Pussy-cat, which was first published in 1871 as part of Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets, is Lear’s most popular work and has been loved by readers of all ages for generations.


Charlotte Voake is the author-illustrator of Ginger, which was short-listed for the Kate Greenaway Medal; Ginger Finds a Home; and Hello Twins, a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book of the Year. She is also the illustrator of Charlotte Zolotow’s Say It!, Steve Voake’s Insect Detectives, and Vivian French’s Caterpillar, Caterpillar. She lives in Surrey, England.

Editorial Reviews

While children may overlook the loving glances exchanged between the animals, adults reading along are sure to notice them and smile with remembrance. An endearing version that appeals to children and adults alike.
—Kirkus Reviews

This classic poem has proved to be irresistible to generations of illustrators...expertly rendered and every bit as rich as earlier interpretations. A fanciful addition.
—School Library Journal

Much loved since its publication in 1871, Edward Lear’s “The Owl and the Pussy-cat” returns in a fresh edition accompanied by Charlotte Voake’s loose, lively watercolors.
—The Wall Street Journal

From the Publisher

12/01/2016
PreS-Gr 2—This classic poem has proved to be irresistible to generations of illustrators. In this appealing version done in lush blues and greens, Voake creates a lovely homage not just to the familiar words but to Lear's own paintings as well. The artist found multiple opportunities to expand on the whimsical text in her pen-and-ink and watercolor images—showing the lovers procuring the boat, taking part on a lengthy journey, and buying the wedding ring. The soothing colors of the sea and skies and the islands of the tropics are romanticized and dreamlike. There are also a few puzzling choices, such as pea-green accents that extend to people's skin color, and "the land where the Bong-tree grows" consists of a vignette with colonial overtones showing dark-skinned people carrying parasols. Overall, the art is more sophisticated than that of many of the picture book versions for kids, and perhaps it won't be everyone's cup of tea, but it is nonetheless expertly rendered and every bit as rich as earlier interpretations. VERDICT A fanciful addition. A fun exercise would be to compare three or four different adaptations of the classic with kids and get their own take on what all this nonsense is about.—Luann Toth, School Library Journal

School Library Journal

2016-10-11
Edward Lear's famous lovers sail away for a year and a day in this lushly illustrated picture-book edition. Voake's signature pen-and-watercolor style works perfectly with Lear's prose, enabling her to pay homage to the original tale while also constructing a whimsical world all of her own making. Deft use of double-page spreads allows for illustration of small moments not explicitly stated in the poem, such as the purchase of the pea-green boat that takes the Owl and the Pussy-cat away to their new life and the search for the Piggy-wig from whom they purchase the wedding ring. The soft color palette, with soothing shades of green and blue in the sea and delicate pinks evoking the late-afternoon sky, creates a dreamlike quality that makes this version ideal for bedtime. Voake's light, capable pen strokes conjure the bustling activity of the seaport from which the lovers embark and the gorgeous tropical island populated with all races of people where they finally marry. Most affecting, however, are the spreads on the sea, when the Owl and the Pussy-cat are alone beneath a blanket of stars. While children may overlook the loving glances exchanged between the animals, adults reading along are sure to notice them and smile with remembrance. An endearing version that appeals to children and adults alike. (Picture book. 2-6)

Kirkus Reviews