Cat Talk

This collection of 13 handsomely illustrated free-verse poems makes an eclectic and engaging feline companion to MacLachlan and Charest's Once I Ate a Pie and I Didn't Do It. Speaking in a delightful range of voices, the cats each share their proclivities. Princess Sheba Darling is smugly narcissistic ("As hard as I try, I could never be more beautiful/ Than I am/ Now"), and no-nonsense Sylvie is not one to mess with: "I am the boss cat./ I twitch my tail to prove it./ I boss the dogs. I boss my people." Moser (Oh, Harry!) again demonstrates his prowess at portraying animals with realism and affection; his stately watercolors capture the cats' playful, laconic, and independent personalities. There are occasional glimpses of the pets' owners, but the focus is largely on the cats, with playful accouterments adding splashes of color, whether a yellow rubber ducky, a pair of pink bunny slippers, or a purple (computer) mouse. A treat for cat lovers of all ages. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Rubin Pfeffer, East West Literary Agency. Illustrator's agent: Jeff Dwyer, Dwyer & O'Grady. (Mar.)

Gr 1-5--Handsome spreads showcase 13 poems, each told from the perspective of a different cat and all abounding with feline attitude. There is "Tough Tom," with scratched-up nose and torn ear, who slips into a house and embraces a new life: "At first I was scared./I was used to rooftops/And rain/And snow/And dark./And fighting with other cats./But you opened the window/And I walked in." The aptly named "Princess Sheba Darling," posed gracefully to best display her snow-white fur, deigns to express what is instantly obvious to anyone who sees her: "As hard as I try, I could never be more beautiful/Than I am/Now." With a coat the "color of night," sleek Minnie steals through the moonlit countryside, proud that only her "Bright/Yellow/Eyes" give her location away. Effectively utilizing mood-setting rhythms, cadences, and word choices, each first-person free-verse selection perfectly suits the personality of its particular subject. Moser's lovely watercolor paintings depict each feline, individualized through distinctive coat, body language, and illuminating facial expressions. Playful action scenes alternate with more stately portraits, further enhancing each offering's tone and adding visual interest. This is a delight for youngsters who are owned by cats, a natural for pet-day celebrations, and a strong choice for classroom sharing and discussions of poetic points of view.--Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal