Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This lively and accessible edition of Eliot's classic homage to felines rounds up the familiar gang, with characters like the sprightly Jellicle Cats, who dance in chorus lines on moonlit rooftops, and the vicious Great Rumpuscat, whose fearsome jaws and eyes like "fireballs fearfully blazing" send rival dog gangs scattering. The distinctive personalities of each cat-brought to life by Scheffler's expressive cartoonlike paintings-and Eliot's lyrical, tongue-and-cheek wordplay, will appeal to a new generation of cat aficionados. Ages 6-9. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
This is an absolutely marvelous rendition of Eliot's poetic classic, written for his godchildren and friends in the 1930s, which inspired the Broadway musical Cats. The tales of Mr. Mistoffelees the trickmaster, old Deuteronomy, a laid-back cat, Rum Tum Tugger, a contrary cat, and Macavity, the famous master criminal, are dramatized by Richard Briers, Alan Cumming, Nigel Davenport, Andrew Sachs, and Juliet Stevenson. Unfortunately, some material is repeated on the cassette's second side. Moreover, it comes with another tape that consists of excerpts of forthcoming Penguin audiobooks. This edition seems targeted more toward consumers than libraries.James Dudley, Copiague, N.Y. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3 Up-Scheffler brings his considerable illustrative talents to this new edition of Eliot's much-loved collection of cat whimsy, first published in 1939. Scheffler's cartoon felines, with their expressive eyes, are a deliciously animated cast. From sleepy Old Deuteronomy and busy old Gumbie Cat to naughty Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer, they're contrary and complicated. Whether contemplating their secret name, their next crime (like Macavity), or their next meal (like Bustopher Jones), these cats by turns baffle and delight the humans around them. Edward Gorey's version (Harcourt, 1982) captures Eliot's nuanced humor in stylized black-and-white cartoons. Scheffler's illustrations add colorful detail and playfulness, but both editions bring out the timeless wit and wisdom of these poems. Make room for both editions; cat (and even dog) lovers everywhere will welcome Scheffler's marvelous work.-Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Here is Eliot's uncharacteristically playful cycle, first published in 1939, appealingly illustrated for the youngest part of an audience that now encompasses that for the musical Cats. Evidently intrigued by the diversity amongst felines, Eliot implicitly compares their independence, individuality, idiosyncrasies, and misdemeanors to human varieties in fifteen witty, rhythmic, artfully phrased poems. Illustrator Scheffler's cats -- small, lithe, mischievous, proportioned like kittens -- deploy themselves with catlike verve; laudably, Scheffler extends their antics but never upstages the text. Some assume a human stance (Jennyanydots serving cake to mice, for instance). The cats' eyes (white spheres, black-dot pupils) also resemble humans', with a fine range of subtle emotion. Wide pages nicely accommodate the verse plus vignettes of the cats and their bemused humans, supplemented by an occasional full-page scene. The poems themselves are especially good for the listener who revels in rich vocabulary ("At prestidigitation / And at legerdemain / He'll defy examination / And deceive you again") and names that roll off the tongue (Mungojerrie, Rumpelteazer, Macavity, Mr. Mistoffelees, Skimbleshanks). From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
