Tag T.S.Eliot

Jellicle Cats

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Jellicle Cats
T.S. Eliot and Arthur Robins
Faber & Faber
In the fourth of his Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats visual interpretations, Arthur Robins renders the jellicle Cats as total pleasure-loving felines cavorting ‘neath the Jellicle Moon, clad in all their jazzy gear, having first had a sneaky practice of their ‘airs and graces’ while waiting for that lunar object to illuminate their revels.

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These black and white beauties take their preparations seriously for: ‘Until the Jellicle Moon appears/ They make their toilette and take their repose:’

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Note the Parisian perfume – just one of the numerous enchanting details that make Arthur Robins’ illustrations such tremendous fun.
Mornings and afternoons are mostly for repose and ‘Reserving their terpsichorean powers’ for the much-anticipated moonlight dancing, adverse weather permitting, that is …

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Every one of Robins’ spreads will surely bring a smile to readers and listeners who will delight in the revelry and the action inherent in each scene be it indoors or out.
If you want to encourage young children to become poetry lovers, then share this with them and then cavort like those Jellicle Cats.

Skimbleshanks/Patch’s Grand Dog Show

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Skimbleshanks The Railway Cat
T.S.Eliot and Arthur Robins
Faber & Faber Children’s Books
It’s 11.39, time for the Night Mail train to depart; so it’s all aboard and off we go! Not quite: where is Skimbleshanks?

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The train can’t start without him.
In the nick of time, he appears, the ‘All Clear!’ is given and the train leaves bound for the ‘northern part of the Northern Hemisphere.’ And there’s no doubt about who’s in charge.: ‘From the driver and the guards to the / bagmen playing cards/ He will supervise them all, more or less.’

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Up and down the corridor he paces, patrolling and keeping watch for any bad behaviour on the part of the passengers …

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Those sleeping berths must be kept just spotless with all the amenities in full working order …

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And there are people to meet and greet while all the passengers are fast asleep: that too is Skimble’s job as is summoning the police (that’s at Dumfries)

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or helping passengers to descend (at Gallowgate). All this and more takes place if you join another feline star in Arthur Robins’ third picture book interpretation of verses from T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.
Once again, Robins’ cartoon style visuals are full of deliciously dotty details. No matter if you’re a cat lover (I’m not), a poetry lover (that’s me) or neither, you’ll still find plenty to amuse herein. Share it, shout it or simply enjoy it alone or with others, young or not so young.

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Patch’s Grand Dog Show
Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne
Pavilion Books
Loner and slightly strange-looking dog, Patch is passing his time as usual sitting in the park when he hears from the other side of same, a whole lot of woofing, yapping and barking. On investigating he discovers …

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His inquiry, “Can anyone enter?” is met with derision from the other dogs so a downcast Patch goes off to hide himself. But then he has an idea: an idea involving his ball and a special trick. Even then though, the sight of all those seemingly perfect pampered pooches adopting all manner of prize-seeking poses and performing all kinds of clever moves to impress the judges – here are a couple of the former …

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his courage fails him. In the face of such finery, poor Patch feels even more inferior and lonely until he hears an announcement: “AND The Dog The Judge Would Most Like to Take Home IS …”
No prizes for guessing which one that is.

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I’m no dog lover, far from it (having been mauled by an Alsatian as a child), but these knitted creatures are delightful. What’s more there are instructions on how to knit a Patch at the back of the book. Do look closely at each illustration and you’ll see how cleverly textured each one is. The artwork itself is likely to be an inspiration for children to create their own woolly scenes.

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The King Cat & Mr Mistoffelees

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The King Cat
Marta Altés
Macmillan Children’s Books
The feline narrator of this story has had things pretty much his own way for a very long time. He does however provide occasional entertainment and regular nocturnal protective duty for his ‘people’ in return for being left to slumber during the daytime, not to mention a little bit of relaxation therapy proffered by human hands. All in all life couldn’t be better for this – in his own words – GOOD, SUPER CUTE king.
Then one morning without so much as a by your leave, everything changes.

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The rules of the kingdom are upheld no longer.

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Time to reinforce the status quo decides our erstwhile domestic king and before long peace and normality are restored. So why does the realm seem so quiet – too quiet perhaps with the old rules back in place.
Oh! what’s that …

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Maybe some negotiation could work after all …
I love the droll illustrations and straightforward manner of telling of this comic tale of domestic rivalry. Indeed it could well be a metaphor for sibling rivalry with the arrival of a new infant in the household. Don’t forget to look closely at the details in fore- and endpapers for the story really begins and ends thereon.

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Mr. Mistoffelees
T.S. Eliot and Arthur Robins
Faber & Faber Children’s Books pbk
We’ve already been treated to Arthur Robins’ hilarious illustrative rendition of Macavity; now it’s the turn of the Mr. Mistoffelees the ‘Original Conjuring Cat’ to take centre stage and that is exactly what he does. In close up we view a performance of his confusion-causing illusions,

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of one kind … and another.
This small black feline character takes us through his whole repertoire of sleights of hand and more,

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while deceiving us all that his sole occupation is mouse-hunting . And as for shyness –well that’s what he’d have us believe but

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we know better.
Even I, with my cat allergy and phobia find this Mr M. totally irresistible, which only goes to prove that he truly is, as Arthur Robins has so admirably shown, ‘Magical Mr. Mistoffelees’.

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The five year old maker of this puppet certainly thought so too.

 

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Clever Cats

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Gracie was highly amused by Macavity’s antics.

Macavity The Mystery Cat
T.S.Eliot and Arthur Robbins
Faber & Faber pbk
Macavity has taken on a new incarnation courtesy of Arthur Robins in this 75th Anniversary Edition of one of the inhabitants of Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats and a truly splendid tribute it is too.

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Robins’ wibbly wobbly outlines work wonderfully for this purpose of celebratory depiction of the activities of that levitating, gravity defying, feline fiend who has Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad and the Admiralty flummoxed.

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A rip-roaring read of the first order and herein we are introduced to a bumbling bloodhound police detective who has taken charge of the task of investigating the moggie’s misdoing, but of course, after each dastardly act ‘Macavity’s not there!’ All we, but seemingly not the inept, flashlight- and binocular-waving investigator, catch sight of is a tail,

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a paw, or perhaps an ear, at the scene of a crime.
Wonderful to share with youngsters, friends, cat lovers, poetry lovers, word lovers, pretty much anyone in fact. And if any of those and I’m sure they will, enjoy the adventures of the scraggy, ginger tom, that Napoleon of Crime, then direct them straightway to the further feline frolics found in Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats in its entirety.
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William & the Missing Masterpiece
Helen Hancocks
Templar Publishing pbk
The ’William’ of the title is an international cat of mystery who has to postpone his holiday to rush to the assistance of Parisian art gallery owner, Monsieur Gruyere. Mr Gruyere is in a stew because his gallery has planned an exhibition for National Cheese Week and the Mona Cheesa masterpiece has been stolen.

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There are no suspects, William is told on arrival. His close search reveals – take note – two items of significance: a strand of red wool and a little hole in the skirting board.
A visit to two close friends proves fruitless and William accepts an invitation to their  competition opening. In the meantime, while having a bite of lunch he espies a decidedly overdressed character passing by carrying a large, flat shaped parcel and heading for a fancy dress shop.

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When the same character leaves with another parcel our special investigator follows him for a while but then loses the trail and instead heads to the competition venue. Therein, he learns of a splendid last-minute entry by an unknown.
William inspects it closely, visualizes the day’s events thus far, ponders on the cheesy nature of the prize

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and just as the winner is about to be announced, he dashes in and unmasks, not only the painting but also the so-called artist …
A feline frolic of the first order is Helen Hancocks’ latest offering. It’s packed with deliciously cheesy wordplay, ‘ THE ROBBERS HAD THOUGHT THEIR MISSION TO STEAL THE MONA CHEESE A ‘FETA-COMPLI’ AS THEY WERE HANDED FIRST PRIZE AT THE ANNUAL HOMAGE TO FROMAGE COMPETITION. …
“TO SEE THE THIEVES GO UNPUNISHED REALLY GRATES,” SAID MONSIEUR GRUYERE,’ visual art references, droll pictorial details with the Parisian spirit very much in evidence.

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My Name is Bob
James Bowen, Garry Jenkins and Gerald Kelley
Red Fox pbk.
Forced by a chain of circumstances, into becoming a street cat following the death of his kind old lady owner, the feline narrator is cold, friendless and mistreated but then, attracted by beautiful music being played, he comes upon a man playing a guitar.

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Having followed the man home and then got himself injured, our narrator is taken in by the kind guitarist, James who feeds him and gives him a new name, Bob. Once his leg was better, Bob accompanied James everywhere and they became a busking duo and so they are today: inseparable.
This heartwarming tale told in a matter of fact manner without a hint of sentimentality, will appeal to cat lovers young and not so young, in particular to those who enjoy a true story with a happy ending.
Don’t forget to read the pawprint information about the chief protagonist on the back cover too.
Kelley’s true to life paintings add to the reality of whole book, which is actually billed as a picture book prequel to the worldwide bestseller ‘A Street Cat Named Bob’.
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