The Pawed Piper - Hardcover

Robinson, Michelle

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1536201650 ISBN 13: 9781536201659

Publisher: Candlewick, 2019

Calling all kittens! A little girl longing for a pet of her own gets a bit more than she bargained for in this cat-filled celebration.

A small girl wants a cat of her very own: a furry fluffball to cuddle, just like the one in her book or her grandmother’s cat, Hector. So she lays a trail: balls of wool, saucers of milk, cardboard boxes, and anything else that could lure a feline friend. And who should arrive the next morning but somebody furry, warm, soft, and so very purry. It’s Hector, along with dozens of other cats. The girl is happy as can be, but when “LOST CAT” posters show up all over town, she realizes her plan might have worked a little too well. Will she have to give all the cats back? Will she ever get a cat of her own to love? Sweet and playful, Michelle Robinson’s tale of wish fulfillment will strike a chord with anyone who has ever yearned for a pet, while Chinlun Lee’s exuberantly illustrated felines will delight cat lovers of all ages.

About the Author:

Michelle Robinson is the author of multiple picture books, including How to Wash a Woolly Mammoth, illustrated by Kate Hindley; There’s a Lion in My Cornflakes, illustrated by Jim Field; and Goodnight Tractor, illustrated by Nick East. Michelle Robinson lives in England.

Chinlun Lee is the author-illustrator of the picture books The Very Kind Rich Lady and Her One Hundred Dogsand Good Dog, Paw! and the illustrator of Totally Wonderful Miss Plumberry by Michael Rosen. Chinlun Lee lives in Taiwan.

Review:

This I-want-a-pet story by Robinson (Grandmas from Mars) offers sustained warmth and slow, thoughtful pacing...Robinson and Lee make the girl’s longing easy to understand and her joy a pleasure to share.
—Publishers Weekly

Robinson's tale of a kitty-wish fulfilled will brighten the hearts of young cat lovers. The soft tones of Lee's watercolor-and-pencil illustrations of a white-presenting family (and a passel of pusses of every color) are an excellent match for Robinson's gentle story of pet love. Too many cats may be a possibility—but never too many books celebrating feline companionship.
—Kirkus Reviews

The variety of cats depicted in the watercolor illustrations is delightful and the scenes are sunny and bright, giving the story an overall feeling of hope and happiness. In depicting a scenario that many wistful young pet owners may relate to, this text has wide appeal for those in the preschool through early education years. A purr-fectly pleasing picture book for pet lovers at heart.
—School Library Journal