Wednesday, June 2, 2010

The School For Cats

Esther Averill ~ Harper & Row, 1947

What the hay, since we are talking about cats anyways... Assuming you all know the famous Fire Cat, the story of the wild and crazy kitty who learns to become unwild and settles into a life of civic duty with the fire department. Well, the tales of the mischievous Pickles are partially preceded in a series of more than a dozen books about a little black cat named Jenny Linksy and all her feline friends. The only one I own in its original form is book two (book one is The Cat Club) about when Jenny gets shipped off to boarding school and learns that sometimes you have to stand up to bullies in order to make friends.Once upon a time there was a Boarding School for Cats off in the country, in a white house surrounded by a field of daisies. Cats and kittens, mostly from towns and cities, went there. Sometimes they went because their masters were obliged to go away on trips or business. Sometimes a cat was sent to School to learn good manners.Here is where Pickles the Fire Cat and Jenny meet in a new school experience that would shake even the most hardened kindergartner. As you might recall, Pickles likes to chase things and when Jenny arrives at school and he comes at her with his miniature hook and ladder, well, let's just say, it's not good. Not even the late-night cat nip sessions and claw sharpening log beds can make her want to stay... Will she run away back to New York City or will she stay to face her fears and stand up to that pushy little Fire Cat? Thankfully, someone at the New York Review Books Children's Collection got wind of their awesomeness and reprinted a whole mess of Jenny's tales. These stories couldn't be more dear in their delivery. Little treasures of mischievous innocence and wit... confronting childhood fears using simple three-color pen and ink drawings that melt your heart instantly.My son's girlfriend Dale goes nuts for them and even formed her own kindergarten "cat club" with her friends last year. Unbelievably cute. If you know what's good for you, you'll join up, too!

5 comments:

  1. A SMITCH CONCERNED: Henry hasn't come home yet! On May 10, I emailed my contact info your way, as announcement was made that day that I had won your fabulous Great Monday Give (Welcome Home, Henry <--YAY!) But as of June 2, Henry is still a no-show. Perhaps I misundrestood; was I suppose to send a fee to cover shipping?

    Thanks! SparkleFarkle~~~~~*

    sparkle.farkle@yahoo.com

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  2. I don't see it in my e-mail and my spam only keeps for two weeks.... sorry about that. Try sending it again and see what happens...

    webe(at)soon(dot)com...

    Sorry. Of course the great monday gives are are always FREE FREE FREE!

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  3. I've only recently discovered Averill's books but I love them. So does my daughter. I hadn't heard of this title so I'm now adding it to my wishlist. Thanks!

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  4. We read the introduction to one of these, where the author states the stories are all true and translated from cat language. At that, my daughter (not quite 5 at the time) said, "That's not true!" She's a skeptic, that one. Wonder how the Tooth Fairy will go over.

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  5. We discovered Jenny Linsky this year! My daughter loves her so much that one of her birthday presents was a stuffed black cat for which I made a red scarf just like Jenny's!

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