Our picture
book, Big Cat, Little Cat by Elisha Cooper (OR 'Cats Being Cats')
garnered an A+ rating -- not just from the 'cat people' among the ten of us, but
unanimously. We all loved the simple-seeming black drawings of the big and
little cats, and realized that they so enhanced a simply, but
wonderfully-written story that moved full circle from the beginning to the
end. We loved the way it dealt with the cats becoming acquainted, learning
together, having fun, growing, and just enjoying life, until one of them 'had to
go and he didn't come back.' Although there were no humans in this story up to
this point, we were all so moved as the next page turn showed a family in
silhouette, and all, including the (now big) cat were now very sad. But
then -- a new little cat came, and it began anew. A perfect picture
book!
We had
mixed reactions to our novel, Princess Cora and the Crocodile by Laura
Amy Schlitz. Everyone loved the crocodile, sent by the princess' fairy
godmother, but only a few of us loved the story too. Some
thought it was a bit boring and didactic, as well as predictable, and
couldn't 'buy' the fact that the crocodile's actions helped to turn Cora into a
little girl who thought for herself. Others of us loved this aspect of it. We
agreed that it spoke to the 'overprogramming' of many kids these days, and we
thought it might be a good 'first thick book' for young 2nd or 3rd grade
readers, as well as a good read-aloud -- a chapter a day -- for a classroom. A
couple of readers felt that this award-winning writer was not at her best in
this particular book.
