“Long ago, in a time when it was not unusual for animals to speak, there lived a very clever cat.” Thus opens the tale I would like to bring to your attention today. Possibly the first picture book I’ve reviewed. :-D
Papa Gatto, a cat and valued advisor to the prince, has been recently widowed with eight kittens to care for. Since he must travel often, he needs to find a caregiver for his children. So he sends out a message with the town crier, promising a payment of the worker’s choice. Among those who hear the message is a widow with a beautiful, but lazy, daughter and a plain, but kind, stepdaughter. Upon hearing the message, the widow sends her daughter, Sophia. Sophia may have had an eye for grand wealth and payment, but she lacked what was truly needed for the kittens: hard and diligent work. When Papa Gatto returned home, he sent her away in disgrace. Sometime later, he sends another, new message out, appealing for someone who will actually care for his children and home. This time, it is the stepdaughter, Beatrice, that slips away from her stepfamily to right the wrong Sophia did. Thanks to her gentleness and diligent work, the kittens come to love her. And the kittens’ adoration, as well as the clean manor, leave a lasting impression on the noble-cat, so much so that he points the prince in her direction as a possible wife. Can a happy ending really be that simple? Or will Sophia try to ruin it? If so, how will Papa Gatto and the prince discover the truth?
Squeals! I just love this story so much, it’s hard not to tell you the entire thing and give the ending away. As much as I would love to say I grew up with this tale, that would sadly be untrue. It wasn’t until I was in my early teen years that I found this story, and it was because I was trying to find more picture books by the artist. We’ll get to her a little later. Based on an Italian fairytale, the story almost has a Cinderella feel to it. It also breaks out of a few clichés: beautiful girl is the mean girl, plain girl is the kind girl, and . . . oh, I can’t say without giving the ending away. I will say that the ending is a refreshing change that still promises a beautiful happily ever after. The copyrights page reveals where the author received her inspiration: “The Colony of Cats,” “The Fable of Cats,” “The House of Cats,” and “Count Gatto.” Although I have yet to come across these tales, I would like to find them some day.
The author and illustrator of this tale is Ruth Sanderson. The first story of hers I found was The Golden Mare, the Firebird, and the Magic Ring. I loved the way she told the story and the gorgeous oil paintings. I have since found various books she has done. A couple of my favorites being The Twelve Dancing Princesses and Cinderella, not to mention the first book I found of hers and Papa Gatto. I love her paintings because they so rich and detailed, yet the details don’t overcrowd your senses. (I have seen a book or two by another artist that is detailed beyond belief, still beautiful, but I don’t think that I have still discovered all the details.) In this story, when the kittens are present, I enjoy searching the picture to see if all eight are there and if so what they doing. I actually love her paintings so much, I have actually used a couple as references for practice drawing.
Okay, I’ll just admit it: I am in love with this story. It is just so beautiful. Highly, highly recommended to anyone who can get their hands on a copy. Anyone who loves fairytales, cats, a good story, or beautiful artwork, check out this story. Even if you need to rely on your local library. (As of this writing, I don’t own the book myself. I check it out from an area library every so often.) So with such a wonderful tale, and refreshing ending, I’m going to be giving it five out of five dragons.
Hope you enjoyed. Until next time.
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