perspective

The Catawampus Cat by Jason Carter Eaton

| Tasha

The Catawampus Cat by Jason Carter Eaton

The Catawampus Cat by Jason Carter Eaton, illustrated by Gus Gordon (9780553509717)

Released March 21, 2017.

The cat arrived in town one day and no one noticed at first. Then a grocer noticed the cat who walked entirely askew, crooked to the world. He and his wife tilted their heads to match and discovered her lost wedding ring, romance blossomed. Soon others in town were tilting too. The barber discovered a new haircut, a housepainter created modern art, the librarian pulled a different book out and found a new passion, and a young boy discovered a new way to look at math. The town entirely changed, rebuilding their houses to be crooked and having their cars made that way too. They named a day after the cat and threw a big event. But in the end, the cat had a new way once again of looking at things.

Eaton’s writing is playful and fresh. He embraces thoroughly the impact of a crooked cat on an entire city, one small change after another building to an entire shift in the society. The picture book looks not only at how one individual’s point of view can change the world but also about how being flexible enough to look at the world from a different viewpoint can change an individual and improve a life. The entire book is hopeful, funny and joyful.

Gordon’s illustrations are a mix of collage and painting. With lighthearted cartoon style, they are immensely appealing. Done in subtle colors, they combine vintage clippings, photographs of objects and loose-lined illustrations.

A winsome picture book, this one can be used to spark discussion about our own catawampus approach to life. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from e-galley received from Edelweiss and Crown Books.

They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel

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they-all-saw-a-cat-by-brendan-wenzel

They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel (InfoSoup)

A cat walks through the house and the backyard and is seen by different people and animals in their own unique way. The child sees a very friendly cat, the mouse a terrifying creature with huge teeth, the fish sees a watery figure, the bat sees the space the cat takes up, and the worm sees the vibrations of the cat through the earth. Each creature perceives the cat in a different way. Even the cat itself, as it heads to the water, is about to see itself in a personal way.

This very simple book offers a fascinating look at perception and the ways that each of us sees and views the world around us. The repeating first line of “The cat walked through the world, with its whiskers, ears and paws…” keeps the book clearly focused and adds an important stylistic component. The book also celebrates imagination as children can start to see the unique ways not only they view the world but can imagine the ways that other creatures see the world in such a different way. The idea of perspective is also introduced, particularly from the cat itself, a flea riding in the cat’s fur and the bird flying high above. There is plenty to discuss in this book and it invites investigation and learning.

The illustrations are a critical part of the concept, showing how an insect’s eyes see the world in a very different way. They also capture not only how an animals sees but their relationship with the cat. The dog sees a lean and almost whiplike creature. The fox sees a juicy round animal. This use of both physical perspective and personal perspective is very cleverly and clearly done.

A book to generate discussion, I can see this being used in conversations about differing points of view as well as art classes on perspective. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Chronicle Books.

 

Review: Big Bug by Henry Cole

| Tasha

big bug

Big Bug by Henry Cole

Start with a close up of a ladybug in this picture book and then everything is put into perspective.  If you step back, the big bug on the first pages is not so big compared to the big leaf it is sitting on.  That leaf turns small when seen as just a part of a flower.  Then a big dog appears only to be dwarfed by the big cow on the next page.  This continues until the reader is looking at the big sky.  Then the book reverses and the perspective gets closer and tighter, returning in the end to that same dog now sleeping inside. 

This is a very simple book that is superbly done.  Cole plays nicely with perspective and with concepts.  The book can easily be used as a way to show the differences between big and small, but I think the real treat is showing children that perspective is important and understanding size is too.  With only a couple of words on each page, the book is imminently readable, especially by a child just starting to read on their own.

Cole’s art is clear and lovely.  The perspective changes are done vividly and the page where you linger with the big big sky for a moment is particularly lovely with its little farm and little tree.  It also serves as a very clear pivot point in the book thanks to the design of the page. 

Show this one to art teachers, preschool teachers, and kids who enjoy a huge insect.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy received from Little Simon.

Book Review: Bee & Bird by Craig Frazier

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beebird

Bee & Bird by Craig Frazier

A simple wordless story is made remarkable by bright, graphic illustrations.  This is the story of a bee and a bird and their journey, but what journey are they on?  They are in a tree, the tree is on a truck, and then could the truck be driving on the back of a cow?  Then there’s a boat on an ocean, that is actually a toy boat.  As perspectives shift, the epic adventure becomes more of a neighborhood jaunt.  It’s a trip that readers will happily make with the pair, finding surprises at almost every page turn.

Frazier, author of the wonderful Lots of Dots, has created another great book for children.  His vibrant illustrations use bold colors, strong shapes, and inventive perspectives to turn a normal day into a series of surprising twists.

Art teachers will embrace this book for its clear depiction of perspective.  At the same time, it is also a rocking picture book that young readers will equally enjoy.  Appropriate for ages 3-6, older when used to discuss perspective.

Reviewed from copy received from Roaring Brook Press.

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Check out the book trailer for some of those perspective shifts: