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| A Curious Collection of Cats by Betsy Franco |
Book Summary:
A Curious Collection of Cats is a collection of 34 haikus, limerick, and free verse poems about felines paired with colorful, attention-grabbing illustrations. Franco details the peculiar behaviors of cats from pacing about to defending their territory. The cats in this book will remind you of your own furry friends, and the affectionate as well as destructive side of each one. Each poem is written as a dedication to a cat who has touched Franco’s life.
Franco, B., & Wertz, M. (2009). A curious collection of cats. Berkeley, CA: Tricycle
Press.
My impressions:
This book of poems is a cat lover’s dream! Franco weaves her catty poetry into fun, creative, and humorous displays on each page. Each poem in this artistic collection of poems within a picture book is oozing with charm, and each selection is excellent for a read-aloud. Every poem takes on the shape of what it is describing, which can sometimes be a little confusing, but will likely delight young readers and keep them entertained. The colorful artwork of Michael Wertz adds a whimsical feel to the collection of poems.
Professional review:
Gr 3-6-- Franco understands the nuanced world of the fluffy, fractious, and faithful feline friend. Thirty-two unusual, concrete poems, one per page with a single exception, are matched by Wertz's monoprints. The words move in several directions and sometimes inhabit multiple objects. The poems are so embedded within the illustrations that it is hard to imagine them without the artwork; they are virtually inseparable. In a print of a cat licking its neck, its exceptionally long tongue is created out of words. Readers following the poem will find they are forced to turn the book to the side, and may crane their own necks, experiencing an odd identification with the activity of the cat. The poem "Princess" uses arrows as part of the illustrated content to keep readers on the language path as "Princess paces down and up" awaiting her supper. At times, the path isn't obvious, but youngsters delight in solving puzzles, and these are merely little challenges that prove fun to master. In "Hot Daze," a red devilish arrow points to the poem's beginning. Among the various subjects are fat cats, shy cats, a kitty who "sips from toilet bowl," and a polydactyl cat with "poofy fur" and "prissy looks." Cat lovers will recognize their felines stretching, purring, and napping. This collection would pair nicely with Sharon Creech's Hate That Cat (HarperCollins, 2008).
Pfeifer, T. (2009, April 1). [Review of the book A curious collection of cats,
by B. Franco]. School Library Journal, 55(4), 147. Retrieved from
Words and pictures blend in these concrete poems about cats, written in forms that include haiku, limerick, and free verse. Once kids get the feel of how to follow the lines— up and down or in curving jumps or around the page borders––they will have fun with the playful images. One poem is in the shape of a feline tail. Another describes Kabob the cat’s fall upside down, and not only do the pictures show his movement, but the words do, too. When felines fight, the position of the words mirrors their furious screeches, howls, pouncing, and biting. Cat lovers will recognize the standoffs with arching backs, the cozy touch of the “purrfect” scarf on their shoulders, and the tech-savvy cat who walks across the keyboard to add her own note to an e-mail to a friend.
Rockman, H. (2009, Mar 15). [Review of the book A curious collection of cats,
by B. Franco]. Booklist,105(14), 62. Retrieved from
Library Uses:
This book is an excellent read-aloud for a poetry story time in the library. The poems are simplistic enough that young readers could volunteer to read them aloud to the class, and the pictures will activate the imaginations of all in attendance. After the poetry reading, invite students to draw their own cat pictures and jot down a line or two of prose within the picture, modeling the artistic style of the book. Another title that would pair well with this book of poems is Franco’s similar homage to dogs: A Dazzling Display of Dogs.
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