 | |
| Author | Emily Gravett |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's picture book |
| Published | 2012 (Macmillan Children's Books) |
| Publication place | England |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 32 (unpaginated) |
| ISBN | 9780230745377 |
| OCLC | 800852809 |
Matilda's Cat is a 2012 children's picture book by Emily Gravett. The book is about Matilda, a girl dressed in a ginger-striped cat costume, who attempts to involve her similarly ginger-striped cat in various activities to no avail but then eventually snuggles up with the cat in bed.
Publication history
- 2014, USA, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers ISBN 9781442475274
- 2012, England, Macmillan Children's Books ISBN 9780230745377
Reception
A review in Kirkus Reviews of Matilda's Cat wrote "A master of animal countenance, Gravett pairs an expressive cat with a busy kid and winks at the difference between textual and visual message", and Booktrust wrote that "Gravett’s illustrations in this funny and touching picture book are as delightful as ever."
Matilda's Cat has also been reviewed by Publishers Weekly, Booklist, School Library Journal, Horn Book Guides, Library Media Connection, The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.
It was long-listed for the 2013 Kate Greenaway Medal .
References
- "Matilda's Cat (starred review)". Kirkus Reviews. Kirkus Media LLC. 15 January 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- "Matilda's Cat". booktrust.org.uk. Booktrust. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- "Matilda's Cat". Publishers Weekly. PWxyz LLC. 6 January 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
Gravett's humor generally runs from giddy to Gothic; in this story, it's toward the sweeter end of the spectrum.
- Sarah Hunter (2014). "Matilda's Cat". Booklist. American Library Association. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
Gravett, the creator of Again! (2013), creates big, bold drawings against clean, white backgrounds, perfect for showcasing spunky Matilda, her uncooperative cat, and their odd-couple friendship, which happily succeeds even though they have nothing in common.
- Luann Toth (2014). "Matilda's Cat". School Library Journal. Media Source Inc. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
The energetic watercolor artwork is pure Gravett, with plenty of visual jokes and with characters-girl and cat-who express their feelings with every fiber of their being. For every overly exuberant youngster who has ever attempted to win the affections of a feline, this picture book offers reassurances that the friendship bond will most like occur but perhaps not on the child's timetable.
- "Matilda's Cat". Horn Book Guides. Media Source Inc. 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
Generous white space puts Matilda and her cat front-and-center in each amusing, clever double-page spread.
- Brenda Dales (2014). "Matilda's Cat". Library Media Connection. Linworth Publications. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
Gravett's use of cat and dog motifs in the illustrations, and details such as the cat using the storybook as a platform for preening, enhance the unconditional relationship between Matilda and her tabby.
- "Matilda's Cat". The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. 67 (7). Johns Hopkins University Press: 359, 360. March 2014. doi:10.1353/bcc.2014.0169. S2CID 142501065. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
The listlike narrative is carefully and crisply structured, ... The contradiction between the text and the put-upon cat's comical expressions is the real hoot here, and young pet owners will particularly relate to Matilda's desire to have her cat behave according to her whims.
- "Bookshelf: Pets (subscription required)". The New York Times. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- Meghan Cox Gurdon (21 March 2014). "Children's Books: Tame and Wild (subscription required)". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 6 November 2021.