Illustrated by Eugene Yelchin
Welcome to Poetry Friday. Elaine has the roundup at Wild Rose Reader. Enjoy!
After reading wonderful reviews of Won Ton, A Cat Tale Told in Haiku (some on Poetry Friday), I had to add it to my Award-Winning Book Challenge list. The story follows a sleek, long-eared cat from the animal shelter to a new home in a series of senryu, a Japanese poetry form similar to haiku.
The spare poems are the perfect vehicle to convey the aloof personality of the cat, portrayed by the artist as Siamese or perhaps Burmese.
No rush. I’ve got plans.
Gnaw this paw. Nip that flea. And
wish: Please, Boy, pick me.
When the cat is finally chosen, named and fed, he adjusts to his new surroundings
Scrat-ching-post? Haven’t
heard of it. Besides, the couch
is so much closer.
Won Ton, so named after narrowly missing names with no class, speaks in all the poems. After bonding with his Boy, he reveals his true name.
Won Ton is delightful, a perfect marriage of text and illustrations. Kudos to Lee Wardlaw and Eugene Yelchin for creating a poetry book and an adoption story with an endearing character with a happy ending.
Henry Holt and Company, 2011
2012 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award
Award-Winning Book Challenge Status: 6/11
Thanks for your informative review. Makes me want to read.
ReplyDeleteViolet, thanks for visiting my site.
DeleteNice review! I checked that book out and did not get a chance to read it before it was due. This happens often since my arms can hold more books than I have time to read. :) I will check this one out again.
ReplyDeleteThank you. It's a quick read and then you want to read it all over again!
DeleteSuch an awesome book - and those glorious illustrations are just perfect!
ReplyDeleteHi Joyce, I have read so many great things about this book, and I can't wait to find this in our libraries. Thank you for sharing this as well in our database. What a lovely addition this May! :)
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