BooksForKidsBlog

Monday, September 26, 2016

Eye Witnesses! They All Saw A CAT by Brendan Wenzel

A CAT WALKED THROUGH THE WORLD

WITH ITS WHISKERS, EARS, AND PAWS.

A cat is a cat is a cat, and no more than that?

To a child the cat is a soft, purring pet.

But to the dog the cat is perhaps something fun to chase, perhaps a foe with sharp claws to fear.

To the fish the cat is a blurry and worrisome dark shape that appears above the water. To the mouse the cat is a sharp-toothed monster whose little bell warns "Run and hide." But to the flea on the cat's back, he is a prairieland of fur to be probed. And to the honeybee, the cat is a collection of pixilated dots; to the earthworm underground he is only vibrations above--something not to be considered deeply.

AND THE SNAKE SAW THE CAT... AND THE SKUNK SAW THE CAT...

And what does the cat see when he regards his own reflection in the pond?

Brendan Wenzel's top-selling new book, They All Saw a Cat (Chronicle Books, 2016), probes the difference between looking and seeing, exploring the different ways the common cat is seen by different viewers. In lovely flowing illustrations set against a white field, reminiscent of Eric Carle's classic work, Wenzel's multi-media paintings hint at a deeper premise--that we all see what we see in varied ways. A work that can itself be seen in different ways, Wenzel's first picture book can be appreciated on several levels, a kaleidoscope of sensory experience that points up the power of point of view. Says Publishers Weekly, "A powerful, rhythmic juxtaposition between word and image... it's marvelous," and Kirkus Reviews adds "A solo debut for Wenzel, showcasing both technical chops and a philosophical bent."

Labels: ,

0 Comments:

Post a Comment



<< Home