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Summary
Summary
A medieval legend tells about a litter of kittens born in the stable at Bethlehem the same night Jesus was born. If this were true, one of these kittens could have become a pet for Jesus. Born on the same night in the same place, what would their relationship have been like? The Christmas Cat imagines the story of Jesus and his pet cat.
Author Notes
Maryann Macdonald grew up near Detroit with seven brothers and sisters. She lived for many years in Europe, but has now settled in New York City. One day, while exploring the Metropolitan Museum there, she discovered the Leonardo da Vinci drawing that inspired her to write The Christmas Cat . She has written numerous books for children.
Amy June Bates grew up in Utah and graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in illustration. She has illustrated over forty books for children and has been honored by the Society of Illustrators for her work. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and children.
Reviews (5)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Macdonald turns a parent's eye on the Nativity scene though the familiar struggle to calm an inconsolable infant. All efforts fail, until "a curious kitten crept out of the shadows"; later, the same cat keeps Jesus calm as the family flees Herod's soldiers. Working in watercolor and gouache, Bates creates marvelous earth-toned illustrations of all the familiar characters, with texture and depth added through deft pencil marks and attention to light and shadow. An author's note credits inspiration from da Vinci's multiple drawings of La Madonna del Gatto, or the Madonna of the Cat. An especially intimate and human retelling, with exquisite drawings. Ages 3-5. Author's agent: Steven Chudney, the Chudney Agency. Illustrator's agent: Shannon Associates. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Mary, Joseph, and the stable animals try to soothe a crying baby Jesus on the night of his birth. But it is a small ginger-and-white kitten, who nuzzles the babes neck and emits a calm, contented purr, who finally stops Jesus tears. The child and the cat become steadfast companions, and an authors note speculates about the possibility of such a relationship based on legend and drawings by da Vinci. Batess textured watercolor, gouache, and pencil illustrations in soft hues of blue, green, brown, yellow, and white add a peaceful quality to a sweet Nativity story appropriate for Christmas Eve bedtime readings. cynthia k. ritter (c) Copyright 2013. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
It would be hard to find opening lines as simultaneously surprising and comforting as Jesus was beautiful, like all babies. And like all babies, he cried. MacDonald (Odette's Secrets, 2013) works to balance the baby Jesus' extraordinary circumstances and his universal humanity in a story suggested by da Vinci's numerous La Madonna del Gatto (The Madonna of the Cat) drawings. After a procession of animals, including a cow, a donkey, and a flock of doves, tries unsuccessfully, only a curious and adorable kitten can quiet the crying Jesus. When Mary and Joseph must flee King Herod's soldiers with their baby, the same feline hitches a ride and calms little Jesus at a crucial moment, cementing a destiny of love and companionship. MacDonald does a seamless job of weaving the feline fancy into the larger tapestry, though young readers unfamiliar with the greatest story ever told will require some extra explanation. Bates' soft, misty lighting casts the characters in the warm glow of history and allegory.--Karp, Jesse Copyright 2010 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-According to the author's note, this somewhat lengthy story was inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's drawings of La Madonna del Gatto as well as legends of a cat that purred Jesus to sleep. Only a kitten hiding in the stables can console a crying baby Jesus, and the two newborns form a bond. Later, when the family must flee Herod's forces, the feline can't be found and is seemingly left behind. Much to the delight of a heartbroken Jesus, the cat has secretly stowed away in the family's belongings, helping to keep him quiet as they escape to Egypt. With its focus beyond the Nativity, this story is an interesting change from typical Christmas fare. The expressive characters set against the rich background of watercolors in ochres, blues, and grays are lovely, but the frequent use of white text against this background makes reading a challenge. Cat lovers might be the best audience for this take on a familiar tale.-Brooke Sheets, Los Angeles Public Library (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Drawings by Leonardo da Vinci of the Madonna and baby Jesus holding a cat inspire this tender Nativity story about a kitten that becomes a beloved pet of the Christ child. The story begins with a wailing baby. "Jesus was beautiful, like all babies. And like all babies, he cried." That thematic thread of a cranky, crying (but cute) Christ child continues, with the only thing that will calm him the purring and attention of a ginger kitten. The cat bonds with the baby in the stable immediately after the child's birth, soothing the crying baby when parents, doves, a cow and a donkey have all failed. When Joseph, Mary and Jesus flee King Herod's soldiers, the cat stows away in the donkey's pack, once again soothing the child and stopping his crying. The final page of the story shows Mary next to Jesus as a boy with his full-grown cat, with one of Leonardo's similarly structured drawings reproduced on the last page with an author's note. Evocative illustrations in watercolor, gouache and pencil are filled with golden light, capturing the touching interactions between mother and baby, child and cat. This warm, inviting interpretation offers a new slant on the familiar story, interesting to all but especially irresistible to cat lovers. (Picture book/religion. 4-8)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
