The Cat, The Owl And The Fresh Fish, a timeless tale, great art, mixed results

Old school is not a pejorative in some cases. The Cat, The Owl And The Fresh Fish is old school is the right kind of way. It feels like a fable and has the repetition that’s associated with fairy tales. There is also a fresh, unknown quality about the book that lends it to feeling as if it’s been passed down from a generation. However, there’s one aspect of it that could divide some readers or their audience.

The Cat, The Owl And The Fresh Fish is a read-aloud book for ages four through eight. It opens with a scene of a small pond that’s surrounded by wildlife and vegetation. On the pond is a small, red rowboat with a bucket of freshly caught fish. Along comes Grey Cat who wonders whose boat, and subsequent fish, it belongs to. An owl answers that he knows the answer and will gladly tell Grey Cat, if he helps him loosen his claw that’s stuck under a log.

Grey Cat is much too impatient for that and starts to hatch a plan on getting to the rowboat. The wise owl says that he saw a rock as if it had legs that were moving from the pond to the shore, in case that would help. Sure enough, Grey Cat sees a big rock that’s large enough for him to stand on nearby. He tosses the rock into a pond, but it’s still too far for the water-shy cat to traverse.

The owl has seen many things since his foot has been trapped by the log and recommends other things that Grey Cat can put into the water to get him to the boat. All of these objects seemingly had legs, but have mysteriously ended up on the shore, that is until they’re tossed into the water creating a path for the cat.  As the owl is explaining each of these things a visual representation of a bucket with legs skipping to the shore is shown.

What’s the climax when a rowboat with a bucket of fresh fish, a wily cat who won’t help strangers, and an owl whose foot is trapped under a log? Young audiences will think that they know the answer and will laugh when they find out. Some young readers will say that they knew it would happen, but most will be surprised. The reveal is presented in a dual-page gatefold, with the answer all but rising from the page.

This is a read-to-me book that will keep the audience’s attention. The story is paced very well and the art is classic in that it seems as new today as it would have a dozen or so years ago. That’s not to say that it’s dated, it just has that classic look. Audiences will further think that by the fact that its cover has thick cardboard that evokes a textured appearance.

However, some audiences will be put off by the fact that the book’s text is in cursive. If the audience is reading it themselves then they might think twice before picking the book up. They might pick it up as a challenge to read cursive also. Both of these depend on the challenge level of the youth if they’re not having the book read to them. Perhaps the throwback appeal of the combination of the graphics and the cursive will belie my concerns about it and still attract readers.

The art is gorgeous. The story is one that ages four through nine will enjoy. If there’s any ambivalence that you’re feeling it’s just due to the cursive writing. It doesn’t add anything to the story and will be a small obstacle, but still a hindrance to people enjoying the book.

The Cat, The Owl And The Fresh Fish is by Nadine Robert with illustrations by Sang Miao and is available on Milky Way Picture Books.

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