The White Cat and the Monk: A Retelling of the Poem "Pangur Bán" is a 2016 children's picture book by Jo Ellen Bogart and illustrated by Sydney Smith. An adaption of an anonymous ninth century poem, it is about the friendship between Pangur, a cat and a monk, told over the course of one night, and the fulfillment they both receive by morning.
 | |
| Author | Jo Ellen Bogart |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Sydney Smith |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's picture book |
| Published | 2016 (Groundwood Books) |
| Publication place | Canada |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | (unpaginated) |
| ISBN | 9781554987801 |
| OCLC | 1004882337 |
Reception
editA review in Quill & Quire of The White Cat and the Monk wrote "If ever there was a book that could calm a child and draw her into meditative contemplation (perhaps right before bed?), The White Cat and the Monk is it.", [1] and School Library Journal described it as "A stunningly illustrated meditative ode to the simple joys of human-animal companionship and the pursuit of knowledge."[2]
The White Cat and the Monk has also been reviewed by Kirkus Reviews,[3] Publishers Weekly,[4] Booklist,[5] Horn Book Guides[6] The New York Times,[7] CBC Books,[8] and CM: Canadian Review of Materials,[9]
Awards
edit- 2017 CCBC Choices book[10]
- 2017 NCTE Notable Poetry Book[11]
- 2017 North Somerset Teachers' Book Award longlisted book.[12][13]
- 2016 Governor General's Literary Awards, Young People's Literature – Illustrated Books short list[14]
- 2016 NP99 Best Book[15]
- 2016 New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Children's Book.[16]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Cara Smusiak. "The White Cat and the Monk (starred review)". Quill & Quire. St. Joseph Media. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
- ^ Kiera Parrott (January 22, 2016). "The White Cat and the Monk (starred review)". School Library Journal. Media Source Inc. p. 66. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
- ^ "The White Cat and the Monk". Kirkus Reviews. Kirkus Media LLC. January 15, 2016. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
Reminiscent of the succinct storytelling and expressive brushwork of Chris Raschka and Kevin Henkes, this quiet, historical gem will charm children and adults alike.
- ^ "The White Cat and the Monk: A Retelling of the Poem "Pangur Bán" (starred review)". Publishers Weekly. PWxyz LLC. January 4, 2016. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
Despite the reflective tone, text and art move readers swiftly through the story, which builds to a seeming epiphany for the monk. It's a sophisticated and subtle story about the pursuit of joy—one that will easily resonate with readers young and old.
- ^ Ilene Cooper (2016). "The White Cat and the Monk (starred review)". Booklist. American Library Association. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
.. no denying that this is a beautiful piece of bookmaking. The watercolor-and-ink artwork has both heft and humor, especially in the joyful depictions of the manuscripts. ... Readers who consider the story's underlying messages about necessities, companionship, and fulfillment will come away enriched.
- ^ Roger Sutton (2016). "The White Cat and the Monk". Horn Book Guides. Media Source Inc. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
The adaptation ("inspired by a number of translations written over many years") is as unostentatious as the watercolor and ink illustrations, which meld a medieval spirit with a modern sense of cartooning, a juxtaposition that is fresh and seems entirely right.
- ^ Maria Popova (April 8, 2016). "Children's Books: Amy Novesky's 'Cloth Lullaby', And More". The New York Times. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
Sydney Smith's distinctive art (he also illustrated the magnificent "Sidewalk Flowers") falls partway between modernist fairy tale and graphic novel, opening an inviting portal between past and present as the ancient story comes to life in a decidedly contemporary aesthetic. .. The text's subtle moral is timeless but also sings with elegiac timeliness...
- ^ "Books: Canadian - The White Cat and the Monk". cbc.ca. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. March 1, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
With Jo Ellen Bogart's simple and elegant narration and Sydney Smith's classically inspired images, this contemplative story pays tribute to the wisdom of animals and the wonders of the natural world.
- ^ Tamara Opar (February 26, 2016). "The White Cat and the Monk: A Retelling of the Poem "Pangur Bán"". CM: Canadian Review of Materials. 22 (24). The Manitoba Library Association. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
Truly a wonderful book, The White Cat and the Monk expresses the richness of the relationship between the two characters.
- ^ Kathleen T. Horning; Merri V. Lindgren; Megan Schliesman; Emily McKnight Townsend (2017). "Picture Books for School-Age Children". CCBC Choices 2017 (PDF). Cooperative Children's Book Center. p. 57. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
A graceful prose retelling of a 9th-century Gaelic poem thought to have been written by an Irish monk in a German abbey. ... Mostly illustrated in somber tones, the pictures burst into color when showing an illuminated manuscript that is a visual echo of the poem itself.
- ^ "2017 Notable Poetry Books" (PDF). ncte.org. National Council of Teachers of English. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
- ^ "The North Somerset Teachers' Book Award: The 2017 Booklist - Poetry Books". northsomersetteachersbookaward.com. North Somerset Teachers' Book Award. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
- ^ "Longlist Review: The White Cat and the Monk". northsomersetteachersbookaward.com. North Somerset Teachers' Book Award. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
This poem is beautifully crafted by Jo Ellen Bogart and exquisitely illustrated by Sydney Smith. ..
- ^ "Past winners and finalists: 2016 Young People's Literature — Illustrated Books". ggbooks.ca. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
- ^ National Post Staff (December 9, 2016). "The Complete NP99: The best books of 2016". National Post. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
- ^ "The New York Times Book Review Names the 10 Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2016". The New York Times Book Review. November 3, 2016. Retrieved October 13, 2021.