Morgy Broth, Star-gazy Pie and the Taming of the Great Storm Cat! (The Mousehole Cat - Antonia Barber)

Member Name: tange

Product:	The Mousehole Cat - Antonia Barber
Date:	14/05/03 (1075 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A wonderful legend, Captivating illustrations, Very easy to get caught up in!

Disadvantages: None....except I didn't want it to end!

I have just re-read a book that was recommended to me by a friend who has just started work as a Primary School Teacher. She said her class had been captivated by it and I remembered how much of a favourite it had been at Storytime in the Library. I'd forgotten just how lovely it was ~ a charming story with stunning illustrations! What is this marvellous Children's book? ~ The Mousehole Cat written by Antonia Barber and illustrated by Nicola Bayley of course!

~~~THE AWARDS.

It's not just me and my friend's class who loved this book! It was written in 1990 and went on to win the British Book Award in the Illustrated Children's Book of the Year category. It also got the prize for a Children's Book in the British Design Production Awards. It has been shortlisted for the Smarties Prize, the Children's Book Award and the Kate Greenaway Medal too.

~~~THE STORY.

The Mousehole (pronounced Mowzel) Cat is the re-telling of and old Cornish legend ~ the story of Tom Bowcock and his beloved old cat Mowzer. The village of Mousehole (so called because the harbour mouth resembles the hole a mouse lives in) relies on fishing for its survival; without fishing and the fishermen the villagers wouldn't survive. The legend says that during one really bad winter the fishermen couldn't get out of the harbour mouth to fish because of a massive storm raging outside. The Village is in grave danger of starving because of this Great Storm Cat, so Tom and Mowzer decide that it is up to them to brave the storm and bring in some fish ~ their children have left home and they have no dependents who will be worried if they don't return.

So the pair set off in their fishing boat to get a haul of fish in time for Christmas. Their selfless act, their bravery and Mowzer's cat song (purring and meowing) calm the Great Storm Cat into a Little Storm Kitten and they return triumphant with a huge catch of local f
ish. Now every Christmas Eve, the villagers of Mousehole light up their windows with lanterns to guide the fishermen who "pass in peril on the sea" and have a big Fish Feast. They celebrate Tom and Mowzer's bravery and give thanks that they were saved from starvation. The villagers raise a glass to old Tom and the cats "raise a great howling" to the memory of old Mowzer.


~~~WHAT DID I THINK?

I really enjoyed the book and thought it was an excellent children's story ~ it was even good for us "bigger kids" too! It has such lovely pictures that I think they could even tell the story without the need for the text ~ but the narrative is enchanting too, so I wouldn't want to do away with that! The story itself is really interesting and different because it relays the legend from the perspective of Mowzer the cat. For example, Tom is actually Mowzer's "pet" and it is the cats who own the houses ~ they just allow the humans to share their lives.

I actually found certain parts of the book to be quite moving ~ when Mowzer decides to go with Tom to brave the storm she purrs "as if she would burst" to tell him she loved him more than anything; this was pretty touching and I actually had a tear in my eye! The words have an almost poetic feel to them and the story comes alive with the descriptions of the fish, the love and bond between the two main characters and the violent wailing of the Great Storm Cat. The pity that Mowzer feels for the loneliness of the Storm is very real and the story is very poignant and very easy to get caught up in. It must have been a good story becuase I really CARED what happened to the characters and was quite worried about the outcome!

The Mousehole Cat is marketed as a story for younger readers but I think that it is suitable for children of most ages. There are quite a few words that would need explaining if really small ones tried
to read it and there is a fair amount of text alongside the illustrations too. Children who can read competently shouldn't have a great deal of trouble with it, but some of different sorts of fish and the pronunciation of some of the words in dialect may need clarifying for them. It makes an excellent bedtime story because of the legendary story and the happy ending ~ it is especially good for children who have been (or are going) on holiday to the seaside, or as a story to read around Christmas time. It is also a good book to get for children (or even adults) who love cats.

I was captivated by this book and most people I have shown it too have thought it was great too. It has a stunning combination of fun, sadness, adventure and legend; and all that combined with some of the most beautiful pictures I have seen in a Children's book (and I've seen loads!). I thoroughly recommend The Mousehole Cat by Antonia Barber...check it out and see what you think!

Book details.

Paperback - 40 pages (3 June, 1993)
Walker Books; ISBN: 0744523532
Hardcover - 40 pages (2 August, 1990)
Walker Books; ISBN: 0744507030
***The Mousehole Cat was also made into to animated adventure
Edition Details:
* PAL format
* HiFi Sound, Animated, PAL
* ASIN: B00004CPCJ
* Catalogue Number: RGBV9401***

Summary: