A witty adaptation of Perrault's classic French tale about a miller's son who inherits only a cat. A Rabbit Ears Presents selection. Illustrated Size D hardcover book and cassette.
Charles Perrault first published his collection of classic French folk tales 300 years ago, including "Cinderella," "Sleeping Beauty," and this entertaining story about a most clever feline. In Puss and Boots, a poor miller dies and leaves his youngest son nothing but a cat. The son is none too happy about it, either; " ...once I've eaten my cat and made a muff out of the fur, I'm sure to starve," he says. But what a legacy the bequeathed cat turns out to be! The cat in tall boots creates a new identity for the youngest son--the Marquis of Carabas, complete with fine clothes, fields of wheat, a castle stolen from an ogre, and in the end, the respect of the king and the hand of the king's daughter. The story itself is gracefully and humorously told, and the text, set in large gray type, adds an old-fashioned air to the tale.
Fred Marcellino's illustrations for Puss in Boots--a Caldecott Honor Book--are infused with golden light and summer warmth in the sun-dappled woods and beside the fields of ripe grain. Many of his paintings show a masterful use of perspective; the reader sometimes looks down on a scene as though from a balcony, or from below, at a huge charging lion. Marcellino has also illustrated a version of Hans Christian Andersen's The Steadfast Tin Soldier and two books by Tor Seidler, A Rat's Tale and The Wainscott Weasel. Young listeners won't soon forget this crafty character of a cat, who has a great deal of charm despite his less-than-honest means of helping his master. (Ages 5 to 9)
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Should have won the gold!:
Facial expressions are everything in Fred Marcellino's illustrations of Puss in Boots, the famous folk tale by Charles Perrault. This book won the Caldecott Honor Medal in 1991. As a children's librarian, I always ask my audience where the story begins. Their assumption is on page one until I show them that sometimes the story begins on the cover. Children's illustrators are nothing if not creative. Look at the dust jacket--there he is, Puss looking regal in royal clothes. Now turn to the title page:... more info
Cats:
Great book for any cat lover author of "Hobo Finds A Home"
Free SF Reader:
The story of a guy that is down on his luck and broke, and all he has is a cat. Lucky for him, as this cat turns out to be rather clever. It guides him to an improvement in his station, once he realises it has intelligence. They end up dealing with royalty, ogres, and other entertaining situations.
Puss in Boots / Jar dropper:
"Puss in Boots" has endured as a classic children's book because the story is excellent. The graphics are intricate, crisp, and clear. I read "Puss in Boots" at a Read Across America event to 50 second-graders. Most, if not all, of them had never heard of "Puss in Boots". There was shock and outcry when the Ogre shrank himself to the size of a mouse and then was eaten by Puss. They wanted to know why!!! The Ogre was a victim of his own ego - a show off. And Puss was ruthless. The childrens' imaginations and... more info
