Monsieur Chat

Jedda Robaard

The Five Mile Press

ISBN: 9781760405007

 

Description:

Once there were two very lonely people who lived in a very old apartment block, in a very busy city.

 

Although they had lived there a very long time, they’d never met.

 

Their names were Josephine and Pierre and each spent their days wistful and alone until… Monsieur Chat arrived! Each feels less lonely with him around, but when he disappears a desperate search unites them and changes their lives forever…

 

Jedda’s delicate illustrations will convert another whole new league of fans.

 

Lovely retro-style pictures with lift-up flaps showing hidden details so children will feel like they are in on a secret.

 

Children love being smarter than adults and they will relish the fact that they can see Monsieur Chat but Josephine and Pierre can’t.

 

Adults will enjoy the subtle reference to Sleepless in Seattle.

 

 

My View:

This book is such a delight to read and to share with your little one – beautiful, divine illustrations, gorgeous prose and the “magic” of lift up flaps – a great device for “sharing the secrets” of this narrative, this device always brings such joy, “surprising” the littlies, it really involves them in the storytelling and there are plenty of opportunities for the adult readers to point out/talk about the many items hidden behind the flaps, to “see” what the adults cannot…such fun.

 

I love a children’s book that “grows” with the child; for younger children I can open the pages and devise my own stories, discuss features on the pages, talk about /point out colours/objects/ and animals for example (this is where the beautiful illustrations are such a valuable resource) and then as the child grows and has a greater ability to concentrate and to follow the narrative I can read the words and discuss the themes with them.

 

A book that grows with your child is a book that will be loved for a long time, this one has a special place on my grandson’s book shelf.