The Taming of the Cat

Brie is an unusual mouse. Unlike the other mice in the cheese shop colony, he prefers breadcrumbs and grain to cheese and has a head full of stories. These things do not endear him to the other mice and he finds himself lonely- and cold. Seeking warmth, Brie finds himself caught in the paws of the fearsome, Gorgonzola, the cheese shop cat. In this life-or-death situation, Brie decides to distract her by telling her stories inspired by the labels on the different cheeses. Caught between the animosity of his mouse community and the threat of death by cat, he must weave a tale which will change his life.

In the tradition of Scheherazade, the tales told by Brie are framed by his own life story, making this a wonderfully rich and entertaining book with plenty to recommend it. The nature of cats and their predator/ prey relationship with mice is not shied away from, but this is an important part of the story, building a clear picture of Gorgonzola’s personality and increasing the sense of tension and the feeling of peril for Brie’s situation.

Brie is a wonderful character. Different from the other, he is victimised by the other mice for being different, for having his own interests. Although his relationship with Gorgonzola begins through necessity as Brie wishes to survive, it develops into a true friendship, something which is lacking in his fellows, offering plenty to discuss. In Gorgonzola, Helen Cooper has captured a real essence of cat which is a joy to read!

The story which Brie tells is shaped and developed in response to Gorgonzola’s interests and whims as much as it is inspired by the pictures and names on the cheese labels. It is a magical tale and one which is sure to inspire children to create stories of their own- perhaps as a collaborative activity, sparked by things around them.

Lavishly illustrated, the book is full of pictures to linger over and enjoy, the perfect complement to the story.

The Taming of the Cat Helen Cooper

Faber ISBN: 978-0571376018

Originally reviewed for Reading Zone.

You can read my review of The Hippo at the End of the Hall here.

Hay Festival: Daniel Morden

The Hay Festival is always one of the highlights of my book-ish year. It is great to meet up with literary loving friends and hear lots of fabulous authors, poets and illustrators discussing their books. Today, I went to hear story-teller, Daniel Morden, who I first heard at Hay some years ago.

The event was just brilliant. Daniel retold one of the stories he has recorded in his book, ‘Dark Tales from the Woods’, drawn from old gypsy tales. There was plenty of laughter and audience participation as we heard the story of ‘The Squirrel and the Fox’. Stopping at various points, Daniel invited the audience to offer suggestions for what might happen next- and there were some very creative ideas!

It is such a joy to listen to a talented storyteller! The audience were completely captivated and a great time was had by all.