My Cat Likes To Hide in Boxes - Eve Sutton and (illustrator) Lynley Dodd

Published by Penguin Group: New Zealand, 2007.
Originally published 1974.

This book is one I really like, and in fact is the first time that Elise has picked a book for her list that was on mine. Knowing how much I enjoy it, she changed her list to another choice.

Thanks, Elise!

I remember my primary school having this book in a large format, and for some reason it is a story that has stuck with me, probably because of it's repetitive and slightly humorous story. What I didn't realise then, but enjoy now, is that the illustrator of this book is Lynley Dodd of Hairy Maclary fame! Fun!

Each page of My Cat introduces another cat from some international location, usually with an incredible talent - "The cat from Spain/ Flew an aeroplane/ The cat from France/ Liked to sing and dance" - only to compare it with the narrator's own cat, with the refrain, "But MY cat likes to hide in boxes." These international cats are dressed in traditional costumes from the country in question and are vaguely anthropomorphised, whereas "my cat" is very much a normal, box-hiding cat.

I love the way that the narrator seems so proud of their cat, despite the vastly superior talents of the foreign cats (with the notable exception of the cat from Brazil, who only "caught a very bad chill"). Ezekiel also likes this story, although on occasion will turn ahead when the list of international cats grows too long, and he wants to return to the refrain again.

He also has a favourite: the cat from Japan who waves a big blue fan. This one has some patterns on its kimono that resemble spinners, and Ezekiel loves spinners.



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