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33rd out of 118 books
—
15 voters
Catkin
Catkin is a tiny cat given by the Wise Woman to protect the human child Carrie. One day Carrie is taken under the hill by the Little People. Sent to bring her back, Catkin finds his courage and cleverness tested to the full.
Antonia Barber's original story reads like a classic fairy tale. Rich with English folklore and mythology, Catkin is magical story-telling at its best!
Antonia Barber's original story reads like a classic fairy tale. Rich with English folklore and mythology, Catkin is magical story-telling at its best!
Paperback, 48 pages
Published
November 4th 1996
by Candlewick
(first published 1994)
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This beautiful book earned a BookCrossing 'Please Read Us A Story' bookplate, and was a gift from GoryDetails for Yule, 2003. I intend to read this with my nephew, and niece, and someday bequeath it to them (likely when they're a little bit older and less likely to rampage a book). For now it'll be "that book Uncle 'Nathan brings and reads to us."
The story itself is beautifully illustrated and told with a light, spare sort of prose that leaves nearly everything to your imagination, and yet tells...more
The story itself is beautifully illustrated and told with a light, spare sort of prose that leaves nearly everything to your imagination, and yet tells...more
I'm no expert on children's picture books, but this one just didn't work for me. Or for my grandson, who as a bona fide child and book-lover is by definition an expert, at least in what he likes and doesn't like. We both love stories involving cats, and we both loved Antonia Barber's The Mousehole Cat, so we expected something of equal stature. What a disappointment. It lacks the charm, the magic of Mousehole Cat. The concept of the story is more sophisticated, which is okay up to a point, but t...more
Catkin came today and since it is so short I read it immediately. The watercolors by P.J Lynch compliment Antonia Barber's story. Catkin tells the story of a brave runt of a litter who finds a loving home with a farmer, his wife and their daughter. When the daughter is kidnapped by the fair folk of the hill the little cat proves himself by bravely and cunningly rescuing the little girl, Carrie.
I'm delighted that I'm the last on the list. This will give me time to slowly introduce this book into...more
I'm delighted that I'm the last on the list. This will give me time to slowly introduce this book into...more
Aug 11, 2011
Lisa Rathbun
added it
Lovely pictures. Love the small, insignificant hero: this time a cat. The only thing that would take away my enjoyment (or my children's) is that the title and a major part of the plot revolve around the word "catkin", a word I'd never heard until I read this story. (It works as a fairy tale, but if I were the human mother, I'd be pretty peeved at the wise woman's solution at the end.)
beautiful illustrations, lovely folk-tale quality to the story, this book was my sister's and we read it as children but i would like to get another copy in the future to share with my own children
i've read this book aloud a half dozen times this week and it is still good.!
One of my all time favorite children's books.
JE398.2-Bar
This story has always fascinated me & the illustrations are beautiful. I love the rhymes & riddles, as well as the loyalty & love Catkin has for the little girl.
This charming book and its beautiful illustrations really inspired me to write as a girl.
Jun 12, 2013
Emilie
marked it as to-read
May 12, 2013
Stacey Furry
marked it as to-read
May 05, 2013
Catherine
marked it as to-read-children-and-youth
Mar 13, 2013
Igraine
marked it as bilderbuecher
Mar 11, 2013
Steven Mecum
added it
Feb 09, 2013
Jennie
marked it as to-read
Jan 09, 2013
Liz
added it
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Antonia Barber really knows about ballet - her daughter studied ballet from the age of three and attended the Royal Ballet School junior associate classes at Sadler's Wells. Antonia is well-known for such best-selling picture books as The Mousehole Cat (with Nicola Bailey) and Catkin (with J P Lynch). Her novel, The Amazing Mr Blunden, was runner-up for the Carnegie Medal. Antonia lives in Kent.
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