The Cat and the Wizard

by Dennis Lee, Gillian Johnson (Illustrator)

Every magician has his bag of tricks, but one lonesome wizard feels severely unappreciated until he chances upon a friendly coal-black cat--in a laundromat, of all places. The feline wears a huge feathered hat and lives in a mock castle called Casa Loma, a real Toronto landmark, to which the two retire for an evening of fine dining and celebration. Dennis Lee, whose classics Alligator Pie and Jelly Belly have made him Canada's foremost author of children's poetry, has returned with his first new work for children in a decade, The Cat and the Wizard, a work that sings when read aloud.

Hidden inside its bouncy, ebullient poetry is a poignant love story. The only two lost souls who could possibly appreciate each other's oddities have somehow found each other. The cat, as host, serves up a feast of many plates--steak, Shreddies, turnips, tuna fish, and wine, followed by big cigars before the fire. But what kind of special evening would it be without entertainment? The wizard empties his pack to the cat's delight, "And soon the whole castle / Is whizzing with things: / With sparklers and flautists / and butterflies' wings." The whimsical illustrations by Gillian Johnson (author of the popular My Sister Gracie) add to the fun. (Ages 4 to 8) --Mark Frutkin

Genres: Picture Books, Poetry, Childrens, Cats, Canada, Fantasy

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Dennis Beynon Lee, OC, MA is a Canadian poet and thinker who lives in Toronto, Ontario. He is also a children's writer.

After attending high school at the University of Toronto Schools, Lee received bachelor's and master's degrees in English from the University of Toronto. He is best known for his children's writings; his most famous work is the rhymed Alligator Pie (1974). He also wrote the lyrics to the theme song of the 1980s television show Fraggle Rock and, with Philip Balsam, many of the other songs for that show. Balsam and Lee also wrote the songs for the television special The Tale of the Bunny Picnic. Lee is co-writer of the story for the film Labyrinth.

Reviews

[l · Rating 3 out of 5]

How could I pass up a book with such a title?

[Cheriee Weichel · Rating 4 out of 5]

About a year or so ago I was called in to evaluate papers written by grade seven students. They had been given the first part of this poem and been asked to analyze it. I have been itching to read the rest of the poem ever since. So when I discovered this picture book on display, I had to have it.
It begins with a description of an elderly, gifted wizard, travelling around in search of welcome. This section is all the students saw.
The poem is so much more. There's a lonely sociable cat. Eventually the two characters meet and end up becoming best of friends. Gillian Johnson's magical illustrations bring their shenanigans to life.

[annabanana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an oldie but a goodie. This is a story about how the lonely cat and the lonely wizard find friendship and completion in each other. Very fun and heartwarming. The loose and colorful drawings give a sense of lightheartedness. I would absolutely recommend this book. If you would like a sense of this book, check out my reading of this book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh_-H...

FUN FACT: A passage of this book can be found on the grounds of the real Casa Loma, which is super cool.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Cat and the Wizard is cute rhyming story about a wizard who has skills nobody wants and a would-be hostess of a cat who lives in a castle all by herself. I didn't realize that Casa Loma is a real castle in Toronto... but it is, and that makes reading a story about it all the more interesting.

The whole book is written in rhyming verse, and for the most part, it flows off the tongue quite well. The wizard has skills of questionable usefulness, but they're awfully fun to read about. The cat wears a spiffy hat, and seems to be something of a Martha Stewart wannabe.

I have few quibbles with the text itself. However, I was really disappointed by the illustrations. I have a hard time believing they were done by an "acclaimed illustrator". They seemed rough and amateurish to me. It's a shame, because with really cute illustrations, this could have been a book that I would wholeheartedly recommend. As it is now, it would be a good book to read aloud to children... but the disappointing illustrations would probably prevent it from being a picture book that kids would want to look at again and again.

Quotable moment:

He carries a bird's nest

That came from the Ark;

He knows how to tickle

A fish in the dark;

He can count up by tens

To a million and three--

But he can't find a home

For his wizardry.

http://theladybugreads.blogspot.ca/20...

[Killaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favourite kids book. My son and I have read it a hundred times or more and we still find interesting new quirks in the language and illustrations. Fantastic. This book has brought us so much fun and joy, and been a bedtime staple.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

A travelling wizard finds himself unable to make any friends or find a place to lay his head. A cat in a castle finds herself without anyone to share her table. Will an accidental meeting be the start of a beautiful friendship?

Dennis Lee writes wonderful, silly poetry. The whole story is one poem and you really get a feel for how the wizard and the cat live.

[Arah-Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how I love Dennis Lee! This is my all time favorite to read to my kids.

[Erroll Treslan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply one of the best childrens' books of all time.