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Posy

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Posy may be one of the cheekiest, most inquisitive kittens around but that doesn't stop her being the most lovable one too! Follow the delightful Posy kitten as she bounces and pounces through her adventure-filled day. This beautifully illustrated picture book by an award-winning author and illustrator team is bound to be adored by cat lovers of all ages, everywhere!

32 pages, Hardcover

First published December 23, 2008

1 person is currently reading
258 people want to read

About the author

Linda Newbery

87 books54 followers
Linda Newbery's latest novel for adults is THE ONE TRUE THING. She has published widely for readers of all ages, and is a Costa Prize category winner with SET IN STONE, a young adult Victorian mystery. She has twice been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, with THE SHELL HOUSE and SISTERLAND.

With friends Adele Geras and Celia Rees, Linda hosts the literary blog WRITERS REVIEW, which features reviews, recommendations, interviews with authors and insights from booksellers.

Linda is an active campaigner on animal and environmental issues and has published a guide to compassionate living: THIS BOOK IS CRUELTY FREE - ANIMALS AND US.

She lives in rural Oxfordshire.

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5 stars
214 (31%)
4 stars
235 (34%)
3 stars
200 (29%)
2 stars
29 (4%)
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5 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
Profile Image for Kathryn.
4,825 reviews
August 16, 2010
I'm in love with Posy. This is such a fun, sweet, delightful little book about a fun, sweet, delightful kitten! The illustrations are definitely a bit unusual in style, but I just adore them. And the text is very sparse, just two words per page, rhyming, but it completely captures all the variations in kitty behavior--from their most cuddly and quiet moments to the times when they are scratching at this and pouncing on that and being little wild creatures! This little book, like the kitten it describes, is a total charmer! :-)
Profile Image for Lisa Vegan.
2,930 reviews1,330 followers
August 17, 2010
I wasn’t sure about this one when I heard the text was composed of very short phrases but the pictures were really cute.

Well, this book is just wonderful. Posy the kitten is adorable. (I wasn’t wild about the indoor/outdoor choice for this kitten though.)

The author and illustrator definitely know cats & kittens. I recognize Posy in most of the cats I’ve known. Posy going through her day doing all sorts of typical kitten activities brought a smile to my face. Board-game wrecker was my favorite because I’ve had plenty of experience with that one, with my friends’ cats.

Yes, the text was just very short phrases and sometimes words, but all together they form a rhyming story that the very youngest child can enjoy, but so can the whole family.

I ended up loving the illustrations although it took me a few pages to get used to them. Once I got to the very realistic looking pink ball of yarn page I was won over. And the text has some neat touches too. I like how the word “disapppearer” starts to fade out toward the end of the word.

Posy is lovable and the story and its pictures are delightful. Children in households with cats will immediately understand Posy. Kids in households without cats will no doubt start requesting a kitten, and some kids might end up playing kittens/cats in their roles; Posy is contagious!
Profile Image for Abigail.
8,062 reviews272 followers
January 26, 2020
Cat-lovers everywhere will take cute-as-a-button Posy to heart, as they follow Linda Newbery's simple rhyming text, and enjoy Catherine Rayner's adorable watercolor/pencil-crayon illustrations. A rambunctious little kitten, with a penchant for trouble, Posy is a "Whiskers wiper, crayon swiper. Playful wrangler, knitting tangler. Spider catcher, sofa scratcher. Pillow sitter, hissy spitter," and many other things besides.

With minimal text and large, expressive illustrations that perfectly convey the movement and fun of a young kitten at play, Posy is ideal for a very young child. Fortunately, it will also charm the older reader. Recommended to cat lovers of all ages, and to anyone who appreciated charming picture-book artwork.
Profile Image for Kaethe.
6,581 reviews536 followers
May 20, 2019
I'm looking at Posy and my icon of Lucy, and totally understanding why I found it so charming. The art makes this book. Such adorable kittens.


Oh, such charming illustrations. Cutest kitten eveh. Loved the family snuggle, especially.
Profile Image for Cheryl.
13.5k reviews488 followers
December 26, 2016
Cute poem, cute pictures, no plot or depth. I'd like it better as an unpretentious board book instead of as an oversize picture-book, all look-at-me.
Profile Image for Ann.
540 reviews
August 27, 2010
The poem in this book is so accurate I was tempted to list this on my 'non-fiction' shelf!

But, as it is, Newbery has managed to perfectly capture the cuteness of cats in her minimalistic poem.

As I read through this book I kept thinking, "Yes, that's true! My cat did that!" And, at basically every page turn, "Oh how cute!"

Admittedly I wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy the illustrations at first (Posy's face doesn't exactly feel like a cat, to me). But, as the book went along, I felt the face fit Posy, and the actions were so cat-like that by the end I was in love.

Definitely highly recommended!!
Profile Image for Jennifer (JenIsNotaBookSnob).
997 reviews14 followers
December 10, 2017
Gentle and pretty illustrations of a little kitten named Posy with a lovely rhyming text which is sparse enough for young listeners. I would consider this a great book for any small child who enjoys kittens. It's just a precious looking book, something I think my daughter would have really enjoyed when she was younger. This is one of those books that has a word or two per page and let's the illustrations do the talking.
If they haven't already, the publisher should really consider releasing this as a board book. It feels like a good choice for that format.
Profile Image for Tasha.
4,165 reviews140 followers
February 4, 2009
As the proud owner of two adorable kittens, Posy was ideal reading. Newbery and Rayner perfectly capture the charm, silliness, speed and constant movement of a small kitten. The illustrations have a raggedy striped kitten where scribbly lines depict fur with great style. Posy's head tilts in the just the right way, her eyes focus with an intent to play even though they are just two black dots. Simple but incredibly captivating, this book will have any cat lover entranced.

The illustrations are accompanied by two word lines of a poem that dances along at the same pace as a busy kitten. Paired into rhyming couplets, the poem reads well aloud and makes this a book that offers not just a quick look at the life of a kitten but a great introduction to poetry for children.

Appropriate for ages 2-5, share this one with the cat lover in your life no matter their age. It is sure to generate the same chuckles as a kitten itself without the mess.
Profile Image for Noran Miss Pumkin.
463 reviews101 followers
January 2, 2012
I did, really did buy this for myself! My crumb snatcher with her cute dirty fingers is getting no where close to this fine book! I adore the illustration art greatly-delight to the eyes, and gets one's soul warm fuzzies! :) It is large format book-making the art all the better to adore and smile over. It just short phrases of what Posey does during her day as a wondering kitten. I love the browns used for Posey, and the other kitten is in grey tones. I have a little grey cat just like this one.

Recommend for kids, cat lovers, and those that collect children's books-as I do.
Profile Image for Dani ❤️ Perspective of a Writer.
1,512 reviews5 followers
August 1, 2017
Check out more picture book reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...

Posy is a fluffy kitten who has many tasks through the day... from crayon swiper to sock inspector... but nothing is better than being sister and daughter in her family.

The art in this book is what drew me to it. Simple but so evocative of what it means to be a kitten. My favorite spreads were the close up of Posy (so hard to get that random feel while not feeling like an amateur drew it!) and the leaf collector, sock inspector spread due to the awesome detail of colors that make Posy pop! My nephew's favorite spread was Posy with her sibling and mother cats. He is drawn to family and embodiments of family life.

My nephew and I read books together everyday and art is incredibly important for drawing him into a book. Too complex of drawings and he doesn't think he can draw one and too simple and I'm turned off the book due to the art alone. This book was a perfect balance of everything a picture book should be, especially for beginner readers. The art was breathtaking! I loved the little poem. Normally books with this few of words is a throwaway book but my nephew struggled a little to read all the words with the Rs added to words he already knew. So it teaches something about language that is really appealing to a parent who wants to get a lot out of the picture books they buy! I was also able to talk to my nephew about what was happening in the pictures which helped cement the meaning of words.

An incredible book experience considering the message is so simple: family is the best after a long day!

BOTTOM LINE: Art & Cat Lovers need this book! Great for children learning words...

______________________
You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my picture book reviews in a special feature called Boo's Picture Gallery...
Profile Image for Julie.
1,587 reviews
August 26, 2023
Posy goes through her day with a plethora of fantastic kitten adventures, all told in rhyme; for example, "Playful wrangler, knitting tangler." All fun things that kittens do to stay busy! I loved Posy's adorable expressions, illustrated deftly by artist Catherine Rayner in watercolor pencil-crayons, acrylic, and India inks. I first read this in 2014 and ran across it again today on the library shelves. So cute! It reminds me of my own cats when they were in their kitten phases.
29 reviews1 follower
July 11, 2011
Little more than an illustrated ode to a favorite kitten, Posy is, nonetheless, worth a look. The rhymes are simple, yet creative. The artwork is fuzzy, with the artist drawing all the important partsTh of the cat without the specifics. It’s easy to see Posy’s shape and colors, but individual features are hard to pick out. The overall effect is most definitely kittenish, making Posy seem at once cuddling and energetic, as if even the illustrator herself can’t get her to sit still.
Profile Image for Mandy.
10 reviews
May 14, 2013
I loved reading this book to my son. He is still too young (9Mo)to understand the words, but the book looked really cute with very nice artwork, and it was on sale. Therefore I bought it and sat with my son and slowly went through the book together. I loved the kitten theme because we have two cats of our own, and it made it all the more fun to find out what other mischief Posy was getting into on the subsequent pages, all the while referencing our cats as we went along. Fun book!
Profile Image for Friend of Pixie.
611 reviews27 followers
January 3, 2011
Great illustrations, but the text was a bit too young for Logan (age 6.5). Wish I'd seen this when he was 4! He did like the pictures, which are scribbly and cute watercolors, and we got a few laughs from the rhymes. For example, "Posy! She's a...pillow sitter, hissy spitter...mirror puzzler, ice-cream guzzler, sandwich checker, board-game wrecker..."
Profile Image for Cassie Veselovsky.
Author 72 books8 followers
September 27, 2022
It seems to me that I have been reviewing an awful lot of cat books lately, so I am a bit hesitant including one more, but I simply HAVE to mention Posy by Linda Newbery and Catherine Rayner. This book was actually suggested to me by one of my preschool storytime kids! The adorable illustrations enliven the clever text that is just begging to be read aloud. Next time you are in the library or at a bookstore, be sure to check out Posy!
Profile Image for Rachael Olson.
57 reviews
September 25, 2018
I loved the lax, free-flowing illustrations that weren't constricted by lines. The limited text of made-up words and two-word phrases to describe the kitten were cute and creative. Fun book for younger readers, but still had good vocabulary and context clues.
Profile Image for Lizzy.
951 reviews3 followers
July 5, 2021
This felt a bit off to me, I think the tabby was a bit too ephemeral to carry the story. I say story- but there wasn't a plot as such, just a generic description of any cat. Not very impressed, normally I love this illustrator too. Sad face.
Profile Image for Ham.
Author 1 book44 followers
August 23, 2021
The art was interesting but not very pleasing to the eye. The prose was clever and made me smile. Little disappointed with the last two pages. They didn’t rhyme well and not every book has to end with something/one falling asleep.
Profile Image for Robin Raines-Bond.
1,144 reviews2 followers
May 21, 2018
Awe! Posy is so just like my cat! Really related to this one. Enjoy.
Profile Image for Meg.
1,739 reviews
June 21, 2018
A perfect rhythmic read for an upcoming cat-themed storytime. These illustrations are ENCHANTING and wonderfully unique!
Profile Image for Marissa Ellis.
80 reviews
May 7, 2019
This is a fun book with very little text. What is most exciting about this book is its use of word choice.

Six+1

Guided Reading: F
Lexile: 300
Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews