The Fish and the Cat

by Marianne Dubuc

The Fish and the Cat is a story of pursuit between a cat and pet fish that starts in the house, moves through the neighborhood, and ends in the sky with a chase around the stars and the moon. A wordless picture book.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Cats, Fiction, Animals, Graphic Novels, Fantasy

90 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Diplômée en design graphique à l'Université du Québec à Montréal, Marianne Dubuc est auteure et illustratrice. Elle a signé une demi-douzaine de livres jeunesse, notamment deux ouvrages publiés à la rentrée 2010, Devant ma maison et Un éléphant qui se balançait...

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cat pursues a fish throughout this wordless picture-book from French-Canadian author/illustrator Marianne Dubuc, first attempting to get at it in its bowl, then pursuing it through the air, into space, through a cave, and finally to the edge of the sea. Here, however, the cat can go no further, and the fish escapes into the sunset...

Originally published in Canada as La Mer, and first presented in English as The Sea by the Italian publisher Officina Libraria, The Fish and the Cat was the very first book that Dubuc produced. As someone who admires her work, particularly such titles as The Lion and the Bird and the Mr. Postmouse books, I am happy to have a chance to "read" it. The illustrations work very well in carrying the story, which is quite long - 90 pages! - for a picture-book. I understand that a number of online reviewers had a problem with the cat's nose, for various (suggestive) reasons, but I myself wasn't bothered by the style of depiction. Recommended to Dubuc fans, and to anyone looking for fun wordless picture-book adventures.

[Almira · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVED the illustrations and the story - wordless, but certainly very telling.

[Breannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had potential to be so cute, but the cat's nose is a bit off-putting.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trippy, but my five-year-old laughed the entire way through this ridiculous book.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Verrry strange. Prepare to suspend disbelief! It reads like an animated film. Yes, like others I too was troubled by the cat's muzzle/nose (it was just drawn in such an odd fashion...why?!); though the fish's arms/flippers didn't trouble me. I liked the world's they traveled through, but all in all could not really connect.

[H.R. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have concerns about how much nightmare fuel this was.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fish and the Cat by Marianne Dubuc. PICTURE BOOK. Princeton Architectual Press, 2018. $17. 9781616895051

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K. EL (K-3)- ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

The Fish and the Cat is a fun, action packed story that will delight even the youngest readers. This wordless picture book outlines a playful pursuit between a cat and a pet fish. In the beginning of the book readers will wonder whether the cat is up to mischief. The ending to this delightful book is sweet and a little unexpected. The illustrations are simple yet detailed. The story format allows children to add their own ideas to the mix.

We loved the illustrations as well as the playfulness displayed between cat and fish with activities such as hide and seek and a chasing game. Illustrations are in black and white with fish being displayed in a bright splash of red.

Reviewer: SL
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[BiblioBeruthiel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not totally sure what this is trying for. I didn't strongly dislike it, but the art style is not for me (particularly in regards to the cat's nose and the fish's... arms?? - they certainly don't look like fins). Maybe I just don't get it.

[Mary · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was already thrown off by the illustration of the cat on the cover of the book (and yes, I judge books by their covers). As my co-worker pointed out, "The cat's nose looks like something else." After that, I couldn't un-see it. I get that this wordless book takes a lot of liberties (flying fish, cat walking on stars) but the perception was way off. The cat at some points looks to be almost as big as a house, while at other times looks to be the size of a regular house cat. It was also a bit too lengthy.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so you have to get past the cat’s nose in order to really appreciate the imagination and adorable cat and fish chase.

This wordless picture book reminds me a lot of one of my favorite books as a child, Tomi de Paola’s The Tale of the Rabbit and the Coyote mixed with a book like Journey, another wordless odyssey/imagination book.

I just get such a kick out of the cat following this randomly flying fish across roof tops, trees, and eventually into space, using the stars as stepping stones and riding a shooting star back to Earth. It’s got such character!

[Chantal HK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magnifique album sans texte qui raconte l'aventure d'un chat qui poursuit un poisson qui s'est envolé lorsque le chat a voulu le prendre dans son bocal. Ils traversent plusieurs endroits pour finalement arriver à la mer. De dépit, le chat boude d'abord en constatant qu'il ne réussira pas à attraper le poisson, puis, il aperçoit le splendide coucher de soleil lorsqu'il relève la tête, et partage alors ce moment avec le poisson. Belles morales, plein d'interprétations possibles, belle discussion avec les cocos tant en classe qu'à la maison. Un beau catalyseur de moments complices!

[JoAnna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three-line review: A curious cat wants to play with a fish, but to escape the cat's outstretched claws, the fish jumps out of his bowl, flies out the window, travels across the city, heads into space, and finally lands in a giant body of water out of the feline's reach. There's not a single word in this book, but each page is a fun -- and funny -- moment in the cat-and-fish journey. I've met this cat in numerous iterations, and I found this book particularly adorable.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting! I have questions about the way the illustrator drew the cat (as several other reviewers have mentioned) but my toddler was surprisingly enraptured by this one. He got bored toward the end (or maybe my narration got less interesting) but he really looked at each picture. This is a weird book, but it's kind of neat.

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wordless picture book in which a cat chases a fish, out of a bowl, into the air, around the moon, and right up to the ocean. The background is stamped. The drawings are in pencil. The color, red, is used sparingly to highlight prey.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book might be characterized as surreal and strange or quirky and whimsical. Nice textures and drawn illustrations. It's weird and wonderful, and even though the cat reminds me of a proboscis monkey, I like more and more each time I read it.

[Frances Hotchkiss · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wordless picture book is not one of my favorites. As the cat sends the fish flying out of the bowl and then a chase begins, rather far fetched. Very dream like quality, a couple nightmare worthy.

[Jesus · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit verbose. The words were unnecessarily long. I suffered for the fish, although I liked the allegory between communists (red) and anarchists (black). The main theme of running for freedom was well delivered. Oh, my daughter seems to like it too.

[Shay · Rating 1 out of 5]

Considering how detailed and how much there is to talk about in the pictures from this creator's other books this fell flat. Not only NO words but strange simple pictures that were confusing and creepy looking at times. It missed the mark neither me nor my child enjoyed it.

[Lupita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute wordless story about a cat pursuing his fish friend. The flying fish makes it home and leaves the cat sat in the end? Inconclusive.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a wordless book that can be a bit obscure at times. However, with the slightest addition to an illustration, it is easy to pick up a few differing emotions.

[Kaila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't think I would like this but there's something really charming about this story. The last few pages are absolute gold.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is getting mixed reviews--my husband and I thought it was adorable! The illustrations were really childlike. And our favorite part was when the cat was stepping on the stars in outer space.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this wordless, wild chase, a cat with an outrageously long schnoz pursues a relentlessly elusive fish.

[Kaethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cat's nose bothers me, but otherwise it's very cool and the art is kind of amazing.

Library copy

[Rebecca Gomez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t be fooled by the simple illustration style. This book is a pleasure to explore as the cat’s pursuit of the fish takes you to surprising places.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Puss in Boots meets Dory’s cousin in this outlandish wordless mashup, yet somehow Dubuc’s quirky illustrations make the disparate elements congeal into an entertaining story.

[Shawn L’s Book Notes & Quotes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as I’ve seen in many reviews of this book, I too was slightly taken aback by the cat’s nose. 😂

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very European. Nice graphics. A series of images without a story line. A cat pursues a fish through the town, to the moon and on.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and wordless!

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

A cat stirs up a fish bowl and the fish goes flying out of it and the window. Where the fish floats everywhere until it lands in the ocean. Point?