The Cat Who Wouldn't Come Inside: Based on A True Story

by Cynthia Von Buhler

Overview

All tigers and tabbies, calicos and strays, kittens and cats, need love. And trust. They want things just so. And, sometimes, they do not want to come inside. But a little patience and a little attention can make all the difference . . .

Here’s a loving tribute to feline companionship, sure to warm human and kitty hearts—because cat company is worth waiting for!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780547561868
Publisher:	Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication date:	09/25/2006
Sold by:	Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Cynthia von Buhler is an internationally known and award-winning artist. Her artwork has been displayed in galleries and museums around the world, on CD covers, and in books, magazines, and newspapers. Cynthia lives in a castle on Staten Island in New York.

Editorial Reviews

This cumulative story, told through staged photographs of an elaborate dollhouse set with characters created from clay, concerns a feral feline who is gradually coaxed into domestic life. "Come inside, kitty!" urges the genteel red-headed narrator when she spots a cat shivering on her snow-covered porch. This invitation, along with the response "The cat ran away" becomes the book's two-part refrain as the patient lady offers an ever-growing number of incentives to her visitor. As the list grows to "some warm milk, a plate of tuna, a catnip mouse, a soft rug, a ball of yarn, and a cozy armchair," the cat's defenses seem to melt (the yarn ball sends him into a Zen-like contentment). But he still insists on domesticity on his own terms; not until the narrator turns her porch into an open-air parlor does the cat settle in for good. Von Buhler's (They Called Her Molly Pitcher) 3-D settings and characters work considerable magic, but the photographs themselves unfortunately aren't up to the level of her modeling craftsmanship (amateurish blurring mars many of the pictures). Her feline hero possesses a wide repertoire of expressions, which makes him an effective comedic foil for the more conventional doll-like narrator, whose earnest, unflappable visage never changes. Readers with dollhouses and kitties of their own may well be entranced. Ages 2-5. (Sept.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

On a cold day our narrator invites a snow-covered kitty inside. But as independent strays often do, he runs away. Each subsequent day she invites him in, adding some new inducement. But each time he runs away. On the first day he laps up the warm milk she leaves. Next she adds tuna to the milk, then a catnip mouse, then a soft rug, a ball of yarn to play with, an armchair, a scratching wall. Each time she says, "Come inside, kitty!" And each time, "The cat ran away." Finally, on the porch, the cat ends up cozily knitting by a fireplace, in the armchair, inviting our narrator to join him there. "And I did." A fussy, old-fashioned atmosphere is created by framing scenes in multiple intricate borders, as well as by the large assortment of bric-a-brac which fills the narrator's parlor. The cat and human, as well as an incidental squirrel, rabbit, and even the settings, are sculptures made of Sculpey clay combined with many other materials detailed in a note. The images in the illustrations are created by photographing these settings. Moods are created by varying the lighting and camera focus. The effect is intriguing, as each double page depicts a different point of view and array of objects. The author notes that: "this true story is about love and trust...." while filling in the background behind the emotionally satisfying and imaginative tale.

Children's Literature - Ken Marantz

PreS-Gr 2-This cumulative story, told by a redheaded, doll-like figure, features a stray feline outside a house on a cold wintry day. The woman asks the cat to come inside, but he runs away. The following day, she puts out a bowl of warm milk; the critter laps it up and leaves. Next, she leaves him a bowl of milk and a plate of tuna, but he still refuses to come in. Each day, she leaves more gifts, until the front porch is as comfortable as the inside and the cat invites the woman to come out. The simple text is enhanced dramatically by the three-dimensional-looking illustrations, which are wonderfully detailed photographs of a dollhouse and clay characters. The photos are set against parchment-colored backdrops and framed by scroll borders, giving the pages a cozy, old-fashioned look. While the tale will be fun to share, the photographs are a delight to pore over individually. Endpapers complete with claw scratches round out a package that should please everyone from cat lovers to miniature enthusiasts.-Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

A stray cat appears on the porch, but runs away at the first sign of the human. At the next visit, it accepts some milk, but again runs away when invited to, "Come inside, kitty." On subsequent visits, the human-shy cat accepts food, toys and several additional comforts, including his own armchair. But he runs away every time he's invited to enter the house. Finally, he asks the woman to stay outside with him, and she accepts his invitation. Von Buhler builds the cumulative tale, adding ever more elaborate items. The fantasy creeps in quietly when the cat reads a book by the fire and it culminates in the surprise ending. The unique, eye-popping illustrations raise this work above the ordinary. Handcrafted, detailed set elements in a variety of materials, and three-dimensional clay figures, create depth and texture. Each two-page spread provides the reader with a glimpse of a world beyond the frame. An author's note, however, is jarring and not suited to the intended audience. Otherwise, a sheer delight. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews

The simple text is enhanced dramatically by the three-dimensional-looking illustrations, which are wonderfully detailed photographs of a dollhouse and clay characters. The photos are set against parchment-colored backdrops and framed by scroll borders, giving the pages a cozy, old-fashioned look. While the tale will be fun to share, the photographs are a delight to pore over individually. Endpapers complete with claw scratches round out a package that should please eveyone from cat lovers to miniature enthusiasts.
School Library Journal

From the Publisher