Sneakers, the Seaside Cat

by Margaret Wise Brown, Anne Mortimer (Illustrator)

Overview

Sneakers saw something.

It was yellow and pink on the outside....

Then he crept up to it and peeked in.

On Sneakers' first trip to the seaside, his curious paws find surprises in the sand. There's a mischievous crab, playful shrimp, and a shell that echoes the roar of the ocean.

o A treat for fans of Margaret Wise Brown and cat lovers.

Ages 4+

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780064436229
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	04/26/2005
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	87,827
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 8.75(h) x 0.00(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Few writers have been as attuned to the concerns and emotions of childhood as Margaret Wise Brown (1910-1952). A graduate of Hollins College and the progressive Bank Street College of Education, she combined her literary aspirations with the study of child development. Her unique ability to see the world through a child's eyes is unequaled. Her many classic books continue to delight thousands of young listeners and readers year after year.

Muy pocos escritores de literatura infantil han logrado captar las emociones e inquietudes de la niñez como Margaret Wise Brown (1910-1952). Sus numerosos y ya clásicos libros y grabaciones continúan deleitando a lectores y oyentes de todas las edades.

Anne Mortimer is the author and illustrator of Bunny's Easter Egg and Pumpkin Cat. She has illustrated many other children's books, including Santa's Snow Cat by Sue Stainton, A Pussycat's Christmas by Margaret Wise Brown, and The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear. She lives in southwest England.

Date of Birth:

May 23, 1910

Date of Death:

November 13, 1952

Place of Birth:

Brooklyn, N.Y.

Place of Death:

Nice, France

Education:

B.A., Hollins College, 1932; Bank Street College of Education

Website:

http://www.margaretwisebrown.com

Editorial Reviews

Another Margaret Wise Brown book, Sneakers, the Seaside Cat, taken from the 1955 publication Sneakers: Seven Stories About a Cat, gets full-bleed illustrations by acclaimed artist of felines Anne Mortimer. As the family cat visits the ocean for the first time, his attention to detail and exploration of his surroundings (attempting to catch a fish, listening to the call of seagulls) lead readers to a sensory experience.

Publishers Weekly

Margaret Wise Brown will always be celebrated as author of the timeless classic, Goodnight Moon. She has also written The Runaway Bunny and A Pussycat's Christmas. Her current title, about Sneakers the Cat's visit to the seashore, is also noteworthy, although not in the class of Goodnight Moon. The author tells the story of Sneakers, an inquisitive black cat with four white paws, on his first visit to the beach. While at the sea, Sneakers encounters many creatures and objects he has never seen before, such as sand, shrimp, seaweed, a sea shell, sea weed and a crab, which pinches one of Sneakers' paws when he gets too close for comfort. Although Brown spins a good story, which will easily capture the attention of young cat lovers, Anne Mortimer's wonderful illustrations make this book a must have. Mortimer's depictions of Sneakers' wide face and his bright yellow eyes perfectly capture Sneakers' moods. They are also so lifelike that this cat seemingly could leap right off the book's pages, ready to prowl the sands of a sea shore near you. Sneakers' human family, father, mother and son, are only shown on page one, from the backs of their heads. In this way, the illustrator and author have conspired to keep the reader's focus where it belongs, on Sneakers, who is displayed on each page of the book. 2002, McGraw Hill Children's Publishing, Ages 4 to 8.
— Bruce Adelson, J.D.

Children's Literature

PreS-Gr 1-The flap states that this book is "Adapted from stories in the 1955 publication of SNEAKERS: Seven Stories About a Cat." However, while this picture book covers the same ground, editorial changes have been made, and the text does not contain the thoughtful descriptions or strong rhythm of Brown's original, and some of the omissions diminish the cat's perspective. Sneakers's human family takes him to the ocean where he has a cold, wet experience with the sea and makes an unsuccessful attempt to catch a fish. "So Sneakers decided to go out in a field and look for mice instead. The field was full of butterflies, so Sneakers chased one." The day continues as he walks away from a looming seagull, chases shrimp, and watches the fog roll in. Mortimer's exquisite paintings are a lovely complement to the text, with golden spreads of the black-and-white cat, the creatures he encounters, and the sea. An additional purchase.-Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

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