Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed by Amy June Bates - ISBN: 9780763665555
Hardcover
A composer and his kitten make unexpected, beautiful music together.

Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed

  • Hardcover

    40 pages

  • Release Date

    6 October 2015

Summary

A 2016 Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Award Winner

A kitten’s stroll down a keyboard leads to a celebrated one-minute composition in this charming portrait of a remarkable true friendship.

Moshe Cotel was a composer who lived in a noisy building on a noisy street in a noisy city. But Moshe didn’t mind. Everything he heard was music to his ears. One day, while out for a walk, he heard a small, sad sound that he’d never heard before. It was a tiny…

Book Details

ISBN-13:9780763665555
ISBN-10:076366555X
Author:Amy June Bates, Lesléa Newman
Publisher:Candlewick Press,U.S.
Imprint:Candlewick Press,U.S.
Format:Hardcover
Number of Pages:40
Release Date:6 October 2015
Weight:465g
Dimensions:9mm x 279mm x 241mm
Audience Age:5-8
A-Format
B-Format
C-Format
Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed by Amy June Bates - ISBN: 9780763665555
279 × 241 mm
A4
mm / in
What They're Saying

Critics Review

Based on a true incident, this delightfully told story is unlikely and adorable in equal parts. Bates’ watercolor, gouache, and pencil illustrations feature an un-anthropomorphic kitty whose inquisitive and quizzical nature will be familiar to all cat owners. The author’s note offers all the answers readers will want. An absolute charmer!
—Booklist (starred review)

Newman’s great affection for her subject is evident, yet she never crosses into cutesiness or sentimentality; her reportorial tone is a perfect match for her down-to-earth, generous hero. Bates, working in hues of parchment and gold, produces some wonderfully warm vignettes, pushing the graceful realism of her watercolor, gouache, and pencil drawings just enough to add a glint of magic to a story that’s already one of a kind.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

This adorable account is as warm and fuzzy as Ketzel herself and all the sweeter because it’s based on fact. The watercolor, gouache, and pencil illustrations suit the text perfectly, delightfully capturing Ketzel’s furriness, the story’s charming, lively energy, and Moshe and the “composer’s” loving friendship. Truly, the cat’s meow.
—Kirkus Reviews

Musicians and cat lovers alike will enjoy this charming picture book based on a true story…A delightful read.
—School Library Journal

Charming.
—The Wall Street Journal

A gifted writer and illustrator join forces to craft a charming picture book based on the true story of composer Moshe Cotel and the cat who became famous for her piano composition…
—The Buffalo News

This charming vignette is based on a true story, which encourages readers to suspend disbelief to enjoy a quirky plot and wonderful illustrations…Recommended for the picture book crowd and cat lovers of all ages.
—Jewish Book World (starred review)

About The Author

Amy June Bates

Lesléa Newman is the author of more than seventy books for children and adults, including the groundbreaking children’s classic Heather Has Two Mommies. She has received poetry fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Massachusetts Artists Fellowship Foundation. She lives in Massachusetts.

Amy June Bates has illustrated more than forty books for children, including Waiting for the Magic by Patricia MacLachlan and The Dog Who Belonged to No One by Amy Hest. Her work has been honored by the Society of Illustrators. She lives in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

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