School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1–Cat and Fish meet one night at the park and become friends despite their different worlds. They visit one another's environments and eventually decide to live together where the sea and the land meet. Children who like fantasy will appreciate this simple story, but literalists will no doubt wonder how Fish can spend so much time out of water. The stylized black-and-white, pen-and-ink drawings look almost like woodcuts, and they leap out at readers with great drama. The focus is always on the protagonists. Because of the large and dramatic illustrations, this is a good storytime choice.
CM Magazine
hese cat and fish friends are an unlikely pair, but they are attracted to each other as soon as they meet. Their adventures began when fish told cat about the water and cat told fish about the woods. Cat showed fish his world; they played in a maze, took shelter from the rain, and cat even showed fish how to climb. When fish wanted to return to the water, cat found a boat to take her there. They went up instead of down, and cat wasn't sure he liked the ocean. Then cat learned he could float, and he met fish's friends. Cat and fish decided to live on the beach where the sea and land meet, until their next adventure.
This accomplished author and illustrator have collaborated to produce a book that I will enjoying reading to my daughter again and again. It has a soothing whimsical quality that almost mesmerizes the reader.
The stunning black and white illustrations, done in medium pen and ink, pay homage to the classic tradition of engraving. These unique illustrations capture the reader's attention immediately. I found myself staring at them long after I had read the words on the page. The layout of the text is also very appealing and adds to the magical feel of the book. The illustrated end pages are delightful.
Cat and Fish was awarded the CBCA Picture Book of the Year (Australia) in 2004, shortlisted for the Crichton Award (Australia) and listed in the 2004 International Youth Library White Ravens.
Cat and Fish is a recommended purchase for public libraries and is a fantastic gift choice.
