09/26/2022
The arrival of a baby pigeon prompts an anxious feline stray to venture outside the confines of his city lot in Hemingway’s heartening picture book. Following love at first egg crack, Cat and Pigeon’s caring relationship soon manifests through presents from adventurously airborne Pigeon. Upon receiving red chalk from the fowl’s outings, Cat covers the lot’s walls with pictorial tributes to his avian friend. After the bird fails to return one night, the feline goes in search, marking his path with chalk signs, and in the process growing comfortable with the world (“With every new message that Cat makes, the city looks a little more like home”). Stylized mixed-media art maps Cat’s transformation, presenting a muted palette that shifts to vibrant as the compassionate, genuinely moving tale builds to an “all are welcome here” conclusion. Ages 4–8. (June)
Praise for Pigeon & Cat:
An Entertainment Weekly Recommended Book for Summer
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book
* "A splendid paean to the power of art to heal, and the trifecta of friendship, persistence, and inclusivity to rebuild community. A delightful book."—School Library Journal, starred review
"A heartwarming tale of a homeless cat whose unlikely friendship with a baby pigeon helps build a community where all are welcome, Pigeon and Cat is a gentle introduction into the complex issue of housing insecurity."—Entertainment Weekly
"An interspecies lovefest starring two urban strays…. A sweet tale celebrating the joys of both personal and communal togetherness."—Kirkus Reviews
"The arrival of a baby pigeon prompts an anxious feline stray to venture outside the confines of his city lot in Hemingway’s heartening picture book…. Stylized mixed-media art maps Cat’s transformation, presenting a muted palette that shifts to vibrant as the compassionate, genuinely moving tale builds to an “all are welcome here” conclusion."—Publishers Weekly
"A loner cat and an adventurous, outgoing bird are paired in this heartwarming story of friendship and community.... Hemingway’s oil-on-board art has an animated quality that jumps off the page…. bright contrasts and dynamic perspectives help bring the city and its inhabitants to life. Along with the main text, all of the dialogue is presented in speech bubbles, which young readers will enjoy deciphering. A satisfying story exploring heart and home."—The Horn Book
"Viewers will enjoy seeing Pigeon bring the community together, and they will appreciate the small details and visual treats in the art."—BCCB
"Hemingway fills his illustrations with entertaining details and variation, creating a dynamic reading experience and a friendship tale worth reading… a heartening conclusion of urban renewal and community."—SLJ
Praise for Tough Cookie:
"What if the candy-studded cookie in the classic 'Gingerbread Man' tale actually tasted terrible...that's the clever premise of this entertaining story."
—The New York Times
"Hemingway bakes up a clever case of mistaken identity in this holiday treat–inspired tale.... The author’s snappy pacing and silly scenarios keep the giggles coming."
—Publishers Weekly
"Reminiscent of Lane Smith and Jon Scieszka's fairy-tale retellings.... The fun is in the layout and pacing of the storyline on the page, and the variety of candy and cookie characters, all smiling away. This sweet and silly story is about friendship and making the best of what you've got."
—Kirkus Reviews
★ 07/01/2022
K-Gr 2—Cat, in collared shirt, suspenders, and pants, is an angry hermit that lives in a cardboard box in a vacant lot. In this cartoon representation of the urban decay of a city center, Cat learns the importance of friendship and community by saving the life of Pigeon. Pigeon and Cat learn about each other through speech bubbles that hold emojilike icons; Pigeon heals, then flies away from the abandoned lot and brings back gifts for Cat that readers will recognize as chalk, crayon, and other supplies that can be used in service of art. Cat is resistant to traveling the world beyond his abandoned lot, but celebrates the gifts with rebus drawings on one of the walls facing the abandoned lot. However, one day Pigeon flies away and does not return; thus begins a growth opportunity for Cat, opening the curmudgeon's heart and leading to a joyful reunion with Pigeon. The exquisite, vibrant handcrafted oil paintings on board are paired with 10–20-word texts on Pigeon's and Cat's thoughts and actions. VERDICT A splendid paean to the power of art to heal, and the trifecta of friendship, persistence, and inclusivity to rebuild community. A delightful book.—Vi Ha
2022-03-30
An interspecies lovefest starring two urban strays.
Depicting his anthropomorphic animals (except Pigeon) in ragged clothes, Hemingway pairs an anti-social stray cat who lives in an abandoned lot with a small gray bird who hatches in his lap from a fallen egg. Once Pigeon learns to fly, she begins bringing him paint, crayons, and other gifts…but then one day fails to come back. Cat leaves the lot to search for her—chalking messages on walls, sharing fish heads with other strays, and, in time, finding the city a more welcoming place than he had imagined. And, when at last he comes back, he discovers that not only has Pigeon returned, but she has brought with her a host of animal friends who have turned the entire lot into a verdant, brightly decorated public art space with a round table at the center where all can celebrate together. As if the storyline isn’t cozy enough on its own, Hemingway sets it in a city as shiny and squeaky clean as can be, festooned with hearts, rainbows, and smiley faces. Even more adorably, Pigeon speaks entirely in emoticons and rebuses. These are fairly easy to follow, but, perhaps in a concession to less versatile readers (parents, for instance), Pigeon’s longest speech—in which she explains to Cat that she was injured in a thunderstorm and what she has been up to since—comes with a translation. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A sweet tale celebrating the joys of both personal and communal togetherness. (Picture book. 6-8)
