Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly
In this charming original folktale from the pair who produced The Moon Lady , a mother cat tells her kittens the true story of their ancestry: ``You are not Siamese cats but Chinese cats.'' She proudly informs them that they are descended from Sagwa of China, who lived during the reign of the Foolish Magistrate. Sagwa's parents, we learn, had the hapless task of dipping their tails in ink to record the dour dictates of the Foolish Magistrate. After inadvertently landing in the ink pot one day (hence acquiring the familiar dark markings of the Siamese cat), Sagwa uses her blackened pawprints to delete the word ``not'' from the magistrate's latest ruling, whereupon it is promulgated that ``People must sing until the sun goes down.'' Foolish Magistrate is outraged, but when he suddenly realizes his subjects are chanting his praises, he changes his tune, reversing the laws and declaring that henceforth all Chinese felines will have dark faces, ears, paws and tails--in honor of Sagwa. Featuring inventive borders and vivid, if occasionally garish hues, Schield's energetic illustrations prove, once again, an atmospheric counterpart to Tan's vivacious narration. Ages 5-8. (Sept.)
School Library Journal
K-Gr 3-A Siamese cat tells her children about their ``great ancestor, Sagwa of China.'' That feline started off as a mischievous, pearl-white kitten who lived with her parents in the house of a greedy, autocratic magistrate. Her penchant for trouble lands her in a pot of ink, which stains her paws, nose, ears, and tail. The accident starts a chain of events that leads to the magistrate's tearful reformation, as well as to generations of cats that look Siamese but are actually Chinese. The artwork is a pastiche of images drawn from different sources. Many borders reproduce ancient Chinese textile patterns. While some of the human figures seem to have stepped from poster art done in the style of socialist realism, most resemble contemporary paintings from mass-produced Chinese New Year calendars. Librarians with long memories might recognize Kurt Wiese's exaggerated caricatures in the features of the magistrate and his Reader of Rules. Human and feline emotions are overdrawn and clichd, and the tightly controlled, prolix compositions employ a cacophony of colors. With its lengthy, precious text and derivative art, this whimsical look at Imperial China falls far short of the standards set by innovative artists working within the Chinese tradition, notably Nancy Ekholm Burkert, Meilo So, and Ed Young. Chinese or Siamese, this cat is strictly a commercial product and hardly worth considering.-Margaret A. Chang, North Adams State College, MA
JAN 95 - AudioFile
Amy Tan’s light, airy voice includes the listener as if sharing a bedtime story. The naughty white kitten, Sagwa, comes from a long line of royal Chinese cats. Her mischief changes the spirit of the cruel magistrate and future for her ancestors. Tan tells the story simply and with little embellishment. She uses few character voices but seems to warm to her own telling as the story progresses. The story is repeated exactly on side two. Listeners who love cats, Asian folktales, and authors who read their own stories will find this a good choice. R.F.W. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine
