The Owl and the Pussy-Cat

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Stevens, Denis (1970). A History of Song. Vol.The Norton Library 536. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. p. 179. ISBN 0393005364. . The nonsense poetry has some lovely lines although some of the language has certainly dated and could be considered a tad risqué these days (“Oh lovely pussy” etc) however its main audience is unlikely to be aware of any such double entendtres at their age. The book could be used as an example of rhyming poetry although I do find the rhythm structure of some of the verses to be a little awkward. Adapted as "Henrietta Pussycat" and "Owl X" in the PBS show Mr. Rogers Neighborhood starting from Episode 0001 (1968) to Episode 1761 (2001) where the two characters lived in a treehouse within the Land of Make Believe

Edward Lear's classic children's poem, originally included in his 1871 collection, Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets, is here presented in picture-book form, with lovely watercolor illustrations by Charlotte Voake. As the story unfolds, the titular strigine and feline heroes head to sea in a pea-green boat, serenading and then proposing to one another, before wedding in a tropical paradise. The poem concludes as the happy pair dances by the light of the moon...

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The Owl and the Pussycat is a classic nonsense poem by Edward Lear, and has long been one of my favourite books since I was a young child. There are many versions of the poem with different illustrations, but they are always beautiful to look at and really engaging for young readers. The poem is a love story between two anthropomorphic characters, the owl and the pussycat, and follows them as they get engaged and search for a ring. We meet various other silly characters throughout the poem, and none of it really makes any sense, which I think adds to its charm.

The Owl and the Pussy Cat’ is the much loved children’s classic written by Edward Lear and the version I found in my library contains updated illustrations by Louise Voce. It follows the whimsical journey of the eponymous duo as they set to sea, get engaged and search for a ring. I remember this poem from my childhood, but it was not one of my favorites. However, this edition makes it shine. The story within the story really makes it work. There’s also sheet music included in the front of the book, composed by Douglas Colby. It was the main topic of The Owl and the Pussycat Went to See..., a 1968 children's musical play about Lear's nonsense poems. The play was written by Sheila Ruskin and David Wood. [6]SEVEN AGES - An Anthology of Poetry with Music - NA218912". www.naxos.com . Retrieved 23 March 2020. When a story is short; I enjoy acquainting its authors, artists, and origin. I had never heard of “ The Owl And The Pussycat”, nor of Edward Lear. His inspiration for this odd titular pairing is as whimsical, as it is an enlightening explanation for quite a suite of factors that of course, are nonsense. Small birds are prey to cats, owls can carry small cats, and animals do not marry ceremoniously; never mind mingling species. It is a treat to learn from whence this came. I obtained it recently in a country thrift store, as a 1984 Canadian retelling by Canadian artist, Ron Berg. The illustrations are spectacular. They’re intricate and engaging and really help tell the story. There are many amusing and sweet touches. [Hilary Knight:], who illustrated the [Eloise:] books, and whose work I’ve always enjoyed, does a magnificent job here, and his art style in this book seems somewhat different from other art by him that I’ve seen. It’s easy to spend a lot of time looking at all the pictures; readers are likely to notice something new with each viewing. I didn't give it the full 5 stars because the way the text is broken up across spreads makes it difficult to read the poem with any kind of flow, and because some of Brett's admittedly gorgeous illustrations could (and perhaps should) have had more of a connection to the text. For one notable example -- there's no pot of honey on the boat, and we never get a look at the money wrapped up in the five-pound note!