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lattelibrarian's review
5.0
I am in love with anything written by the Myers family, and this is no exception. Told in rhyme and photography collages, Black Cat follows a black cat around Harlem all the while wondering where his home truly is. Perhaps metaphorical, perhaps fun, perhaps both, Christopher Myers' book questions the notion of home, wandering, and place. Overall, this is truly a piece of artwork that the city-loving child will enjoy. Great for grades K-3.
Review cross-listed here!
Review cross-listed here!
beths0103's review
4.0
As much as I loved the illustrations, I am dying to type the text out and have it stand alone because Myers paints his words with such imagery and sensory detail. I definitely want to use this in my poetry writing unit.
elsaread's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
this shit goes so hard
ubalstecha's review
3.0
An interesting book about the life of an urban cat. The cat takes us on a journey through the city, showing the reader all the places that the cat goes.
Illustrated with photographs that have then been painted to highlight certain scenes, or to change the colours. It's an OK book, but not a must have.
Illustrated with photographs that have then been painted to highlight certain scenes, or to change the colours. It's an OK book, but not a must have.
kimberlyhirsh's review
5.0
Christopher Myers’s Black Cat is a poetry picture book about a cat who roams the streets of New York. This book is appropriate for students throughout the elementary grades. Its rhythmic language and collage artwork appeal to a wide variety of ages. It introduces readers to poetic devices such as simile – “sauntering like rainwater down storm drains.” Its theme is the search for a home in a big city. The text has predictable elements. The invisible narrator often addresses the cat directly and rhythmically, with questions like “black cat, black cat, we want to know/where’s your home, where do you go?” This particular stanza is repeated throughout the book, providing a measure of predictability. While the vocabulary is simple enough for younger readers, the poetic language will engage readers who are beginning to develop metalinguistic awareness.
The collaged illustrations feature a black cat painted on photographs of areas in Harlem and Brooklyn. The cat is usually shown in the middle of motion. Each page or spread relates directly to the text on the page. The images juxtapose photographic realism, which matches the theme of finding a home in the streets of New York, with the more fantastical painted postures of the cat – including dunking itself through a basketball hoop – which suit the poetic language.
The book is a large vertically-oriented hardcover with high quality pages. Endpapers feature photographs of parts of New York where the black cat might roam. Type is a bold sans-serif font, easy to read, in bright colors which vary to contrast with the colors in the illustrations. Sometimes the text is set directly on the picture and other times it is set on a black background. The pages are sturdily sewn into the book.
The colorful collages and text, as well as the poetic language, capture the energy of a lively city. This picture book’s rhythmic language and distinctive style of illustration might capture the interest of a variety of elementary-aged readers.
The collaged illustrations feature a black cat painted on photographs of areas in Harlem and Brooklyn. The cat is usually shown in the middle of motion. Each page or spread relates directly to the text on the page. The images juxtapose photographic realism, which matches the theme of finding a home in the streets of New York, with the more fantastical painted postures of the cat – including dunking itself through a basketball hoop – which suit the poetic language.
The book is a large vertically-oriented hardcover with high quality pages. Endpapers feature photographs of parts of New York where the black cat might roam. Type is a bold sans-serif font, easy to read, in bright colors which vary to contrast with the colors in the illustrations. Sometimes the text is set directly on the picture and other times it is set on a black background. The pages are sturdily sewn into the book.
The colorful collages and text, as well as the poetic language, capture the energy of a lively city. This picture book’s rhythmic language and distinctive style of illustration might capture the interest of a variety of elementary-aged readers.
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