Walker When Martha S Away

This is a timeless and humorous take on the secret life of cats, turning the classic proverb 'When the cat's away...' on its head. Martha may think her cat Lionel sleeps the day away while she is at school, but she is quite mistaken. Lionel is a worldly-wise cat with a jam-packed schedule. He busies himself during the day by catching up on his current affairs, weightlifting, cooking and enjoying some letter-writing. Furthermore, Lionel seems to be the 'cat's meow' to the feline ladies in the neighborhood, squeezing in time to paint their portraits, impress with his pianoforte and play doctors and nurses! Bruce Ingman won the Mother Goose Award for this delightfully arch tale of a cat's secret life. Editorial Reviews From School Library Journal PreSchool-Grade 2-Martha believes that when she walks out the door, her feline, Lionel, "cat naps" the day away. Little does she know about his interest in current news, weightlifting, cooking, and his artistic and musical talents. Not to mention the fact that Lionel seems to be the "cat's meow" to his female counterparts in the neighborhood. What is even more amazing is that Lionel squeezes all these activities into a matter of hours! More than just cat lovers will get a chuckle out of this "when the human's away the cat will play" book. The bold, uncluttered illustrations on solid pages of color define objects quite nicely and are pleasing to the eye. The vibrant pictures and the variety of fonts used in the print allow for reading this enjoyable book to a group of children or individually. This cat just might score as high on an I.Q. test as Puss in Boots. Kathy Mitchell, Gadsden Co. Public Library, Quincy, FL Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Booklist Ages 5^-8. Haven't you wondered what your cat does while you're away? Well, in this sprightly story, a forthright feline named Lionel comes clean. He talks on the phone, lifts weights, and makes himself salmon poached in milk for lunch. Sometimes Gladys, a kitty from across the hall, comes over and poses for him. Often, picture books that amuse adults are way over the heads of their intended audience. The great thing about this book is that adults will extrapolate and laugh, but kids will find it funny at a literal level. Helping that along are Ingman's terrific pictures done in acrylics with pen-and-ink details. Deceptively simple in shapings and design, the art has a childlike feel that readers--young and old--will respond to. A keen debut. Ilene Cooper --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.