Jon, Flora, and the Odd-eyed Cat - Hardcover

Pevsner, Stella

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0395670217 ISBN 13: 9780395670217

Publisher: Clarion Books, 1994

Synopsis

Recovering from rheumatic fever and his family's move to a tiny southern town, fourteen-year-old Jon becomes drawn to Flora, whose vivid fantasy life serves as an escape from her family problems, and her unusual cat.

About this title

About the Author:

Stella Pevsner is the author of many popular books for middle-grade readers, most recently IS EVERYONE MOONBURNED BUT ME? She lives in Chicago, Illinois.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 6-8-A disappointing effort. Jon, 14, is recuperating from rheumatic fever during the summer his family relocates from Chicago to a small Southern town. He receives visits from an unfamiliar odd-eyed cat and its owner-a strange girl who is determined to re-create a druid ceremony on the night of the solstice. Though Jon is not sure at first whether Flora is real or imaginary, he decides to help her. Despite the first-person voice, the narrative is neither robust nor gripping; most of the early pages establish the young man's fragile health and loneliness. The plot moves sluggishly as the preparations for the rite proceed and as Jon's health deteriorates. The ceremony begins at last, only to be interrupted by the alarming appearance of Flora's estranged father. None of the characters fully engages readers' interest. Themes touched upon but poorly developed include a young person's right to decide with whom to live, the effects of prejudice, and the role of fantasy in surviving stressful situations. Elizabeth M. Pope's The Perilous Gard (Houghton, 1974) is a better story about druidic practice. Pevsner's book is unlikely to achieve nine lives- it's not fast-paced enough to be of interest to reluctant readers and not satisfying enough for demanding ones.
Carolyn Noah, Central Mass. Regional Library System, Worcester, MA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Publication date: 1994
• ISBN 10: 0395670217
• ISBN 13: 9780395670217
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 188