Puss in Boots: The Adventures of That Most Enterprising Feline - Hardcover

Pullman, Philip

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0375813543 ISBN 13: 9780375813542

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2001

Synopsis

Here's what the old miller left his sons when he died: To his oldest son, the mill. To his middle son, the donkey. To his youngest son, Jacques,the cat. A fine cat, indeed, but still, just a cat.
Luckily, as Jacques discovers, Puss is no ordinary kitty. He's smart. He can talk. And he is quite a snappy dresser. He's also planned an exciting future for Jacques-one that involves a princess and a very large fortune.
Master storyteller Philip Pullman and prizewinning illustrator Ian Beck team up in this witty retelling, which sparkles with humor and adventure.

About this title

Review

Oh, what's a poor miller's son to do? Bequeathed nothing but a cat when his father dies, Jacques is baffled. "'The cat?' said Jacques. 'Father's left me the cat?' He was a fine cat, but not much use when it came to earning a living." Of course, this is before Jacques realizes that what he has is a "most enterprising" cat that will bring him fame, fortune, and a princess.

Philip Pullman, Carnegie Medal-winning author of many remarkable children's books, including I Was a Rat!, Count Karlstein, and the His Dark Materials trilogy, turns his pen to a fairy tale retelling with great comic success. Puss has a dry, sneaky wit, which balances nicely with Jacques's trusting nature and the Ogre's mean-spirited, spoiled-kid manner. Ian Beck's big, funny, crosshatch ink and watercolor illustrations tell their own story, with wry asides from the characters in cartoon bubbles over their heads. This is a laugh-out-loud classic that loses absolutely nothing--perhaps even gains a little--in the retelling. (Ages 5 to 9) --Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly

ullman sets a pleasingly flip tone from the start as he retells the tale with gusto. After the miller's death, his property is divided among his three sons; "As for the youngest son, Jacques, all he got was `The cat?' said Jacques. `Father's left me the cat?' " How Puss takes charge ("I've got the wit, if you'll supply the courage," he tells his new master) and helps secure Jacques's future by passing him off as the Marquis of Carabas, makes for a rollicking read. The two encounter a cast of colorful characters, including their landlord, Monsieur Ogre; solve a trio of mysteries; and save the King of France's daughter from the ogre's clutches (she, of course, marries Jacques). Pullman packs his irreverent prose with sly asides ("O mighty and fragrant Ogre," gushes Puss) and lively asides ("In his foul and filthy castle, the ogre was getting peckish"). Beck's crosshatch pen-and-watercolor illustrations, primarily framed as panel vignettes with speech and thought bubbles, keep things percolating visually. He gussies up Puss in an outfit that would do D'Artagnan proud and adds numerous droll touches, including a quartet of hilarious portraits of the Ogre's prospective brides. A fun frolic. Ages 5-8.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0375813543
• ISBN 13: 9780375813542
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Beck Ian