Mama, Read THIS One! Won Ton A Cat Tale Told in Haiku

Every Sunday, we’ll focus on one of our favorite books for kids.  Think of it as a peek into our story time and find out about what book our kids are saying, “Mama, read THIS one!”

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April is National Poetry Month so it’s the purrr-fect time to cuddle up and read Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku by Lee Wardlaw. Yes, I went there with the cheesy, “purr-fect”. But it’s appropriate with this picture book that is as much about the cadence and sound as it is the story. As the title indicates, the story is told in haiku poem form from the point of view of a cat on a journey.

The cat’s story starts in the Shelter:

Nice place they got here.
Bed. Bowl. Blankie.
Just like home!
Or so I’ve been told.

From there, the cat describes the Choosing (when people come to look at all the animals and some leave as pets), The New Place, The Feeding, The Adjustment and finally Home.  The cat sounds tough and wants to put up a cold exterior, but his sweetness and desire for a family of his own shines through. He’s pretty funny and endearing – and, frankly, if he weren’t the book wouldn’t be much fun, even if it is in haiku.

Eavesdropping, I hear:
“My cat.” Great Rats! Don’t you know
yet that you’re My Boy?

We don’t have any pets in our home and my kids aren’t very familiar with poetry, but nonetheless they really love this book. There are a few ideas/jokes that go over their heads, but the story is so clever that adults will enjoy reading it, too. And, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the illustrations by Eugene Yelchin. Some pages are so pretty and totally remind me of the traditional Japanese art my husband collected while living in the country.

Shop! Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku is available on Amazon and in The Shopping Mama’s Books We Love Amazon Store for $11.55

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Link up! We’d love to know what book you’re reading this week. Write a quick blog post and link up.

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