''A Curious Collection of Cats: Concrete Poems'' is a 2009 Children's
poetry collection
A poetry collection is often a compilation of several Poetry, poems by one poet to be published in a single Volume (bibliography), volume or chapbook. A collection can include any number of poems, ranging from a few (e.g. the four long poems in ...
by Betsy Franco and illustrated by Michael Wertz. It is made up of
concrete poems in various
forms
Form is the shape, visual appearance, or configuration of an object. In a wider sense, the form is the way something happens.
Form also refers to:
*Form (document), a document (printed or electronic) with spaces in which to write or enter data
* ...
, including
haiku
is a type of short form poetry originally from Japan. Traditional Japanese haiku consist of three phrases that contain a ''kireji'', or "cutting word", 17 '' on'' (phonetic units similar to syllables) in a 5, 7, 5 pattern, and a ''kigo'', or se ...
,
limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
, and
free verse
Free verse is an open form of poetry, which in its modern form arose through the French ''vers libre'' form. It does not use consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any musical pattern. It thus tends to follow the rhythm of natural speech.
Definit ...
, that highlight various aspects of
cat behaviour.
Contents
:Balancing act
:Shadow's dream
:Tabitha's tail
:A question for Scooter about squirrels
:The great escape
:A tomcat's yard is his kingdom
:Veronica goes wide
:Princess
:Q-tip and Rosie
:Gonzo's snack
:Lenny vs. Patch
:Cat haiku 1
:Cat haiku 2
:A tree for Sammantha
:Rascal's tongue
:Her royal highness
:Yoga cat pose
:That cat peed on my hat
:Fluff is polydactyl
:Bingo's birthday party
:The purrfect scarf
:Hot daze
:Symmetricats
:Ear decorations
:Prickles vs. the golden retriever
:Kissy kat
:Swettie's groceries
:Techno cat
:Limerick on a leash
:Cat under the blanket
:Binky's kittens
:Cat door
Reception
A review in ''
Kirkus Reviews
''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...
'' of ''A Curious Collection of Cats'' wrote "Capturing the spirit of each verse, Wertz turns a collection of otherwise unremarkable visual poems into a true treat for the eyes." and ''
The Horn Book Magazine
''The Horn Book Magazine'', founded in Boston in 1924, is the oldest bimonthly magazine dedicated to reviewing children's literature. It began as a "suggestive purchase list" prepared by Bertha Mahony Miller and Elinor Whitney Field, proprietres ...
'' wrote "Together, poet and artist convey the silliness of cats and their humans without ever being silly themselves".
''A Curious Collection of Cats'' has also been reviewed by ''
Booklist
''Booklist'' is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. ''Booklist''s primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is av ...
'', ''
School Library Journal
''School Library Journal'' (''SLJ'') is an American monthly magazine containing reviews and other articles for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, with ...
'', and ''
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
''The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books'' is an academic journal established in 1945 by Frances E. Henne (Graduate Library School, University of Chicago).Wedgeworth, Robert. ''World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Services''. Chi ...
'',
It is a 2012 Beehive Poetry Award nominee.
References
External links
Library holdings of ''A Curious Collection of Cats''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Curious Collection of Cats, A
2009 children's books
American picture books
Books about cats
Children's poetry books
Graphic poetry
American poetry collections
2009 poetry books