''The Chinese Siamese Cat'' is a 1994 children's book by

Amy Tan Amy Ruth Tan (born on February 19, 1952) is an American author known for the novel '' The Joy Luck Club,'' which was adapted into a film of the same name, as well as other novels, short story collections, and children's books. Tan has written ...

. It is about a mother

siamese cat The Siamese cat ( th, แมวไทย, Maeo Thai; แมวสยาม, Maeo Seeaam) is one of the first distinctly recognized breeds of Asian cat. Derived from the Wichianmat landrace, one of several varieties of cat native to Thailand (f ...

telling her kittens how they obtained their distinctive seal point markings.

Synopsis

Sagwa, a young cream kitten, lives in the House of the Foolish Magistrate, a greedy man who only makes up rules that help himself. One day, Sagwa falls into an inkwell and accidentally changes one of the Magistrate's new rules. Little did Sagwa know, she would actually alter the fate (and the appearance) of both China, and the Chinese cats forever.

Reception

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 ...

wrote, "Though the story has some inherent charm, the telling is overly long, often dragging. Schields' decorative, ornate illustrations are a running commentary on the elaborately staged tale, reflecting content and tone with a splashy if somewhat garish vigor." and, in a similar vein, the

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 ...

wrote, "With its lengthy, precious text and derivative art, this whimsical look at Imperial China falls far short of the standards set by innovative artists working within the Chinese tradition" and concluded, "Chinese or Siamese, this cat is strictly a commercial product and hardly worth considering." In contrast,

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 ...

in a star review called it "a beautifully written story ..." and wrote, " myTan ... tells this charming tale perfectly, in language that is both simple and elegant. And Schields' artwork complements the text wonderfully with its traditional Chinese border decorations and colorful, well-drawn characters."

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of B ...

describes it as a "charming original folktale" and wrote, "Featuring inventive borders and vivid, if occasionally garish hues, Schield's energetic illustrations prove, once again, an atmospheric counterpart to Tan's vivacious narration."

Adaptations

created an

animated television series An animated series is a set of Animation, animated works with a common series title, usually related to one another. These episodes should typically share the same main characters, some different secondary characters and a basic theme. Series can ...

, ''

Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat ''Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat'', or simply ''Sagwa'', is a children's animated television series based on the children's book of the same name by Amy Tan which aired on PBS Kids, co-produced by Canada-based animation studio CinéGroupe and ' ...

'', which premiered on

PBS Kids PBS Kids is the brand for most of the children's programming aired by the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the United States. Some public television children's programs are not produced by PBS member stations or transmitted by PBS. Instead, ...

on September 3, 2001.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chinese Siamese Cat, The 1994 children's books American picture books Works by Amy Tan Books about cats Simon & Schuster books Children's books about China Children's fiction books Qing dynasty in fiction Children's books adapted into television shows