Friday, March 1, 2013

PPBF, The Cinder-Eyed Cats

I've decided to jump on the Perfect Picture Book Friday bandwagon.

Today's pick
The Cinder-Eyed Cats, by Eric Rohmann
The Cinder-Eyed Cats
Written and Illustrated by Eric Rohmann

Dragonfly Books, a division of Random House, 1997, Fiction, ages 3-8

Themes:
Fantasy, Adventure, Imagination, Whimsy
Tigers, Tropics, Sea Creatures






Opening:
"In Faraway lands,
When twilight falls on fair and wind-swept days,
Cats like velvet shadows move,
Their coal-fire eyes ablaze."

Synopsis:
This nearly wordless picture book takes the reader on an adventure in a flying sailboat to a tropical isle populated by magical creatures of land, sand, and sea.

What I Love:
I was first attracted to the stunning illustration style with its lush tropical palette.  At second glance, the spare, lyrical text charmed me.  But my favorite feature of this book is how author/ illustrator Eric Rohmann draws you into his imagination with four wordless double-page spreads.

sand clay
Bonus:
Why not make your own sand creations?
1. Readers can imagine their own animals coming to life.  Draw or paint them, then accent with Elmer's glue and a sprinkling of sand.
2. I've used this fabulous Family Fun concoction to make a moldable play sand that air dries.  Warning: Use an old pot and kiss the non-stick coating goodbye.
3. Celebrate reading with a sandy snack.

Check out all the recommended titles for Perfect Picture Book Friday for March 1, 2013.
Thanks to Susanna Leonard Hill and to Julie Rowan-Zoch for prompting me to participate.

If you love Eric Rohmann, see his newest book here.

6 comments:

  1. How have I not seen this book? WOW. Those illustrations are absolutely stunning. This one is now on my to-read list. Thank you for sharing it!

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    1. You're welcome. Thanks for stopping by. I LOVE Multicultural Books for Kids http://multiculturalbooks.blogspot.com/
      I can't wait to explore it further.

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  2. Wonderful to have another new person in PPBF! Welcome!

    I love that opening -- and this book sounds wonderfully imaginative and evocative of unusual places and creatures. Thank you for introducing it to us. Cool activities, too.

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    1. Thank-you, Beth. I have been a Perfect Picture Book Friday follower for some time. It is an amazing resource and I am thankful to finally be part of such a generous community.

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  3. Welcome Joanne. I love your choice. The cover is a beautiful painting that engages you immediately. I'm surprised it covers so much material -- I can only imagine how beauiful the other illustrations are. I love books that inspire kids to use their imaginations. Great activities.

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    1. You're very kind. Thank-you . It was a pleasure to be able to share this book. I look forward to getting to know you all.

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Thank-you for taking time to share your thoughts!

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