The White Cat and the Monk
A Retelling of the Poem “Pangur Bán”
A monk leads a simple life. He studies his books late into the evening and searches for truth in their pages. His cat, Pangur, leads a simple life, too, chasing prey in the darkness. As night turns to dawn, Pangur leads his companion to the truth he has been seeking.
The White Cat and the Monk is a retelling of the classic Old Irish poem “Pangur Bán.” With Jo Ellen Bogart’s simple and elegant narration and Sydney Smith’s classically inspired images, this contemplative story pays tribute to the wisdom of animals and the wonders of the natural world.
A monk leads a simple life. He studies his books late into the evening and searches for truth in their pages. His cat, Pangur, leads a simple life, too, chasing prey in the darkness. As night turns to dawn, Pangur leads his companion to the truth he has been seeking.
The White Cat and the Monk is a retelling of the classic Old Irish poem “Pangur Bán.” With Jo Ellen Bogart’s simple and elegant narration and Sydney Smith’s classically inspired images, this contemplative story pays tribute to the wisdom of animals and the wonders of the natural world.
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — Mar 1, 2016 |
| Specifications | 36 pages | 8 in x 10.5 in |
| Written By |
JO ELLEN BOGART was born in Houston, Texas, and received degrees in elementary education and psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. She has written many children's books, including The White Cat and the Monk, illustrated by Sydney Smith, a Governor General's Award finalist and a USBBY Outstanding International Book. Her picture book Jeremiah Learns to Read, illustrated by Laura Fernandez and Rick Jacobson won the Ruth Schwartz Children's Book Award, and Gifts, illustrated by Barbara Reid, won the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award and was selected for IBBY's Honour List. Jo Ellen lives in Guelph, Ontario. |
| Illustrated by |
SYDNEY SMITH is the creator of Small in the City, which received the Kate Greenaway Medal and the Ezra Jack Keats Award. Other books he has illustrated include The White Cat and the Monk by Jo Ellen Bogart; Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson; and Town Is by the Sea by Joanne Schwartz, which received the Kate Greenaway Medal. His other accolades include two Governor General’s Awards and four New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year citations. He is also the illustrator of I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott, which received the Schneider Family Book Award and the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, and My Baba’s Garden, also written by Jordan Scott. Sydney lives with his family in Halifax, Nova Scotia. |
| Written By |
|
JO ELLEN BOGART was born in Houston, Texas, and received degrees in elementary education and psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. She has written many children's books, including The White Cat and the Monk, illustrated by Sydney Smith, a Governor General's Award finalist and a USBBY Outstanding International Book. Her picture book Jeremiah Learns to Read, illustrated by Laura Fernandez and Rick Jacobson won the Ruth Schwartz Children's Book Award, and Gifts, illustrated by Barbara Reid, won the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award and was selected for IBBY's Honour List. Jo Ellen lives in Guelph, Ontario. |
| Illustrated by |
|
SYDNEY SMITH is the creator of Small in the City, which received the Kate Greenaway Medal and the Ezra Jack Keats Award. Other books he has illustrated include The White Cat and the Monk by Jo Ellen Bogart; Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson; and Town Is by the Sea by Joanne Schwartz, which received the Kate Greenaway Medal. His other accolades include two Governor General’s Awards and four New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year citations. He is also the illustrator of I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott, which received the Schneider Family Book Award and the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, and My Baba’s Garden, also written by Jordan Scott. Sydney lives with his family in Halifax, Nova Scotia. |
| Audience | ages 4 to 8 / grades P to 3 |
| Reading Levels |
Guided Reading O
Lexile 700L |
Short-listed, Governor General's Literary Award, Young People's Literature – Illustrated Books, 2016
Commended, The New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books, 2016
Commended, Quill & Quire Reviewer Pick, 2016
Commended, CCBC Best Books for Children and Teens, starred selection, 2016
Commended, NCTE Notable Poetry List, 2017
Commended, The NP99: The Best Books of the Year, 2016
Commended, SLJ's Best of 2016, 2016
Commended, Brain Pickings' Best Children's Books of 2016, 2016
“A stunningly illustrated meditative ode to the simple joys of human-animal companionship and the pursuit of knowledge.” —School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
“... a sophisticated and subtle story about the pursuit of joy—one that will easily resonate with readers young and old.” —Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“If ever there was a book that could calm a child and draw her into meditative contemplation (perhaps right before bed?), The White Cat and the Monk is it.” —Quill & Quire, STARRED REVIEW
“...lyrical yet easily understood...Contentment and joy are reflected in text and image” —Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW
“The watercolor-and-ink artwork has both heft and humor, especially in the joyful depictions of the manuscripts...Readers who consider the story’s underlying messages about necessities, companionship, and fulfillment will come away enriched.” —Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
“If you want to treat yourself to a superb picture book, treat yourself to this one.” —Kirkus Review
“Truly a wonderful book, THE WHITE CAT AND THE MONK expresses the richness of the relationship between the two characters.” —CM: Canadian Review of Materials
“The adaptation . . . is as unostentatious as the watercolor-and-ink illustrations, which meld a medieval spirit with a modern sense of cartooning, a juxtaposition that is fresh and seems entirely right.” —Horn Book
“The text’s subtle moral is timeless but also sings with elegiac timeliness — what a wonderful counterpoint to modern life’s hamster wheel of achievement and approval, this idea that there is poetry in every pursuit executed with purposefulness and savored with uncompetitive joy.” —The New York Times
“Smith . . . imbues the text with contemporary visual language through his singular, elegantly minimalist graphic novel aesthetic.” —Brain Pickings
“This is a great book for any group of readers . . . a great book to introduce to kids who may not think they like poetry.” —The Children's Writer's Guild
“Author Jo Ellen Bogart has provided an unembellished, thoughtful text that pays tribute to the value of perseverance and dedication for one's vocation, be it humble or exalted.” —Canadian Children's Book News
“The stylized artwork captures the timeless beauty of the poem in this simple yet meaningful picturebook, highly recommended.” —Midwest Book Review