Our Book Reviews

 Old Mrs Cockle lives with her cat, Peter, at the top of a tall London house. She is very fond of him; he is very fond of her - but he is fonder still of fresh fish for his supper. One stormy season, when the fishermen cannot catch any fish to send to London, Peter disappears in search of his favourite food. Pining for him, Mrs Cockle becomes so frail and thin that one day a puff of wind blows her and her balloons away up into the sky…

Review: This reissue of Mrs Cockle’s Cat is a welcome tribute to the timeless magic of Philippa Pearce’s writing. Although at first sight it could appear a much slighter story than the books for which Pearce may be more well known, it can certainly be read and appreciated by older readers too. While the large print and brevity of text will add to the appeal to newly confident readers, as with all Pearce’s writing, the beauty of her language, the wonderful description and insightful portrayal of relationships makes this a text to be enjoyed, discussed and pondered at all ages. It has much to say about friendship, between young and old, between humans and animals, about youth and age and about loyalty and constancy. Mrs Cockle’s Cat was a 1961 Kate Greenaway award winner for Anthony Maitland and this 2009 edition contains his wonderful black and white line drawings, evocative of an earlier age and fully in keeping with the classic appeal of Pearce’s storytelling. This is a story to be treasured and read by children alone and with their teachers, parents, grandparents and carers.