With the rich palette and thick brushwork of Rouault or Gauguin, Hallensleben magically captures the light of France and the forthright courage of a small gray cat. The nameless feline lives in a stone house by the sea, but when the old woman who lived in the house dies, he is sent to the north along with all the rest of her possessions. Driven by memories of the salt air and the feel of bluegrass, the cat begins a return journey, through cities and countryside recognizable to anyone who has traveled in France, and deliciously evocative to anyone who hasn’t. The cat survives by cunning and the kindness of strangers, and the back cover map precisely tracks his journey from Rouen to St. Tropez. When he returns to the stone house with its blue door and scent of lavender, he walks right into a new family who recognize that he is home. Beautifully realized. (Picture book. 5-8)
