IN THE EYES OF THE CAT: Japanese Poetry for All Seasons

by Demi--Ed. & Illus. ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 30, 1992

Arranged by season, 75 brief poems (many haiku) about animals. The small (6"" x 8"") size is perfectly suited to Demi's delicate style; paging through these jewel-toned spreads with their subtle color transitions and lovingly rendered creatures is a real pleasure. There are many imaginative touches (a dragonfly's eyes reflecting distant hills), some unabashedly pretty scenes (a white kitten with dandelions going to seed); and well-observed animals, especially frogs (but how did Issa's ""foal"" become the pictured fawn?). Only occasionally does Demi slip into sentimental illustrative conventions here. The translations are crisp and clean. A lovely collection, especially for browsing; there's no pagination or index, but the author's name and dates are included with each poem.

Pub Date: April 30, 1992

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Henry Holt

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1992

Categories: POETRY