JIBBY THE CAT

Salten's well-known appreciation of field and woodland and his meditative approach to the animal world make this a natural for the audience of the original (not the dehydrated Disney version) Bambi. Jibby was ""half household queen and half savage huntress"" -- the kind of proud cat-that-walks-by-itself true connoisseurs appreciate, and Salten has drawn a sensitive and fascinating portrait of her. There's a portrait too of a variety of humans who fail to meet with the approval of the animals, and of one meandering school teacher who earns their acceptance. For a special audience.