PAPA GATTO

by Ruth--Adapt. & Illus. Sanderson ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1995

Cinderella meets Puss-in-Boots in a tale that takes place against the opulent backdrop of 16th-century Italy. Wealthy Papa Gatto, a cat, hires beautiful Sophia as a nanny for his motherless kittens, but she neglects them and steals a diamond necklace. Papa Gatto next hires Sophia's plain stepsister Beatrice with far better results. After ably sourcing her story, Sanderson (The Enchanted Wood, 1991, etc.) evokes a traditional fairytale world, right down to the muted primary colors and lighting techniques of the Renaissance. The tale is well told, in slightly formal language, but the realistic vividness of the paintings steals the show. If there is a flaw, it's that Beatrice is just as pretty as her sister--the word plain would never apply. And if there's little here that readers haven't seen before, it's so remarkably executed that it's well worth seeing again.

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1995

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 32

Publisher: "Little, Brown"

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1995

Categories: CHILDREN'S