The Boy Who Drew Cats

This story is for those who admire cats.

The Boy Who Drew Cats

Anushka Ravishankar and Christine Kastl

BIBLIO: 2013, Karadi Tales Company, Ages 7 to 12, $9.95.

REVIEWER: Kristi Bernard

FORMAT: Children’s Picture Book

ISBN: 9788181901590

Old folktales are great stories for bedtime reading. In this soft-spoken Japanese tale, is about a young boy named Akiro. All day long he drew cats instead of helping his family in the fields. His mother asked him why he liked to draw so many cats and he said he was just trying to draw a perfect cat. His parents sent him to a temple with the hope he would learn from a priest. Of course, once in the temple all Akiro did was draw cats. Once again, he wore out his welcome. The priest gave Akiro some parting advice, “stay away from large places, sleep only in small spaces.” Later that day Akiro found a quiet place to draw cats in the temple and when he was done he was very tired. He remembered the priest’s advice and fell asleep in a small cupboard. When he had awoken, he discovered a large dead goblin rat. All of the cats Akiro had drawn were different. What do you think happened?

Authors Anushka Ravishankar and art by Christine Kastl share an old tale that is soft spoken but the theme unravels to a very specific point. An underlying theme is to be who you are. In this case a young boy loved to draw cats and the spiritual piece is that he was supposed to be the one to save a temple. Parents, teachers, caregivers and young readers can enjoy this story for its simplicity, its art or spiritual note.