CATMAGIC

Written and illustrated by Loris Lesynski
Full-color illustrations
Paperback ISBN 1-55037-532-6, Library binding ISBN 1-55037-533-4
Annick Press, distributred by Firefly Books

Description & Reviews

Catmagic can spin off into ideas, notions, and classroom activities.

• One school did construction paper witches and had them standing on the ceiling. See the picture on the last page.
• Can you find the ghost curtains? The bat-shaped cookies? The Jack-o-lantern lampshade? What about the skull-and-crossbones doilies?
• Which witch has a hat shaped exactly like her hair?
• Think how many more kids could be in your class if some of them had their desks on the ceiling.

The best project from Catmagic is figuring out another solution. Izzy has a camouflage problem. Somehow he needs to make himself safe in that cluttered house. Is upsidedown-ness the only possibility? What if he magicked himself into a cat that lit up from the inside (but maybe then he’d never be able to sleep)…? What if had a special alarm installed to beep when anyone came too close (like big trucks backing up)…? What if he made up a spell that let him float in the air just above the witches’ feet? What would you do?

An illustration from Catmagic is on the left.

“How is Izzy feeling in this picture?” I ask kids.

“Sad. Lonesome. Miserable,” they reply. How can they tell, I ask, since they can’t see his face? How did the illustrator (well, me) let them know exactly how the character felt, maybe even what he was thinking? We talk about how he’s shown in the shadows, how his tail is flat and his shoulders are down, and how he’s leaning forward as if he longs to be part of things.

There are many other ways besides happy or angry faces to show what the character’s emotions are.

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