Whiffle Squeek

Whiffle Squeek

A seafaring cat named Whiffle Squeek has a narrow escape from a hungry monster of the briny deep. From Publishers Weekly This epic poem about a cat who travels by "kibitka" boat begins with the lines "There was a cat sailed the briny deep,/ Briny deep, briny deep;/ There was a cat sailed the briny deep,/ And his name was Whiffle Squeek." He sleeps beneath a "hugeous moon," catches herring with a "worm-bait" trap, wears a hat of octopus arms, a coat of misfit fish, pants of sea-green weeds and boots of "jellyfish squish." Then Whiffle Squeek sails into a sea of troubles when a sea monster called Gazook Gaboot begins to consume the feline's world. But Whiffle Squeek swims clean away, and readers are left with the picture of a dozing cat in a nest of rope. Rand's paintings evoke this journey by merging a full moon with a tempestuous sea, creating Whiffle Squeek's fantastic outfit and smoothing the way for Cohen's lyrical text. A pulsating rhythm and lilting phrases will entreat readers to chant along with Whiffle Squeek. Ages 3-7. Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. From School Library Journal Kindergarten-Grade 2 ``Aiken Drum,'' a 19th-Century Scottish folk song, provides the theme and rhythmic pattern of this story in rhyme. The cadence is true to the original, but the new story line is even more captivating. Whiffle Squeek is a black cat who wears equally unusual, edible clothing and sails the seas in a kibitka boat. The plucky cat encounters a sea monster named Gazook Gaboot who proceeds to eat Whiffle Squeek's clothing bit by bit, and finally bites into the boat. As expected, however, the hero escapes and swims home to sleep. Rand's double-page watercolors are perfect for the story. Children will readily respond to the use of bright neon- like colors often set off against a black background, and the detail of the cat's clothing is a wonder. The book is a perfect read-aloud. Questions will arise about some of the vocabulary (kibitka boat, hugeous moon, misfit fish ), but the word choices are a great part of this book's charm. A total delight. Barbara S. McGinn, Oak Hill Elementary School, Se verna Park, Md.Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.