Product Description

A simply versed companion to Dog Heaven features bold, folk-art illustrations and profiles the special place where all good cats can find an endless supply of catnip, tuna, and warm laps."

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #38070 in Books
• Published on: 1997-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 40 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780590100540
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2. Cat Heaven sounds like paradise. A rhyming text describes a realm in which felines are fed from God's countertop, a place where they no longer get stuck in trees because now they can fly. There are thousands of toys, and soft angel laps in which to cuddle. There is even a quiet time to look back on former homes and loving people. The primitive, childlike painting style is similar to Rylant's work in Dog Heaven (Scholastic, 1995). Both books serve the same purpose of comforting anyone mourning a lost pet, but the writing flows more easily and the pictures are more mature in Cat Heaven. The story has spiritualism and reverence but not in a traditional manner. God is depicted as a kindly older man who washes the cats' bowls and "walks in His garden with a good black book and a kitty asleep on His head." His coloring varies from pink to brown to yellowish tan. The visual impact of the book is stunning. Cats of all colors frolic through the exuberantly hued pages. Vibrant yellows, blues, reds, purples, and greens create a feast for the eyes. Even the color of the text changes to contrast with the background. Whether read as a story to younger children or used in a discussion of the nature of heaven with older ones, this deceptively simple, sweet book is rewarding.?Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
Every bit as rich in eye-dimming sentiment as Dog Heaven (1995), this will kindle sighs even from the feline-indifferent. Writing in rhyme, Rylant assures readers that all cats already know the way to heaven's yellow door, and once past it will never want for laps, toys, or full kitty dishes. Rylant paints in the same extremely naive style of the first book, with large brushes and bright, opaque colors; heaven is a place with trees and clouds to perch on, fields to leap through--and a garden full of tall flowers, where God walks ``with a good black book [``Garden Tips''] and a kitty asleep on His head.'' Comforting and amiable, this is tinged with gentle humor. (Picture book. 3-6) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

About the Author
As a child in West Virginia, Newbery Medalist Cynthia Rylant devoured comic books and paperback romances. She never dreamed of being a writer until she took one college English class. Then she became "hooked on great writing...I didn’t know about this part of me until I went to college—didn’t know that I loved beautiful stories." One night, inspired by the Southern writer, James Agee, she wrote her first picture book, When I Was Young in the Mountains, which was an instant success. Since then, she’s written more than 60 children’s books and received numerous awards, including the Newbery and the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award. With simplicity and grace, Rylant’s books explore such subjects as aging, the trials of spirituality, the loss of a loved one, and the spirit and integrity of family life with all its joys and hardships. Rylant has said, "Books alter our hearts." Her books are a testament to this promise. Rylant lives in the Pacific Northwest. For more information about Cynthia Rylant, visit: scholastic.com/tradebooks

Customer Reviews

UPLIFTING AND PERFECT!
I stood and read through this book in Books A Million and cried my eyes out right there in front of God and everybody, then forked over the full price for the book (which I rarely do---I usually get them here at Amazon discounted). This is the very best book I've ever read on losing a pet. My old cat is 14 years old and just the thought of him being in this "Cat Heaven" made me smile and laugh out loud (after the tears!) I read this to my four year old grandson after he'd lost a kitty and it comforted him, too. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever loved and lost a beloved pet. You will NOT be disappointed!

A great way to help little ones (and adults) grieve
We bought this book when our 19 year old cat Sophie was dying of kidney failure. It was the first time our then-three-year-old son was exposed to death. The book really helped us find a comforting, spiritual but non-religious way of talking about dying. The images of God, angels, and heaven were ones we felt very comfortable with. We still re-read the book 4 years later and talk about Sophie.

Joy in the midst of tears
This is a wonderful book to give or to receive when one has lost a special cat. It is a powerful statement that love is indeed stronger than death, and speaks well to both children and adults. It has been a treasured gift to those who have received it, and a comfort in the midst of grief.