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Description
A monk leads a simple life. He studies his books late into the evening and searches for truth in their pages. His cat, Pangur, leads a simple life, too, chasing prey in the darkness. As night turns to dawn, Pangur leads his companion to the truth he has been seeking.
The White Cat and the Monk is a retelling of the classic Old Irish poem “Pangur Bán.” With Jo Ellen Bogart’s simple and elegant narration and Sydney Smith’s classically inspired images, this contemplative story pays tribute to the wisdom of animals and the wonders of the natural world.
Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels
- Age:
- 4 to 8
- Grade:
- p to 3
- Reading age:
- 4 to 8
Awards
- Commended, USBBY's Outstanding International Books List
- Commended, NCTE Notable Poetry List
- Commended, Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices List
- Commended, Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year
- Commended, The NP99: The Best Books of the Year
- Commended, SLJ's Best of 2016
- Commended, Brain Pickings' Best Children's Books of 2016
- Commended, Quill & Quire Reviewer Pick
- Commended, The New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books
- Commended, CCBC Best Books for Children and Teens, starred selection
- Commended, CBC Best Books of 2016
- Short-listed, Governor General's Literary Award, Young People's Literature – Illustrated Books
Editorial Reviews
If ever there was a book that could calm a child and draw her into meditative contemplation (perhaps right before bed?), The White Cat and the Monk is it.
— Quill and Quire, STARRED REVIEW
The text’s subtle moral is timeless but also sings with elegiac timeliness — what a wonderful counterpoint to modern life’s hamster wheel of achievement and approval, this idea that there is poetry in every pursuit executed with purposefulness and savored with uncompetitive joy.
— The New York Times
Truly a wonderful book, THE WHITE CAT AND THE MONK expresses the richness of the relationship between the two characters.
— Canadian Review of Materials
...lyrical yet easily understood...Contentment and joy are reflected in text and image
— Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW
Smith . . . imbues the text with contemporary visual language through his singular, elegantly minimalist graphic novel aesthetic.
— Brain Pickings
If you want to treat yourself to a superb picture book, treat yourself to this one.
— Kirkus Review
The watercolor-and-ink artwork has both heft and humor, especially in the joyful depictions of the manuscripts...Readers who consider the story’s underlying messages about necessities, companionship, and fulfillment will come away enriched.
— Booklist, STARRED REVIEW
... a sophisticated and subtle story about the pursuit of joy—one that will easily resonate with readers young and old.
— Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
This is a great book for any group of readers . . . a great book to introduce to kids who may not think they like poetry.
— The Children's Writer's Guild
The stylized artwork captures the timeless beauty of the poem in this simple yet meaningful picturebook, highly recommended.
— Midwest Book Review
The adaptation . . . is as unostentatious as the watercolor-and-ink illustrations, which meld a medieval spirit with a modern sense of cartooning, a juxtaposition that is fresh and seems entirely right.
— Horn Book
A stunningly illustrated meditative ode to the simple joys of human-animal companionship and the pursuit of knowledge.
— School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
Author Jo Ellen Bogart has provided an unembellished, thoughtful text that pays tribute to the value of perseverance and dedication for one's vocation, be it humble or exalted.
— Canadian Children's Book News
