Picture Book - Amy, Ben, and Catalpa the Cat: A Fanciful Story of This and That

Amy, Ben, and Catalpa the Cat: A Fanciful Story of This and That by Alma S. Coon Illustrations by Gail Owens 1990

Ahhh! A bit of history wrapped in an ABC picture book. This is a humorous little story that follows Amy, Ben and Catalpa the cat through their chores and streets of the colonial town of Williamsburg. For anyone, especially the younger set, chores can be somewhat boring and time consuming. But, for Amy and Ben they have a way of adding a bit of fun to their chores and are still able to get into a little mischief with Catalpa on their way to the fair. From baking an apple pie to Market Street’s marmalade to wearing Tri-cornered hats the author has managed to work in a historical story around the alphabet. The reader/listener gets a taste of what life might have been like for a couple of typical young citizens of Williamsburg. The artwork is very vivid and really adds to the imagery of the story. The text is written in an entertaining rhyme and I would suggest this to the kindergarten age crowd on up. This particular copy came via a visit to Williamsburg, but I believe it is available online through some smaller retailers.