Pusserina the Wondercat

by Kenneth B. Melvin, Linda Albrecht (Illustrator)

Overview

Pusserina the Wondercat consists of poems from my cat’s perspective, quotes and 31 beautiful illustrations. She explores cat foibles, lore, and habits across a variety of poetic styles.  The poems include the poignant “Rescue Cat”, “Faeries”, a flight of fancy, and the humorous Western epic, “The Great Cat Drive of 95”. As Pusserina writes, “I hope you enjoy the whimsy and the wit, and the musings of this little kit.”
There are 39 million USA households that own cats, thus providing us with a large base of cat lovers. This book is a treat for anyone with an affinity for felinity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781633933125
Publisher:	northwood lake books
Publication date:	08/15/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	134
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Kenneth B. Melvin, PhD is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Alabama. He has published over 80 articles and books in the field of psychology. Dr. Melvin was a leading researcher in the field of animal behavior in which he contributed over 50 articles in related journals. His research was primarily in the areas of learning, motivation and aggression. It involved a number of species, including rats, quail and Siamese fighting fish. In the popular press, he published a humor article in Private Pilot magazine and an essay in Human Behavior. Also, he was an editor and a contributor to an anthology published by Random House titled Psy Fi One.

Editorial Reviews

"Ken Melvin has created a book of whimsy, charm, and love for the cat fancier. I was enchanted by insightful lines like, Everywhere that Mary went, the cat refused to go, as well as by poems that bring a big smile to my face, like one that begins, Lots of kitties live in cities. Pusserina has earned a treasured place on our bookshelves."

-Stanley L. Brodsky, Ph.D, Clinical Psychologist

"This delightful collection of whimsical and eclectic poems, written by Pusserina the Wondercat and compiled by her servant Ken Melvin, is an enjoyable and educational read. All are told through the eyes, ears, and insights of yet another example of a feline marvel. The stunning illustrations by Linda Albrecht that accompany this amazing cat's stories are equally remarkable. If a cat were to write a poetry book, this would be, and is, it."

-Whit Gibbons, Ph.D.,
Professor Emeritus of Ecology
University of Georgia, author of Snakes of the Southeast and 19 other books

"Pusserina the Wondercat will delight the young and the young at heart. This book of charming poems and illustrations draws the reader into the slightly deranged world of the cat. Ken Melvin's elegant and whimsical poems reveal his deep understanding of animal behavior as well as his love of cats."

-William H. Gardner, Ph.D., author of Handling Truth

From the Publisher

2018-09-01

A debut collection of poetry celebrates cats.

Melvin writes in the voice of Pusserina, his pet cat who is fated to express herself in verse. The title of the collection comes from recounted dreams in which she imagines herself to be a superhero. Many poems follow simple rhyme schemes and feature a singsong quality. "I'm a Cat," for instance, sounds like an imitation of Dr. Seuss. There are also several limericks that do not quite fit into the traditional syllabic pattern of that literary form. Thus, readers might want to skim past the extremely short poems, such as this virtual throwaway titled "Tuxedo Cat": "For a tuxedo cat, black and white / Is normal / I like this cat, for he / Is very formal." While the upbeat poems are aimed at all feline lovers, their length, vocabulary, and subject matter seem especially suited to children. But there are assuredly some bright spots to be found for readers of all ages, like "The Door," where Pusserina's hesitation about going out or coming in takes on a deeper, pensive meaning, as suggested by the poem's circular structure. Overall, the longer texts communicate more substantive stories through verse, such as "Haunted House," a meditation on grief with an uplifting conclusion that supports the unique bond between cats and humans. Similarly, the author strongly refutes the stereotypes of felines as aloof and disinterested with an ode to Tara, a real-life superhero made famous in a viral video that showed her thwarting a dog's attack on her 4-year-old human companion. Along the way, Melvin and Pusserina enthusiastically remark on various playthings: Easter eggs, Thanksgiving treats, Christmas trees, and piano keys. They also weigh in on issues like hairballs, paper versus plastic, the preponderance of feline names for sports teams, and negative representations of cats in cartoons, namely Sylvester and Tom. The handsome book features colorful illustrations by Albrecht (No, No, Sammy!, 2013) as well as quotations from prominent cat lovers, including Leonardo, Twain, Shakespeare, Hugo, and Kipling.

Lighthearted poems for readers who adore felines.

Kirkus Reviews