The Cat in the Rhinestone Suit

by John Carter Cash, Scott Nash (Illustrator)

Overview

From John Carter Cash, a rootin’, toe tappin’ tale that’s sure to be a hoot—with a great lesson to boot!

In this humorous story, the cat in the rhinestone suit is out to settle a score with his arch nemesis, a snake named Del Moore. A comedy of errors ensues, leaving the cat and his traveling companions—a bandicoot, a mouse, and a camel—hanging from a root. Just when it seems they’re stuck…who should come by to rescue them but ol’ Del Moore himself!
     This rollicking read-aloud is a fun-loving story of friendship and forgiveness, with characters as colorful and sparkly as a rhinestone suit!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781442453135
Publisher:	Little Simon Inspirations
Publication date:	05/01/2012
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	24 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

John Carter Cash is a five-time Grammy Award–winning music producer and author of Daddy Loves His Little Girl, Momma Loves Her Little Son, and Anchored in Love: An Intimate Portrait of June Carter Cash. He is the only child of June Carter and Johnny Cash. He lives with his wife and children in Hendersonville, Tennessee. 

Scott Nash is the illustrator of Catch That Baby! and Uh-oh, Baby! He is also the award-winning illustrator of the Flat Stanley series and Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp, by Carol Diggory Shields. His design firm, Nashbox Studios, has lent its expertise to such kid-centric brands as PBS, Nickelodeon, and Disney. He lives in Maine. Visit him online at ScottNash.com.

Editorial Reviews

Flashily dressed cowboy animals and even flashier typography give high visual interest to Cash’s (Daddy Loves His Little Girl) rhyming western tale. Nash’s (Catch That Baby!) animals are heavily outlined and cross-hatched, and the old-fashioned lettering makes the pages look like a series of “Wanted” posters. Cash makes some odd word choices in service of his unusual A-A-A-B rhyme scheme (bandicoot for suit, Bombay with sway), and although the results can be halting, the lines land with a satisfying thunk. The feud between the cat and his rattlesnake adversary, Del Moore, goes back to kittenhood, when Del Moore grabbed the cat’s catnip ball. But now the cat and his friends are dangling inches from certain death, and Del Moore generously extends his tail to them: “Would it be crazy to say/ they’d still be hanging today/ had Del Moore not passed their way/ and offered them some help?” The treacly ending—“To be a fine friend indeed/ is to lend to a friend in need”—is accompanied by enough manly cowboy action to keep it from sappiness. Ages 4–8. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Gr 1–3—A Wild West tale of trouble, old grudges, and newfound trust. When Cat seeks revenge against an old enemy who did him wrong, an unlikely rescuer appears when a stumble causes Cat to tumble in the air. His action proves that personalities can change and that help may arrive from the most unexpected source. Illustrations drawing inspiration from the 19th-century American West show desert horizons, a small-town main street, and framed portraits of the major players. The ballad-humming cat and his friends mouse, camel, and bandicoot personify the local heroes, while a slick-suited slithering snake sporting a bowler hat gives cause for concern. Font and color reminiscent of old newspaper headlines and a variety of page layouts draw readers' eyes toward the AAAB rhyme scheme and detailed pen-and-ink extensions of the story. Is snake Del Moore a true villain? Will Cat and Del face off in a gunfight on the town's main street? Readers can only guess as rhythmic text without a tune rolls this tale from page to page. This well-crafted story offers a light lesson to young readers framed on the final pages: "To be a fine friend indeed is to lend to a friend in need."—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX

School Library Journal

Cash's latest is plagued with problems similar to those facing his previous two children's offerings, awkward syntax and poor scansion being the worst of these, but he also adds a new one to the mix: a thin, if enthusiastic plot. Rhyming verse tells the tale of Cat and Mouse, who travel together, singing as they ride their bandicoot and camel, respectively, through the desert. Cat has a score to settle with Del Moore the snake, who stole his catnip ball when he was just a kitten. But before a showdown can take place, disaster strikes: The bandicoot trips, and the four travelers wind up precariously hanging from a cliff. Snake is the only passer-by who hears their cries and stops to help. "Snake offered Cat his tail end. / Out the Cat's paw did extend. / Del Moore said, / ‘Let's just be friends!' / And the Cat gave a smile." Instead of allowing readers to infer the moral offered by this pat ending about second chances, the author supplies his own, which has little to do with the story. Nash does his best to meet the underlying good intentions of the text. From his palette to the clothing his characters wear, the illustrations have a retro feel that suits the Old West setting. His characters have a Richard Scarry look to them, especially the cat. With phrases seemingly thrown in because they rhyme, not because they advance any sort of plot, this is one to skip. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews