Esther Averill (1902–1992)
Author of The Fire Cat
About the Author
Image credit: Esther Trosow
Series
Works by Esther Averill
Jenny and the Cat Club: A Collection of Favorite Stories about Jenny Linsky (1973) 644 copies, 23 reviews
Associated Works
The 20th-Century Children's Book Treasury: Picture Books and Stories to Read Aloud (1998) — Contributor — 1,830 copies, 14 reviews
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Other names
- Averill, Esther Holden
- Birthdate
- 1902-07-24
- Date of death
- 1992-05-12
- Gender
- female
- Education
- Vassar College (1932)
- Occupations
- children's book author
publisher
illustrator
librarian - Organizations
- The Domino Press: New York
The Cat Club - Short biography
- Esther Averill was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where she became a cartoonist for a local newspaper as a teenager. After graduating from Vassar College with honors in 1923, she joined the editorial staff of Women's Wear Daily. In 1925, she moved to Paris, France to work as a photojournalist's assistant. In 1931, she founded her own publishing company, The Domino Press, which specialized in children's picture books illustrated by gifted young artists. Domino Press introduced French and American readers to artists from around the world, including Feodor Rojankovsky, who later won a Caldecott Award, before ceasing operations in 1938.
Esther returned to the USA in 1941 and went to work in the children's department at the New York Public Library. In 1944, she wrote and illustrated The Cat Club, the first in a series of stories about a black cat named Jenny Linsky. Between 1944 and 1972, Esther wrote and illustrated a dozen more book about Jenny Linsky and her cat friends, all of whom were based on cats she owned or knew. These cat club books proved to be her most popular works, and were eventually translated into six languages. - Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA
- Places of residence
- Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA
Poughkeepsie, New York, USA
New York, New York, USA
Paris, France - Place of death
- New York, New York, USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- New York, USA
Members
Reviews
Jenny and the Cat Club: A Collection of Favorite Stories about Jenny Linsky (Jenny's Cat Club) by Esther Averill
Sharing "cat stories" is a regular part of my interactions with friends, so I was purr-fectly pleased when a friend gifted me this book. The weather in Pittsburgh has been miserable, and Jenny and the Cat Club was an enchanting diversion while settled on the couch with a blanket, a cup of tea, and the two indoor felines. Cozy!
Jenny is a bit of an introverted kitty, prone to hiding and peeking before taking action, but thanks to her human, Captain Tinker, she makes friends with the show more neighborhood clowder and proceeds to have plenty of 1940s-era Greenwich Village adventures. A run-in with a pack of ne'er-do-well dogs should come as no surprise.
If you love the kitties and have no shortage of your own "cat stories," you'll find this collection highly entertaining.
Added bonus: If you read Amor Towles' Rules of Civility and wondered what happened to Tinker Grey after leaving his high-flying life to work on the docks, perhaps you'll agree with me that this is where he ultimately landed. show less
Jenny is a bit of an introverted kitty, prone to hiding and peeking before taking action, but thanks to her human, Captain Tinker, she makes friends with the show more neighborhood clowder and proceeds to have plenty of 1940s-era Greenwich Village adventures. A run-in with a pack of ne'er-do-well dogs should come as no surprise.
If you love the kitties and have no shortage of your own "cat stories," you'll find this collection highly entertaining.
Added bonus: If you read Amor Towles' Rules of Civility and wondered what happened to Tinker Grey after leaving his high-flying life to work on the docks, perhaps you'll agree with me that this is where he ultimately landed. show less
As I noted in my review of Averill's Jenny and the Cat Club, one of my favorite "literary" characters as a child was Pickles the cat, who finds his purpose in the poignant early reader, The Fire Cat. Imagine my surprise and delight, these many years later, upon discovering that Averill wrote an entire series devoted to the cats of New York City's Greenwich Village.
Recently reprinted as part of the New York Review Children's Collection, which has been responsible for rescuing so many show more wonderful books from an undeserved obscurity, Captains of the City Streets follows the adventures of Sinbad and The Duke - two "tramp cats" who find their way to Greenwich Village, where they eventually become part of the local "Cat Club."
Although I have enjoyed all of Averill's books, it is Captains... which comes the closest to duplicating the poignant charm of The Fire Cat. The story of two older cats - made homeless by the deaths of their elderly humans, who stick together in a lonely and frightening world, eventually winning a place for themselves - it speaks to deeper issues than some of the other titles in the Jenny Linsky series.
I will confess to being an unabashed cat lover, and there is no doubt that I have an extremely low tolerance for scenes of feline suffering. I was surprised however, to find myself tearing up while reading this simple but charming chapter-book. Perhaps the recent death of my own cat, who had been a part of my life for sixteen years, made me especially susceptible. However that may be, Captains of the City Streets is an engaging story, accompanied by Averill's charming illustrations, and I heartily recommend it to all young (or old) cat lovers. show less
Recently reprinted as part of the New York Review Children's Collection, which has been responsible for rescuing so many show more wonderful books from an undeserved obscurity, Captains of the City Streets follows the adventures of Sinbad and The Duke - two "tramp cats" who find their way to Greenwich Village, where they eventually become part of the local "Cat Club."
Although I have enjoyed all of Averill's books, it is Captains... which comes the closest to duplicating the poignant charm of The Fire Cat. The story of two older cats - made homeless by the deaths of their elderly humans, who stick together in a lonely and frightening world, eventually winning a place for themselves - it speaks to deeper issues than some of the other titles in the Jenny Linsky series.
I will confess to being an unabashed cat lover, and there is no doubt that I have an extremely low tolerance for scenes of feline suffering. I was surprised however, to find myself tearing up while reading this simple but charming chapter-book. Perhaps the recent death of my own cat, who had been a part of my life for sixteen years, made me especially susceptible. However that may be, Captains of the City Streets is an engaging story, accompanied by Averill's charming illustrations, and I heartily recommend it to all young (or old) cat lovers. show less
Pickles was well on his way to life as a feline delinquent. A cat with big paws and a longing to do big things, the boredom of his aimless, friendless existence as a street-cat had turned him into a bully. Luckily, his neighbor Mrs. Goodkind wasn't ready to give up on him. She understood that he wasn't a good cat OR a bad cat, but a good AND bad cat, and that what he needed was a sense of purpose. Then one fateful day, when Pickles found himself stuck in a tree, the local fire department show more appeared on the scene...
Esther Averill's The Fire Cat was one of my childhood favorites, and I must have read and re-read it a hundred times. Like all great children's books, it functions on more than one level. As a straight-forward narrative about a homeless cat who finds a home and family, it is an engaging and heart-warming story, with all the appeal of the classic "orphan" tale. As a teaching tool, Averill's simple story manages to offer a keenly observed social commentary, all without ever descending into any sort of didactic display. The young reader will absorb the idea that sometimes poor behavior (such as bullying) is the result of poor circumstances, rather than "simple" malice, and that there are more creative (and effective) solutions than condemnation.
I am always amazed at the great skill and discipline required to create a successful picture book or early reader. The truly great children's authors somehow manage to write stories that are emotionally involving and intellectually stimulating, all with a limited word choice that would stymie an author of adult fiction. Not a word is out of place in such books, whose simplicity can be deceptive...
Finally, as a side note, I have discovered that Esther Averill wrote an entire series of books about the neighborhood cats depicted in this title, none of which were known to me as a child. I can hardly wait to dive in! show less
Esther Averill's The Fire Cat was one of my childhood favorites, and I must have read and re-read it a hundred times. Like all great children's books, it functions on more than one level. As a straight-forward narrative about a homeless cat who finds a home and family, it is an engaging and heart-warming story, with all the appeal of the classic "orphan" tale. As a teaching tool, Averill's simple story manages to offer a keenly observed social commentary, all without ever descending into any sort of didactic display. The young reader will absorb the idea that sometimes poor behavior (such as bullying) is the result of poor circumstances, rather than "simple" malice, and that there are more creative (and effective) solutions than condemnation.
I am always amazed at the great skill and discipline required to create a successful picture book or early reader. The truly great children's authors somehow manage to write stories that are emotionally involving and intellectually stimulating, all with a limited word choice that would stymie an author of adult fiction. Not a word is out of place in such books, whose simplicity can be deceptive...
Finally, as a side note, I have discovered that Esther Averill wrote an entire series of books about the neighborhood cats depicted in this title, none of which were known to me as a child. I can hardly wait to dive in! show less
As a child I absolutely adored Esther Averill's The Fire Cat, a poignant early-reader in which a street cat named Pickles found his purpose in life. But it was not until the New York Review Children's Collection began reprinting them that I was aware that Averill had written many stories detailing the adventures of the cats - Pickles among them - who lived in New York City's Greenwich Village. How sad that I didn't know about Jenny Linsky as a child, but how wonderful that this omission is show more finally being corrected! Viva NYRCC!
Jenny and the Cat Club, first published in 1944, contains five short stories detailing the adventures of shy Jenny Linsky, a little black cat who belongs to Captain Tinker, and who always wears a distinctive red scarf. In The Cat Club, Jenny overcomes her shyness and discovers her "special gift." In Jenny's First Party, Jenny, Pickles and Florio find their way to a dance party. In When Jenny Lost Her Scarf Jenny's precious red scarf is stolen by Rob the Robber dog. In Jenny's Adopted Brothers Jenny convinces Captain Tinker to rescue the homeless Checkers and Edward. And finally, in How the Brothers Joined the Cat Club, Jenny conquers her jealousy, and helps her new brothers join the club...
This was a wonderful collection of stories, and should prove entertaining for chapter-book readers who love animal stories. Heartwarming and very satisfying, the story of Jenny - a shy little cat who needs a little help sometimes, but who has a good heart, and always does the best she can - offers the reader some simple truths, clothed in a gentle story. And of course, Averill's illustrations are adorable... show less
Jenny and the Cat Club, first published in 1944, contains five short stories detailing the adventures of shy Jenny Linsky, a little black cat who belongs to Captain Tinker, and who always wears a distinctive red scarf. In The Cat Club, Jenny overcomes her shyness and discovers her "special gift." In Jenny's First Party, Jenny, Pickles and Florio find their way to a dance party. In When Jenny Lost Her Scarf Jenny's precious red scarf is stolen by Rob the Robber dog. In Jenny's Adopted Brothers Jenny convinces Captain Tinker to rescue the homeless Checkers and Edward. And finally, in How the Brothers Joined the Cat Club, Jenny conquers her jealousy, and helps her new brothers join the club...
This was a wonderful collection of stories, and should prove entertaining for chapter-book readers who love animal stories. Heartwarming and very satisfying, the story of Jenny - a shy little cat who needs a little help sometimes, but who has a good heart, and always does the best she can - offers the reader some simple truths, clothed in a gentle story. And of course, Averill's illustrations are adorable... show less
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Statistics
- Works
- 24
- Also by
- 1
- Members
- 5,262
- Popularity
- #4,741
- Rating
- 4.3
- Reviews
- 76
- ISBNs
- 61
- Languages
- 6
- Favorited
- 8