The Story of Diva and Flea

A pampered pooch named Diva and a roving street-cat named Flea become friends in this debut early chapter-book from author Mo Willems, celebrated creator of the Pigeon picture-books and the Elephant and Piggie early readers. Rather timid by nature, Diva had never wandered far from the courtyard of the building in which she lived, preferring to observe the outside world from the safety of home. Flea, by contrast, was an itinerant wanderer, a flâneur who roved the streets of Paris, always looking for new sights, new adventures. When Flea flâneurs past Diva's building one day, the little dog is terrified, instinctively running away. Eventually however, as the street-cat returns each day, always amused by her fright, the little dog works show more up the courage to confront this feline interloper, thereby initiating a beautiful friendship that leads her into many adventures, and Flea to a home of his own...

The Story of Diva and Flea is a charming book, one both entertaining and poignant. At just sixty-five pages, it's a very brief read for an adult, but it manages to engage for all that, and would be ideally suited to children just getting into chapter-books for the first time. Willems captures Diva's transformation from an overly-timid creature afraid of FEET!, to an eager participant in adventuring on the streets of Paris, as well as Flea's jovial and kind-hearted role in that transformation. Flea's 'reward' at the end - he is adopted by Eva, the human who looks after Diva, and has finally found a home - whilst not unexpected, was quite satisfying all the same. The artwork, done by Tony DiTerlizzi, is every bit as charming as the text, capturing the canine and feline appeal of its two protagonists, and the beauty of their Paris environs. I had to chuckle at the illustration of the Metroplitain stop, as DiTerlizzi has cleverly worked in a reference to Willems' Pigeon books, and found the two-page spread in which dog and cat gaze at the magnificent Eiffel Tower very appealing. All in all, a lovely little book, one I would recommend to younger children looking for beginning chapter-cooks featuring animal characters, or a Paris setting. show less

Cute book! first chapter book with wonderful illustration. A delightful little story as Diva and Flea explore and learn from each other's worlds.

A sweet and humorous friendship story of a cat named Flea and a Dog named Diva who live in Paris. Flea is a flaneur and he helps Diva have the courage to leave her garden courtyard and be a flaneur, too. This would make a great read-aloud for young children. Plus kids will have learned a great French vocabulary word and with DiTerlizzi's atmospheric illustrations, who wouldn't want to visit France and be a flaneur, too?!

This brief tale concerns a very large cat and a very small dog, who meet in Paris and help each other branch out and discover new ways to experience the world. It's a charming, if slight, book, less laugh-out-loud funny than one generally expects of Mo Willems, but containing some gentle humor. A good choice for young readers just making the foray into chapter books.

In this book, two unlikely animals become best friends. The small dog Diva is privileged and has never left home, while the Cat named Flea has traveled all over Paris.
The theme of this book is to not be afraid to try new experiences. This is an important theme for children to read about because sometimes trying new things can be scary. There is a whole world outside and it is important to live it. The illustrations in this book are really cute and engaging.

Probably a 3.5, but rounded up because of Tony DiTerlizzi's wonderful and colorful illustrations, which appear about every other page. If you love Paris and/or the Aristocats, this book is for you. Like the famous O'Malley, Flea is an alley cat and a flaneur (explorer.) Diva is a small white dog, who guards the courtyard in front of the apartment building, where her owner is the caretaker. The interaction between the two is heartwarming and they help each other be brave: one to explore and the other to trust people.

Delightful fable for all ages. I have never been interested in Paris, but now I can see the appeal. I love the yin/yang friendship, the illustrations of the long-legged cat, and everything else, and the author's and artist's notes that make this real.