John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat

An odd book. For the first few pages I thought I'd love it (I'm a sucker for faithful pet stories), but by the end of the book I was completely flummoxed. Who's the audience for this book? If you identify with Rose, it's a lesson in manipulative passive-aggressive behaviour, if you identify with the dog, yikes, you're basically taught to capitulate to anything in order to hold onto love (hello, future domestic abuse victims), and if you identify with the cat, well, enjoy your career as a stalker.

Apparently it's a "new edition of this classic and beautiful book." Okay, then ...

(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up show more with a lot of 4s). I feel a lot of readers automatically render any book they enjoy 5, but I grade on a curve! show less

This book shows children that it is okay to make run in their worlds for other things and it is okay to change, even though it is new and scary. John Brown is an adorable dog who belongs to Rose, an older woman or lives on her own, and he does not want anything to do with the midnight cat. One day when Rose falls sick, he realizes that the desire that Rose has for the cat overshadows his need to keep them separate and he invites the cat in. Acceptance makes everyone content in the end.

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Subject to interpretation depending on your pov, and your interpretation will color your appreciation.

For example, I couldn't disagree more with the reviewer who says this a horrible book because Rose, the 'adult,' is being manipulative, pretending to be sick when all she really wants is for John Brown to let the cat into their family. Otoh, since she and the dog can use words to talk to each other, they should do so, and Rose should encourage the loyal JB to open his heart. And besides, there is no adult/child r'ship here - JB sees himself as an adult caregiver to a frail old lady. (a youtube reviewer points out that John Brown was the name of the widowed Queen Victoria's manservant)

Apparently this is an Australian book. I show more imagine adults in the US, meeting this for the first time, will have a different reaction to it Aussie children who grew up with it. show less

The story a bittersweet one about lost loves and new loves. John Brown the dog has always been there for Rose and now with the arrival of the Midnight Cat he worries that he will be replaced and no longer needed (no longer loved). Fortunately there's a happy ending for everyone.

picture book, early years, F-2, cats, dogs, pets,