Posy

Posy is a kitten; she’s also a ‘whiskers wiper, crayon swiper, playful wrangler, knitting tangler…’ and much, much more. In rhyme, Newbery entertainingly introduces us to Posy and introduces her listeners (this is definitely a read-aloud) to a series of terms, some of which will undoubtedly stick in their memories – who could resist ‘sock inspector’ or ‘sprawly snorer’?

Catherine Rayner gives Posy physical presence on the pages: in some spreads she sprawls across the two pages, on others, we see multiple Posys, sitting, spitting, clawing, echoing and adding to Newbery’s text in showing all the things that kittens do, until, on the final spread, she is curled up asleep.

This delightful combination of illustrator and wordsmith encapsulates the antics of a young cat, giving her an endearing presence on the pages. Rayner’s depiction is slightly stylized; Posy is a tabby (or a tortoiseshell?) – her palette ranges through various shades of brown and grey stripes – juxtaposed with contrasting colours like a pink ball of wool, a green cushion or a bluish sofa, all melded together, probably electronically, to stand out against the creamy white background.

Posy is one of those books for a young audience whose apparent simplicity conceals technical skill and the imaginative development of an idea. An undoubted hit with young and older readers!