When you pick up a book by best-selling author Jane Yolen you know you are in for a treat. Her latest book, Meow, is just that. Ms. Yolen has gathered and adapted cat fables, tales, nursery rhymes, and sayings from around the world. The reader will find some well-known narratives (Aesop’s "The Cat and the Fox") as well as some delightful, little-known tales ("Cat and Rat" from the Democratic Republic of Congo).

Hala Wittwer was the perfect choice to illustrate this book. Her paintings are simply gorgeous—vibrant, luminous, and full of detail. The cat’s expressions are extremely engaging and well-done.

Classroom Uses: This is an ideal choice for story hour or one-on-one sharing. We took the book into a first grade classroom and read it aloud to a small group. The students connected immediately with the book and begged for re-readings. One young boy declared the illustrations "spectacular" (his new favorite word). We could not agree more.

Highly recommended. Suitable for district-wide purchase.

Reviewed by the teachers at Education Oasis.