Oh, how I wish I had a friend like Miss Petitfour, who follows “a strict schedule of fun and more fun.” As her name implies, she’s partial to sweets, and on windy days she uses her tablecloth like a parachute so she and her 16 cats can take to the skies.
The five gentle stories in The Adventures of Miss Petitfour, each starring this eccentric cat lady, remind me of some of my favorite childhood tales with heroines like Miss Piggle-Wiggle and Pippi Longstocking. One scene with an exploding confetti factory could have come directly from Roald Dahl.
This is the first children’s book from Canadian poet and novelist Anne Michaels, and she seems like a natural, writing in a style that’s full of humor, puns and all sorts of literary lusciousness. There’s sophisticated amusement as well, making this book the perfect read-aloud, with quirky lists and nimble use of language.
Adding to the charm are a multitude of color illustrations by British illustrator Emma Block, whose drawings bring Miss Petitfour and her feline troop to life, making them soar through the sky, cats clinging together like the colorful tail of a whimsical kite.
This article was originally published in the November 2015 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.
