Cats in Books: A Celebration of Cat Illustration Through the Ages.

Cats in Books: A Celebration of Cat Illustration Through the Ages. Rodney Dale (compiler). New York: Abrams (800-345-1359), 1997. Hardcover, 112 pp., $16.95.

One of the most effective ways of showing that there is no single "right" interpretation of an idea is by providing multiple examples. From the Lindisfarne Gospels of the eighth century to our own century's Garfield, Dale presents us with a brief, lively history of cats illustrated with works by da Vinci, Durer, Rackham, Beardsley, and others. Cats were significant animals in many cultures as much for their rodent-catching talents as their seductive social attributes, so it's little wonder that stories from Aesop through Puss in Boots to Kliban's cartoons should provide a wonderful resource for art teachers because so many artists have used them for their picture-making. The text and captions are for middle school and older, but the pictures are for all ages