| Synopsis: |
Tibble is a reporter. He only ever writes about cats, and he's about to be fired. Minou is a young woman who has moved into Tibble's flat. She hates dogs, likes rooftops, loves the fishmonger, and happens to have been, until very recently, a cat. With her feline friends listening out for all the local human news, is Minou the answer to all Tibble's problems-or just the beginning of them? A hilarious, charming story of cats, dogs, and learning to dare. 'My find of the year to date... both a rousing story about how to be brave and a captivating defence of the virtues of the cat' Lorna Bradbury, Daily Telegraph'A big, unexpected hit... The beauty here is the writing itself' Daily Telegraph'To discover Annie MG Schmidt is to feel like the cat who got the cream - and the salmon fillet... Guaranteed to make anyone 7-plus to 107 who likes to curl up with a book and a cat purr with pleasure.' Alex O'Connell, The Times'Enchanting ... Amusing and uplifting.' Nicolette Jones, The Sunday Times'This story is a gift to the English language and a reminder that we should not forget the wealth of tales written abroad' We Love this Book'A funny and yet quietly profound tale of courage, friendship and what it really means to be human... The narrative beautifully unfolds with unseen and fine tuning, climaxing with an exciting and rich ending which is deeply satisfying' Playing by the Book'A humorous, surreal and satisfying story with an old fashioned feel'Book Trust Books We Like 'Annie is not a writer, she's a miracle!'Guus Kiijer 'Books of this quality are a rare thing'NRC HandelsbladAnnie M.G. Schmidt (1911-95) was regarded as the Queen of Dutch Children's Literature and her books have been an essential part of every Dutch childhood for the last fifty years. She trained as a librarian but burst onto the literary scene when the newspaper she was working for discovered her gift for children's verse. Having won numerous awards during her lifetime, including the1989 Hans Christian Andersen Award, Schmidt is now included in the Canon of Dutch History taught to all Dutch schoolchildren, alongside Spinoza, Anne Frank and Vincent van Gogh. David Colmer has won several international awards for his translations of Dutch and Flemish novels, poetry and children's books. He has translated much of Annie M.G. Schmidt's work. |