From Publishers Weekly
In this gloriously madcap setting of Lear's classic, the famous nonsense poem of a nautical romance receives star treatment. Knight (Eloise) conceives of Lear's verses as a series of theatrical tableaux, with elaborate sets and exaggerated expressions big enough to be seen from the last row. He casts an eccentric old fellow who looks suspiciously like Lear (who appears as a bust on the title page) as Professor Comfort. The gentleman invites two schoolchildren (the boy bears an odd resemblance to an owl, the girl to a cat) in for tea and a little poetry. As he reads, the children morph magically into the animals in the poem, the walls of the cottage fall away and the pea-green window seat becomes the famous boat, adrift on a briny sea. The Owl and Pussy-cat court, marry and dance in the dazzling landscapes of the Land of Bong before turning back into children and running home for dinner. The illustrations reveal more delights with every inspection: hints of the animals to come can be detected in the children's clothing, earnest flying fish in the Land of Bong call the children's names as their mothers in the real world hunt for them, a replica of the professor's cottage constructed entirely of edibles appears in the Land of Bong. In Knight's hands, Lear's poem assumes a complete and memorable visual life of its own it is a ticket to the best sort of entertainment. All ages. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Ages 4-8. When Otto and Polly attend Professor Comfort's Story & Music Hour, they're in for a treat: a reading of Edward Lear's "The Owl and the Pussy-Cat," and unexpected adventure as they magically transform into the poem's main characters and enter the story. Then the poem ends and so must the dreamy experience. Originally published in 1983, this welcome reissue is a visual feast, both romantic and playful, with a charming animal cast and lavish, fantastical landscapes rendered in lovely pastel hues. Seek-and-find detail abounds, enhanced by larger page size. There are also subtle changes in font and artwork, including different cover art. For the musically inclined, there's a new score by Douglas Colby included on a foldout flyleaf. An affectionate homage, this illuminates the poem's timeless ability to transport readers and listeners to a wonderful fantasyland. An introduction and brief biographies of Lear and Colby are included. Shelle Rosenfeld
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Book Description
The irresistible blend of romance and nonsense in Edward Lear's "The Owl and the Pussy-cat" has made it a classic enjoyed by generations of young listeners. Now celebrated artist Hilary Knight wraps Lear's beloved verse in a richly imagined fantasy where two young listeners find themselves magically transformed and transported to the land where the Bong-tree grows. Come sail away with them.

Card catalog description
Captivated by Edward Lear's poem, a boy and girl turn into the owl and the pussycat and set sail in a pea green boat for the Land Where the Bong Tree Grows.

About the Author
Like Edward Lear, Hilary Knight is both an artist and an animal lover, and he fills each of the dazzling watercolors in this tribute to Lear with references to the great Victorian nonsense poet's life and works. With more than sixty books to his credit, Mr. Knight is probably best known for his illustrations in the phenomenally successful Eloise books and Where's Wallace?, which he wrote himself. He lives in New York City.

ANNOTATION

Captivated by Edward Lear's poem, a boy and girl turn into the owl and the pussycat and set sail in a pea green boat for The Land Where the Bong Tree Grows.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The irresistible blend of romance and nonsense in Edward Lear's "The Owl and the Pussy-cat" has made it a classic enjoyed by generations of young listeners. Now celebrated artist Hilary Knight wraps Lear's beloved verse in a richly imagined fantasy where two young listeners find themselves magically transformed and transported to the land where the Bong-tree grows.

Come sail away with them.

FROM THE CRITICS

Children's Literature