Black Cat

Christopher Myers' Black Cat is a poetic masterpiece.  It is a visually stunning book using a combination of photographs taken in New York City, collage, ink, and gouache (an opaque watercolor) to create a sadly beautiful vision of the inner city.  The images in this book are so stunning the reader will have a hard time turning the pages.  Christopher Myers has a masterful use of poetic language, combining elements of free style and rhyme scheme.  Juxtapositions such as “ducking under the red circling of sirens cutting through the night in the wake of sunday night families spilling from blue neon churches” and the haunting imagery of “watching children screaming in playground cages” will leave the reader with goosebumps.

For this book, Mr. Myers was honored with the Coretta Scott King Award.  This award goes to an African American author/illustrator who understands both education and inspirational contributions of all people.   Black Cat follows a black feline around the city.  This cat seemingly never stays in one place, implying that it has no home, “black cat, black cat, we want to know where’s your home, where do you go?”  Not being from the city, I believe there are subtle metaphors I am not picking up on.  Even with this handicap, this book emotionally moved me.  Black Cat is a great book for all ages.  Younger readers will be mesmerized by the flowery language and stunning pictures and older reader will understand the hidden meaning behind the wandering adventures of the black cat. 

When reading this text to children, teachers or parents need to be aware of the sensitive materials presented in it.  They must be prepared to have a conversation about inner city issues such as homelessness.  This might not be an appropriate topic for all children, depending on age and personal situations.