The Two Foolish Cats: Suggested by a Japanese Folktale

Uchida tells the story suggested by a Japanese folktale of two cats who are friends. The small birds and animals living in the Japanese pine forest fear the cats because they consume prey in a mouthful. One day the cats are having no luck finding a meal. In the forest they see two rice cakes, one larger than the other, and argue over who should have it. The cats go to a wise old monkey to settle the dispute, but he whittles the cakes down, trying to make them the same size, and eventually finishes both rice cakes himself. Uchida's telling is as lyrical as that of her longer novels. Zemach, with her marvelous versatility in depicting various cultures, triumphs with these Japanese-style watercolors. Ages 48. (April