Cats by Mother Goose

Mother Goose rhymes will always remain nursery favorites, and Lucas's selections of cat-related rhymes make delightful lap read-alouds for infants, toddlers and young cat lovers. ""Hey, my kitten, my kitten,/ And hey, my kitten, my deary!/ Such a sweet pet as this/ Is neither far nor neary'' opens the book with the warm and lilting, antiquated language that still charms contemporary children. Lucas blends such familiar feline rhymes as ``Pussy cat, Pussy cat, where have you been?'' and ``Ding, dong, bell, pussy's in the well!'' with others less known but equally endearing. Newsom's cozy watercolors have homespun appeal and are filled with calico fabrics, glowing woodfires on the hearth and woodland country cottages. It's great fun to follow an amiable, old-timey Mother Goose and her very sociable goose-companion through dinners, teas and a final joy-filled wedding party in this unique collection. (3-6)