The Mousehole Cat facts for kids
The Mousehole Cat cover
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| Author | Antonia Barber |
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| Illustrator | Nicola Bayley |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children |
| Publisher | Walker Books Ltd |
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Publication date
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1991 |
| Pages | 40 |
| ISBN | 0-7445-2353-2 |
The Mousehole Cat is a popular children's book. It was written by Antonia Barber and illustrated by Nicola Bayley. The story is based on an old Cornish legend. This legend tells about a fisherman named Tom Bawcock and a special dish called stargazy pie.
The book follows a brave cat named Mowzer. Mowzer goes on a fishing trip with her owner during a big storm. The Mousehole Cat has won several awards. It even won the British Book Award in 1998. This book has also been made into an animated film. There is also a puppet show and a stage musical based on the story.
The Story of The Mousehole Cat
The story begins in the village of Mousehole in Cornwall. It is a very stormy winter. The bad weather means fishermen cannot go out to sea. Soon, the village starts to run out of food.
A brave fisherman named Tom decides to help. He is known as Tom Bawcock in the old legend. Tom and his loyal cat, Mowzer, decide to sail into the storm. They hope to catch some fish for the hungry villagers.
As their boat enters the storm, it seems like a giant "Storm-Cat" is attacking them. Mowzer, the clever cat, starts to purr. Her purring becomes a soothing song. This song calms the powerful Storm-Cat.
While the storm is resting, Tom quickly catches many fish. He and Mowzer then return safely to the harbour. The villagers are overjoyed to see them. All the fish are cooked into many different dishes. They even make "star-gazy" pies, just like in the legend. Everyone in the village enjoys a huge feast.
Awards and Recognition
The Mousehole Cat has received many special honors. In 1991, it won the Illustrated Children's Book of the Year. This award was part of the British Book Awards. The book also won the British Design Production Award for Children's Books.
It was also considered for other important awards. These included the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize. It was also a contender for the Children's Book Award. The book was also praised for the Kate Greenaway Medal.
Other Ways to Enjoy the Story
The story of The Mousehole Cat has been shared in different ways. In 1994, Grasshopper Enterprises made an animated film. This film was shown on Channel 4 in 1995. The famous actress Siân Phillips narrated the story.
More recently, a company called PuppetCraft created a puppet show. This show brings the tale to life with puppets. The book was also featured on Jackanory Junior for the BBC. Actress Shobna Gulati read the story aloud. It was first broadcast on June 22, 2007.
