Jo Ellen Bogart (text) Sydney Smith (illus.), The White Cat and the Monk, Walker Books, 1 July 2016, 36pp., $16.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781406372977
The ninth century Irish poem Pangur Bán written by a Benedictine monk is retold in this captivating picture book for middle primary to lower secondary years. There are hidden depths in both Jo Ellen Bogart’s sparse and beautifully structured text and Sydney Smith’s expressive and insightful illustrations. Together they capture the harmonious silence as the monk enjoys his work of pursuing knowledge in his treasured books. Pangar the white cat shares the scholar monk’s small room and neither disturbs the other. It seems an odd friendship, but it soon becomes evident they have a good deal in common. Both are hunters in their unique way: the cat stealthily hunting a mouse and the monk patiently hunting meaning in the manuscript he studies. They both have a challenge which needs to be tackled and overcome as they feel joy in their quiet life and simple pleasures, and in providing each other with companionship and affection. The parallels are thought-provoking and interesting: Pangar snares the mouse and the monk finds the answer to his puzzle. Both need infinite patience which is finally rewarded. While the monastery appears gloomy and stark, light emerges out of the dark night and they are happy together – the monk finding intellectual light and Pangar the light of dawn.
The harmony, peace and balance of their lives is reflected in the poetry of the words and the simplicity of the illustrations. Sydney Smith’s illustrations sometimes have a comic book multi-paneling style which creates a bridge between this ancient tale and the modern reader. The script style of text appears to have been written with a quill which also helps to establish the link between the past and the present.
Reviewed by Grace Nolan