The Owl and the Pussycat

The story of The Owl and the Pussycat is written by Edward Lear and illustrated by Jan Brett. It is a beautiful poem about two animals that fall in love and go on an adventure at sea. Edward Lear was an amazing author and painter and he originally wrote this poem in 1868. Since then, this poem has been loved and enjoyed for generations. He created this ‘picture poem’ to cheer up a three-year-old girl who was very sick. “The Owl and the Pussycat is an entirely happy story of courtship and marriage. Despite its humour and nonsense, the poem is charmingly romantic from the Owl’s serenade on the guitar to the moonlight dancing in the last verse” (Julia Donaldson, Forward in The Owl and the Pussycat).

Jan Brett’s illustrations bring the poem to life in a Caribbean setting with palm trees and tropical fish. There is a second story line in the illustrations that depict a golden fish, seeking its true love, just like the owl. The golden fish meets new friends under the sea but he can’t find the one he is looking for. As the book continues, the golden fish is followed by all of his friends that he meets along the way. Then he notices the other golden fish that is in a goldfish bowl on the boat and falls in love. While the owl and the pussycat are dancing on the island, the other golden fish jumps into the ocean to meet him. The owl and the pussycat and the two golden fish all dance to the light of the moon.