The Fur Person
by May Sarton, first published 1957
“When he was about two years old, and had been a Cat About Town for some time, glorious in conquests, but rather too thin for comfort, the Fur Person decided that it was time he settled down.”
When a friend loaned me this book by May Sarton, my first reaction was “I didn’t know Sarton wrote children’s books.” After reading it, my first thought was, “Is this really just for children?” as I loved it as an adult, especially a cat-loving adult. However, there is no doubt that it does meet the needs of children, especially if you follow Sarton’s request in the preface: “I hope some grandmothers will read The Fur Person aloud, for it was meant to be.” Indeed this is a perfect read-aloud book for families, with its rich language, and wonderful rhyming poems that will delight the younger children. Some books are just meant for fun, and this is one of them.
This whimsical children’s book is written with the great literary style that someone like May Sarton can bring to literature. It has special appeal for those who love cats as much as Sarton and I do. Most children will find their cat’s habits perfectly described here.
