Jerry Pinkney: "Puss in Boots"

A favorite character of mine is Puss in Boots. This cat belongs to the Marquis of Carabas, who basically has nothing else to go with his name.

Some might feel despair, but Puss in Boots uses his brain. He begins catching rabbits and presenting them to the King, and he claims the rabbits are gifts from the Marquis.

Then the cat's ambitions grow. You can't get anywhere without a good suit. Puss has the Marquis take a few laps in a nearby pond. Then he, Puss, assails the King: "My lord has gone swimming, and someone has stolen his fabulous clothing!" The King--recalling the rabbit-gifts--provides the Marquis with a new set of duds.

It's these duds that allow the Marquis to feel emboldened; soon, the Marquis is speaking casually with a Princess. Meanwhile, Puss runs off to a nearby palace, discovers the owner is a shape-shifting ogre, tricks the ogre into becoming a mouse, and eats the mouse. Now, the Marquis has a home for his Princess, and for himself.

This is a story about "industry" and "savoir faire." Should we attack mice? Maybe not. But perhaps the act can be forgiven when we recall the nastiness of the ogre.

Jerry Pinkney's version--featured here--is as colorful and lively as anything else that Pinkney has done.

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