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The Patchwork Cat
Tabby sets out to retrieve her beloved patchwork quilt.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
127 people want to read
About the author
William Mayne
135 books16 followersWilliam Mayne was a British writer of children's fiction. Born in Hull, he was educated at the choir school attached to Canterbury Cathedral and his memories of that time contributed to his early books. He lived most of his life in North Yorkshire.
He was described as one of the outstanding children's authors of the 20th Century by the Oxford Companion to Children's Literature, and won the Carnegie Medal in 1957 for A Grass Rope and the Guardian Award in 1993 for Low Tide. He has written more than a hundred books, and is best known for his Choir School quartet comprising A Swarm in May, Choristers' Cake, Cathedral Wednesday and Words and Music, and his Earthfasts trilogy comprising Earthfasts, Cradlefasts and Candlefasts, an unusual evocation of the King Arthur legend.
A Swarm in May was filmed by the Children's Film Unit in 1983 and a five-part television series of Earthfasts was broadcast by the BBC in 1994.
William Mayne was imprisoned for two and a half years in 2004 after admitting to charges of child sexual abuse and was placed on the British sex offenders' register. His books were largely removed from shelves, and he died in disgrace in 2010.
He was described as one of the outstanding children's authors of the 20th Century by the Oxford Companion to Children's Literature, and won the Carnegie Medal in 1957 for A Grass Rope and the Guardian Award in 1993 for Low Tide. He has written more than a hundred books, and is best known for his Choir School quartet comprising A Swarm in May, Choristers' Cake, Cathedral Wednesday and Words and Music, and his Earthfasts trilogy comprising Earthfasts, Cradlefasts and Candlefasts, an unusual evocation of the King Arthur legend.
A Swarm in May was filmed by the Children's Film Unit in 1983 and a five-part television series of Earthfasts was broadcast by the BBC in 1994.
William Mayne was imprisoned for two and a half years in 2004 after admitting to charges of child sexual abuse and was placed on the British sex offenders' register. His books were largely removed from shelves, and he died in disgrace in 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
February 10, 2025
This is a charming story of one kitty's adventure to rescue her favorite blankie. The drawings are detailed but not so much that it overbalances the simple elegance of the stripey protagonist. The language is simple and direct. Kittens of all reading levels should be able to follow along, and perhaps add their own embellishments and sound effects during the action scenes. This book is sure to appeal to anykitty with a favorite blankie, but be warned that the story may be too intense for some anxiety-prone kittens with blankie attachment issues. It may be advisable to snuggle your kitten up in their favorite blankie before you start reading, so that your kitten will have the comfort and reassurance of its proximity. This is also a cautionary tale for those who have been tempted to hop into a garbage can or even to conceal themselves in a grocery bag destined for recycling.
One minor quibble that in no way detracts from the enjoyment of the story is that the protagonist Tabby, a tabby, describes herself as a patchwork kitty, just like her patchwork blankie. However, it is generally accepted that tortoiseshell and calico kitties are more accurate examples of patchwork patterning. My Sprocket felt great kinship for the patchwork blankie in the story because his piebald coat is similar to a patchwork blankie that was patched by someone who doesn't know how to sew.
Overall, this is a highly recommended addition to your kitten reading library.
One minor quibble that in no way detracts from the enjoyment of the story is that the protagonist Tabby, a tabby, describes herself as a patchwork kitty, just like her patchwork blankie. However, it is generally accepted that tortoiseshell and calico kitties are more accurate examples of patchwork patterning. My Sprocket felt great kinship for the patchwork blankie in the story because his piebald coat is similar to a patchwork blankie that was patched by someone who doesn't know how to sew.
Overall, this is a highly recommended addition to your kitten reading library.
December 10, 2023
This picture book is both a delightful and a painful work to review. First the delight.
The text of The Patchwork Cat strikes a wonderful balance between using simple repetitious wording suitable for reading aloud to the preliterate child and pure prose poetry. Tabby the cat sleeps on a quilt. It is patchwork, like herself. She loves it. It’s the relationship she has with the quilt and with the milkman that form the focus of the narrative. “Oh milkman, milkman,” she says, “you can come and live at my house any time.” All is going well until the moment when she cannot find the patchwork quilt, her matching patchwork quilt.
The reason?
She eventually finds it in the dustbin, where she falls asleep until rudely awakened by the rubbish truck, and then her woes are compounded. How will she find her way back from the rubbish tip, and what will become of the discarded patchwork quilt?
This was a favourite story for our kids when they were growing up. Or at least it was one of our favourite stories to read to them. The wonderful narrative from calm to jeopardy and back again is suffused with internal rhymes and natural rhythms. We still quote Tabby’s morning call of “Good morning, good yawning,” which bookends the tale.
But the words are beautifully complemented by the illustrations. (Or is it the other way round?) Cat people will recognise the truth embodied in both the line drawings and the colour illustrations with which artist Nicola Bayley has embellished the text. Words and black-and-white images are on the left, exquisite colour paintings (in which one can almost see every hair, every stitch) are on the right. The expressions that cat owners read in the eyes of a feline — ranging all the way from hurt to contentment — are subtly portrayed in Bayley’s pictures, along with fascinating details which the eye of the listener will eagerly scan while the words wash over them.
And now the moment has come to carry out a painful duty. I had great fondness for Mayne’s work in children’s literature when I was growing up — in fact I still have The Twelve Dancers (1962) and Earthfasts (1966) on my shelves — so I was distressed to find only recently that he was imprisoned and put on the sex offenders register in 2004 for indecently assaulting young girls in the 60s and 70s. In 2010 he was found dead at his home, an ignominious end to a distinguished literary career. Is it ever possible or permissible to praise what good an individual has done without condoning in any way what evil they may also have committed?
The text of The Patchwork Cat strikes a wonderful balance between using simple repetitious wording suitable for reading aloud to the preliterate child and pure prose poetry. Tabby the cat sleeps on a quilt. It is patchwork, like herself. She loves it. It’s the relationship she has with the quilt and with the milkman that form the focus of the narrative. “Oh milkman, milkman,” she says, “you can come and live at my house any time.” All is going well until the moment when she cannot find the patchwork quilt, her matching patchwork quilt.
The reason?
“Ah,” says the mother, “we have done some snatchwork on your patchwork. We have thrown it out because it is so very dirty, and we shall buy a basket.”
Tabby does not want a basket. She will do some angry scratchwork on it if it comes.
She eventually finds it in the dustbin, where she falls asleep until rudely awakened by the rubbish truck, and then her woes are compounded. How will she find her way back from the rubbish tip, and what will become of the discarded patchwork quilt?
This was a favourite story for our kids when they were growing up. Or at least it was one of our favourite stories to read to them. The wonderful narrative from calm to jeopardy and back again is suffused with internal rhymes and natural rhythms. We still quote Tabby’s morning call of “Good morning, good yawning,” which bookends the tale.
But the words are beautifully complemented by the illustrations. (Or is it the other way round?) Cat people will recognise the truth embodied in both the line drawings and the colour illustrations with which artist Nicola Bayley has embellished the text. Words and black-and-white images are on the left, exquisite colour paintings (in which one can almost see every hair, every stitch) are on the right. The expressions that cat owners read in the eyes of a feline — ranging all the way from hurt to contentment — are subtly portrayed in Bayley’s pictures, along with fascinating details which the eye of the listener will eagerly scan while the words wash over them.
And now the moment has come to carry out a painful duty. I had great fondness for Mayne’s work in children’s literature when I was growing up — in fact I still have The Twelve Dancers (1962) and Earthfasts (1966) on my shelves — so I was distressed to find only recently that he was imprisoned and put on the sex offenders register in 2004 for indecently assaulting young girls in the 60s and 70s. In 2010 he was found dead at his home, an ignominious end to a distinguished literary career. Is it ever possible or permissible to praise what good an individual has done without condoning in any way what evil they may also have committed?
April 22, 2019
Not to be missed by cat lovers. What I love most about this was Tabby's nonchalance and unsentimentality towards her family and her undying love for the milkman ("the voice she loves the best"). She even wants to throw the family out of their house and bring the milkman to live with her! You can read it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFaMe...
Classic line from Tabby, echoing every cat in the world: "I'll be tired soon."
Classic line from Tabby, echoing every cat in the world: "I'll be tired soon."
October 18, 2020
I absolutely loved this story! I can see it being a firm favourite of children and adults. It is about a cat called Tabby, who is quite a traditional cat who loves milk and really looked forward to the milkman coming! Tabby has a patchwork quilt that she always sleeps on, until her family think it has become too dirty and broken. They will buy her a new basket instead. Tabby isn't happy with this, and ends up going on a dangerous adventure to the tip with her quilt and then back home again (with help from the milkman!) Her family then realise how special the quilt is to Tabby. The story is quite fast paced and scary when Tabby is at the tip, but is really heartwarming by the end!
There are some really funny parts of this story, that most cat owners will be able to relate to. For example, cats loving food and milk, sleeping lots, preferring old blankets and toys to new shiny ones! So, children will be able to make world to text connections. There is also a really lovely phrase which is repeated in the story 'good morning, good yawning'.
I think this story would be nicely used in conjunction with 'The Patchwork Quilt', prompting children to make text to text connections, because patchwork quilts are very important to the characters in both of these stories. Children could use the two books to create stories about the history/memories behind Tabby's patchwork quilt.
Book talk about the illustrations would also be interesting, as they are displayed differently on each page. The illustration on the left page (with the writing) in the double spread is in black and white, whereas the illustration on the right is in colour. Children could engage in exploratory talk as to why they think this is, and what impression it gives the reader.
There are some really funny parts of this story, that most cat owners will be able to relate to. For example, cats loving food and milk, sleeping lots, preferring old blankets and toys to new shiny ones! So, children will be able to make world to text connections. There is also a really lovely phrase which is repeated in the story 'good morning, good yawning'.
I think this story would be nicely used in conjunction with 'The Patchwork Quilt', prompting children to make text to text connections, because patchwork quilts are very important to the characters in both of these stories. Children could use the two books to create stories about the history/memories behind Tabby's patchwork quilt.
Book talk about the illustrations would also be interesting, as they are displayed differently on each page. The illustration on the left page (with the writing) in the double spread is in black and white, whereas the illustration on the right is in colour. Children could engage in exploratory talk as to why they think this is, and what impression it gives the reader.
May 2, 2015
Exquisite illustrations by Nicola Bayley accompany a charming story about a cat who sets out to rescue her favourite blanket when it gets thrown away. My now grown-up son tells me that it's really quite frightening for small children, despite the happy ending!
September 15, 2018
In Afrikaans gelees as 'Liep-Lap die lappieskat' vertaal uit Engels deur Linda Rode.
Die illustrasies deur Nicola Bayley is iets besonders.
'n Baie oulike storie oor 'n lappieskat wat lief is vir haar lappieskombers. Die ma van die huis gooi Liep-Lap se kombers weg want dis oud en vuil. Sy gaan soek dit in die vullisdrom en beland dan perongeluk in die vulliswa.
Die illustrasies deur Nicola Bayley is iets besonders.
'n Baie oulike storie oor 'n lappieskat wat lief is vir haar lappieskombers. Die ma van die huis gooi Liep-Lap se kombers weg want dis oud en vuil. Sy gaan soek dit in die vullisdrom en beland dan perongeluk in die vulliswa.
July 11, 2013
cute story, nice illustrations, but I did not care for the tone or the way the story was written.
February 18, 2017
I was mistaken. *This* book is the important cat literature or the day. The patchwork cat should have been a calico though.
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March 31, 2025On lapsen saamisen hauska sivutuote päästä tutustumaan puolisonsa lapsuuden lempikirjoihin. Olin kuullut kirjavaan kissaan viitattavan hänen perheessään vuosien varrella, mutta alkuperä oli minulle eilisiltaan asti tuntematon. Oikein sympaattinen kirja, saa nähdä tuleeko tästä meidän pienellemme sellainen, joka pitää lukea uudelleen ja uudelleen. Tämän ensimmäisen lukukerran hän pitkälti nukkuin.
April 12, 2018
A sweet story about a cat that ends up far from home in search of her beloved patchwork quilt. Not as good as I remember when I first read it, but it does have a nice poetic rhythm to it and some rich vocabulary.
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April 1, 2025Tämä oli ensimmäinen kirja, joka minulle luettiin alusta loppuun, koska muut ovat niin paljon pidempiä ja vielä kesken. Tämä luettiin iltasatuna yhdeltä istumalta. Taisin nukkua melkein koko kirjan ajan. Tämä oli myös isäni sisaruksen lempikirjoja lapsena, ja kirja onkin meillä vain lainassa.
November 21, 2017
Read this as a child, still have my copy though it’s dog-eared and drawn over with childish folly. Still one of my favourites, keep it at my bedside.
March 9, 2018
The language in this book is really interesting. It's a different style of writing.
August 15, 2020
This is one of my all time favourite children’s books. Read it to my own children and now my grandchildren. Stories that rhyme are just so easy to read out loud.
October 17, 2020
One of my favourites as a child and I still occasionally return to it.
May 28, 2021
This book is my childhood!! Good Morning Good Yawning😍
July 14, 2023
Enchanting. Beautifully illustrated. A book I've loved since childhood. I'd still happily read it now and I'm middle-aged now!
December 31, 2023
Very sweet book from my childhood with lovely illustrations
February 21, 2024
The story is just fine, but the wonderfully done illustrations by Nicola Bayley are the real hero and pushed the book into four star territory for me.
February 14, 2025
Adorable kids book, gorgeous illustrations. Planning to make a quilt to go with it to gift.
March 30, 2025
One of my all time favourite picture books as a kid. Just read it to my baby daughter for the first time, even though she might not have been awake for all of it.
October 28, 2025
lovely illustrations, simple story
March 21, 2017
Charming little story; the illustrations are fabulous. The cat's continuing love for the milkman (cupboard love right there) is hilarious, but I expect if I lived with a family who thought it was better to chuck my beloved blanket instead of just washing the thing, I'd be looking outside the house for a favourite human too.
May 24, 2008
2.5 stars really. I love the cover, all earth tones. The writing voice is patronizing (reminiscent of the box-car children books if I am remembering correctly, but I used to really like that kind-of tone) but there is something I like about the art. It is very detailed, almost photo-realistic. Plus the quilt that the cat drags around looks a lot like one of my childhood quilts. The pictures on the left hand pages are small, in black and white and are under the text. The ones on the right are ovular, like old-fashioned portraits and in color. Nicola Bayley also did the artwork for The Tyger Voyage which I hope I still have because I would like to re-read it. I remember not loving the text for that book either, but things change.
March 3, 2025
A book with a cat on the cover draws me in immediately, but I did not really like The Patchwork Cat. I did like the cat's unsentimental voice, but some of the narrative text was a little brutal. It is a typical story of the "lose a treasured object and find it again, all live happily ever after" theme, and I'm getting a bit tired of it. Beyond the cover illustration I wasn't even very taken with the illustrations.
August 2, 2008
I was pleasantly suprised by this book! I give it four and a half stars. It is about a cat who rescues his beloved patchwork quilt from the dump and then finds his way back home. We read the British version which used the word "bitch" lol (for female dog). I'd be interested to see whether the American version is the same.
September 12, 2015
A sweet little picture book by English author William Mayne who gave us the wonderful Hob books. Filled with Mayne's delightful word twists, Patchwork Cat tells of Tabby who hunts far and wide for her beloved quilt. As always, Nicola Bayley brings the story to life with her enchanting illustrations.
May 17, 2015
I found this book while on holidays and went "ooh, children's book staring a cat, I'll read this and it'll be cute". Despite the happy ending, this was - for me, cat-lover supreme - an incredibly traumatic read. Given that it almost reduced me to tears, I do not recommend this for young children.
The pictures, however, are very cute.
The pictures, however, are very cute.
April 5, 2011
this was one of my favorite books when i was little. Digging through an old box of my books from when I was a little girl, I found this book, re-read it and my husband exclaimed "that cat looks just like Champ!!" he's right. so weird. acts like champ too.
September 7, 2015
A wonderful tale of true love. but not between the cat and her owners Oh no. between the cat and her blanket. A delightful tale told from the cats point of view about what happens when her owners try to throw away the beloved blanket.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews