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Maneki Neko: The Tale of the Beckoning Cat
In a small Japanese village, a poor monk and his cat Tama live a simple life at the Kotoku Monastery. One day, a great storm passes through the village, and Tama is caught in the rain outside the temple. She waits under the eaves of a small shrine, cleaning her face and whiskers as best she can with her paw. A noble samurai is also passing through, and stops his horse under the cover of a large tree. But through the rain, what does he see? A cat with a raised paw, beckoning him forward? Curious, the samurai urges his horse forward. Just then, a bolt of lightning flashes and strikes the tree behind him, splitting it in two. The beckoning cat has saved his life. In his gratitude, the samurai brings riches to the small temple and the monk, who shares his wealth with the village. So goes the Japanese legend of Maneki Neko, the beckoning cat. And to this day, the cat with raised paw beckoning guests is a symbol of good luck and good fortune in many Asian countries. Susan Lendroth s retelling of this well-known legend brings warmth to the two monastery companions, while award-winning illustrator Kathryn Otoshi brings them to life in the beautiful landscape of old Japan.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published May 31, 2010
1 person is currently reading
76 people want to read
About the author
Susan Lendroth
13 books13 followersGrew up reading anything about the past (histories); learned to love much about the future (science fiction); and now find my favorite books to be puzzling (mysteries). But as a children's author, I write picture books.
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Author Page on Facebook: http://facebook.com/susanlendroth
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 24, 2014
I liked this better than the other The Beckoning Cat I just read, but the stories are so different there's not much point in comparing them. Whereas the other one had a poor fish-seller boy being rewarded for generosity, this story has a monk's cat who saves a nobleman from a storm and brings rewards to his master. Basically, they only share a white cat, which beckons, and the historical-Japan setting.
I liked the illustrations here better, except for the cat, which was oddly cartoony, like a stereotype of a scrawny alley-cat in something I would've seen as a kid. The rest of the pictorial elements, the people and buildings and landscape, which both more realistic and prettier.
In short, a nice enough book, but didn't particularly grab me in any special way, and probably will soon be forgotten.
I liked the illustrations here better, except for the cat, which was oddly cartoony, like a stereotype of a scrawny alley-cat in something I would've seen as a kid. The rest of the pictorial elements, the people and buildings and landscape, which both more realistic and prettier.
In short, a nice enough book, but didn't particularly grab me in any special way, and probably will soon be forgotten.
May 7, 2012
I’m not sure why this tale touched me so much, but it did. I believe in coincidence, not superstition, and I wasn’t particularly in the mood for a folktale.
I wish there had been a section at the end elaborating on the origins of the beckoning cat legend, tradition, and how’s it’s looked at and used today. There is a glossary in the back, with just a few words.
But, the story of a monk and his cat is so lovely. I was very touched by them both. Their eventual good fate was fun to read about, particularly regarding the generosity shown by all. I mostly enjoyed reading about their loving relationship, especially when they had little but each other.
I really enjoyed the illustrations. I appreciated how the art style and colors/brightness changed depending on whether the scenes were of the monk and his cat at the monastery vs. the scenes of the village market.
This is a wonderful book for anyone who loves cats, enjoys folk tales, particularly Japanese folk tales, those who enjoy interesting illustrations, and those who want to instigate a discussion about “paying it forward” and giving and giving back.
I wish there had been a section at the end elaborating on the origins of the beckoning cat legend, tradition, and how’s it’s looked at and used today. There is a glossary in the back, with just a few words.
But, the story of a monk and his cat is so lovely. I was very touched by them both. Their eventual good fate was fun to read about, particularly regarding the generosity shown by all. I mostly enjoyed reading about their loving relationship, especially when they had little but each other.
I really enjoyed the illustrations. I appreciated how the art style and colors/brightness changed depending on whether the scenes were of the monk and his cat at the monastery vs. the scenes of the village market.
This is a wonderful book for anyone who loves cats, enjoys folk tales, particularly Japanese folk tales, those who enjoy interesting illustrations, and those who want to instigate a discussion about “paying it forward” and giving and giving back.
October 3, 2011
Summary: This is the story of how the beckoning cat became the symbol
of good luck and prosperity in Japan.
A cat arrives at the Kotoku Monastery in old Japan. The monk there tells the cat that he is poor and has little to share. However, the cat seems to be beckoning the monk as she cleans herself, curling her paw. The monk picks up the cat and immediately knows that he has found a friend. He names her Tama, which is Japanese for "round, like a ball, coin, etc." because of the circle on her back. They live a peaceful life together, going into town, sharing a simple lunch, and enjoying the evenings as they watch each day end. One morning, the air seems very different, and later that day, a terrible storm starts.
Tama gets caught out in the rain, and the monk calls for her. Tama eventually finds her way back, and sits in the doorway of the monastery, cleaning herself. Meanwhile, a noble samurai is riding by on his horse, looking for shelter. The samurai sees the cat, who seems to be beckoning him to come closer. The monk comes to the door, and is delighted to see that Tama is safe. He invites the samurai in for some tea. Because Tama saved the life of the samurai, he showers riches on the monk and turns the monastery into Gotokuji Temple. The monk, in turn, shares his good fortune with the villagers who had always helped him. Word spreads over the years about the cat who had brought good luck to the monk. Villagers begin making statues of Tama
"waving" and the people call her "Maneki Neko" (the beckoning cat).
Age Range: 8-12 years
Artistic Elements: The colors are soft and warm, some are dark. There
is some outlining. The pictures look to be water-
colors. The illustrations are beautiful and cap-
ture the mood of the story.
Recommendation: I would recommend this story because it talks about
different culture and teaches children about different
beliefs. Also, it teaches some Japanese words.
of good luck and prosperity in Japan.
A cat arrives at the Kotoku Monastery in old Japan. The monk there tells the cat that he is poor and has little to share. However, the cat seems to be beckoning the monk as she cleans herself, curling her paw. The monk picks up the cat and immediately knows that he has found a friend. He names her Tama, which is Japanese for "round, like a ball, coin, etc." because of the circle on her back. They live a peaceful life together, going into town, sharing a simple lunch, and enjoying the evenings as they watch each day end. One morning, the air seems very different, and later that day, a terrible storm starts.
Tama gets caught out in the rain, and the monk calls for her. Tama eventually finds her way back, and sits in the doorway of the monastery, cleaning herself. Meanwhile, a noble samurai is riding by on his horse, looking for shelter. The samurai sees the cat, who seems to be beckoning him to come closer. The monk comes to the door, and is delighted to see that Tama is safe. He invites the samurai in for some tea. Because Tama saved the life of the samurai, he showers riches on the monk and turns the monastery into Gotokuji Temple. The monk, in turn, shares his good fortune with the villagers who had always helped him. Word spreads over the years about the cat who had brought good luck to the monk. Villagers begin making statues of Tama
"waving" and the people call her "Maneki Neko" (the beckoning cat).
Age Range: 8-12 years
Artistic Elements: The colors are soft and warm, some are dark. There
is some outlining. The pictures look to be water-
colors. The illustrations are beautiful and cap-
ture the mood of the story.
Recommendation: I would recommend this story because it talks about
different culture and teaches children about different
beliefs. Also, it teaches some Japanese words.
December 8, 2012
We recently read The Tale of the Lucky Cat and after I posted my review here on Goodreads, I discovered that there are several picture books that explain the origins of 'Maneki Neko' or the Japanese Lucky Cat (aka Beckoning Cat, Money Cat, or Fortune Cat). We lived in Japan for four years and the cats are ubiquitous there. So then we read The Beckoning Cat: Based on a Japanese Folktale and then we followed with this book.
I never really knew anything about the origins of the talisman, but I knew the figurines were considered lucky and were often seen in restaurants and stores. You can find out more at the Wikipedia page here.
From what I can tell, the tale in this book is just one of many different popular legends featuring the cat. The three stories we read are quite different, but all are entertaining. The illustrations in this story are colorful and complement the story nicely.
Overall, we enjoyed reading this story together. I'm not sure how many other books are out there offering a version of this tale, but we will keep looking for them.
I never really knew anything about the origins of the talisman, but I knew the figurines were considered lucky and were often seen in restaurants and stores. You can find out more at the Wikipedia page here.
From what I can tell, the tale in this book is just one of many different popular legends featuring the cat. The three stories we read are quite different, but all are entertaining. The illustrations in this story are colorful and complement the story nicely.
Overall, we enjoyed reading this story together. I'm not sure how many other books are out there offering a version of this tale, but we will keep looking for them.
December 9, 2011
Maneki Neko: The Tale of the Beckoning Cat by Susan Lendroth is a retelling of a Japanese folk tale and a porquoi story that explains the reason behind the good luck cat charms seen in many Japanese stores and restaurants.
The book tells of how a cat and temple priest become friends. The priest takes good care of the cat and in turn the cat saves a nobleman from being struck by lightning. For the cat's bravery, the priest and temple are rewarded.
The book introduces children to Japanese history and culture as well as a few Japanese words. While the words are easy to understand in context, a glossary is included at the back of the book. The book highlights honesty, kindness to animals and others and the importance that luck plays in life.
I read this book for my materials for children ages 5 to 8.
The book tells of how a cat and temple priest become friends. The priest takes good care of the cat and in turn the cat saves a nobleman from being struck by lightning. For the cat's bravery, the priest and temple are rewarded.
The book introduces children to Japanese history and culture as well as a few Japanese words. While the words are easy to understand in context, a glossary is included at the back of the book. The book highlights honesty, kindness to animals and others and the importance that luck plays in life.
I read this book for my materials for children ages 5 to 8.
October 24, 2011
Copyright: 2010
Genre: Traditional Literature
This book tells the story of Maneki Neko and how this important cat symbol in Japanese culture came to be. The story is filled with rich and beautiful illustrations. The book includes many Japanese words as well. I love cats, so I gave this book 5 stars.
Genre: Traditional Literature
This book tells the story of Maneki Neko and how this important cat symbol in Japanese culture came to be. The story is filled with rich and beautiful illustrations. The book includes many Japanese words as well. I love cats, so I gave this book 5 stars.
October 10, 2015
I had always wondered what the story was behind the cat with upraised paw that I've seen every time I go out for Chinese food. This beautifully illustrated story tells of Maneki Neko - the beckoning cat. A beautiful story of a monk and his cat. I loved the entire feel of this book - from the village scenes to each amazing character. I'm so glad I found this book!
August 20, 2014
A warm, enjoyable retelling of the Japanese folktale about how the beckoning cat became a symbol of luck and prosperity. Lovely illustrations.
September 13, 2013
This book nicely explains the story of Maneki Neko. The illustrations are pretty.
July 4, 2012
Beautiful artwork. However, the story itself is a little stilted and doesn't flow well.
December 22, 2017
What a cute story about the beckoning cat symbol in Japan. Great illustrations.
January 21, 2021
Adorable!!!
I really love this books! It’s so so cute 😍 It’s a lovely story, one I’ve read many times! I love the Maneki Neko and reading about Tama Sama makes me so happy! 😍
I really love this books! It’s so so cute 😍 It’s a lovely story, one I’ve read many times! I love the Maneki Neko and reading about Tama Sama makes me so happy! 😍
October 29, 2021
Of course rescue cats bring good fortune to the adopters! Charming story with beautiful illustrations, although the cat himself, doesn't seem to match....
February 27, 2023
This was a sweet story about the legend behind the beckoning (lucky) cats. I enjoyed it, but the artwork was not that terrific (imo).
November 2, 2023
The story behind the waving cat statues popular in Japan.
October 29, 2014
A friend brought me back such a cat figure from her trip. I didn't know there was a story attached to it.
August 5, 2024
This was definitely a cute story. The pictures throughout the book were gorgeous as well.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews