The Mousehole Cat
Encyclopedia
The Mousehole Cat is a children's book written by Antonia Barber
and illustrated by Nicola Bayley. Based on the legend of Tom Bawcock
and the stargazy pie
, it tells of a cat who goes with its master on a fishing expedition in rough seas. The book has won awards, including the 1991 British Book Award for Illustrated Children's Book of the Year. It has since been adapted into a 1994 animated film, a puppet show and is being adapted as a stage musical.
(icon) in Cornwall
have been able to leave the harbour for a long while and the village is near starvation. Tom Bawcock and his loyal black and white cat, Mowzer, decide to brave the storms and set sail to catch some fish. When the boat hits the storm, it is represented by a giant "Storm-Cat", which allows Mowzer to eventually save the day by soothing the storm with her purring. This purring becomes a song and while the Storm-Cat is resting Tom is able to haul in his catch and return to harbour. When they arrive back at the village, the entire catch is baked into a "Star-Gazy" pie
, on which the villagers feast.
and the British Design Production Award (Children's Books), the book was shortlisted for the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize children's choice, the Children's Book Award and was commended for the Kate Greenaway Medal.
. More recently, the tale has been adapted into a puppet show by PuppetCraft. The book has been featured on Jackanory Junior for the BBC, read by Shobna Gulati
; it was first broadcast on 22 June 2007.
Antonia Barber
Antonia Barber is an English author of the books for children and adults. Barber resides in Kent and Mousehole, Cornwall. Her award winning book, The Mousehole Cat has been made into an animated film and is being adapted as a stage musical. Her real name is Barbara Anthony...
and illustrated by Nicola Bayley. Based on the legend of Tom Bawcock
Tom Bawcock
Tom Bawcock is a legendary character from the village of Mousehole, Cornwall. He appears to have been a local fisherman in the 16th century. According to the legend, one winter had been particularly stormy, meaning that none of the fishing boats had been able to leave the harbour...
and the stargazy pie
Stargazy pie
Stargazy pie is a Cornish dish made of baked pilchards, along with eggs and potatoes, covered with a pastry crust. Although there are a few variations with different fish being used, the unique feature of stargazy pie is fish heads protruding through the crust, so that they appear to be gazing...
, it tells of a cat who goes with its master on a fishing expedition in rough seas. The book has won awards, including the 1991 British Book Award for Illustrated Children's Book of the Year. It has since been adapted into a 1994 animated film, a puppet show and is being adapted as a stage musical.
Plot
One very stormy winter, none of the fishermen of the village of MouseholeMousehole
Mousehole is a village and fishing port in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated approximately 2½ miles south of Penzance on the shore of Mount's Bay.The village is in the civil parish of Penzance...
(icon) in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
have been able to leave the harbour for a long while and the village is near starvation. Tom Bawcock and his loyal black and white cat, Mowzer, decide to brave the storms and set sail to catch some fish. When the boat hits the storm, it is represented by a giant "Storm-Cat", which allows Mowzer to eventually save the day by soothing the storm with her purring. This purring becomes a song and while the Storm-Cat is resting Tom is able to haul in his catch and return to harbour. When they arrive back at the village, the entire catch is baked into a "Star-Gazy" pie
Stargazy pie
Stargazy pie is a Cornish dish made of baked pilchards, along with eggs and potatoes, covered with a pastry crust. Although there are a few variations with different fish being used, the unique feature of stargazy pie is fish heads protruding through the crust, so that they appear to be gazing...
, on which the villagers feast.
Layout
The book is laid out to encourage reading with a child; it is wide enough to fit across two laps. The illustrations are "framed" within the pages, with a general background of a seascape and the illustration related to the page shown in a window.Awards
Besides winning the Illustrated Children's Book of the Year at the 1991 British Book AwardsBritish Book Awards
The Galaxy National Book Awards are a series of British literary awards focused on the best UK writers and their works, as selected by an academy of members from the British book publishing industry...
and the British Design Production Award (Children's Books), the book was shortlisted for the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize children's choice, the Children's Book Award and was commended for the Kate Greenaway Medal.
Other versions
In 1994, Grasshopper Enterprises created an animated version of the tale, narrated by Sian PhillipsSiân Phillips
Jane Elizabeth Ailwên "Siân" Phillips, CBE, is a Welsh actress.-Early life:Phillips was born in Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, Neath Port Talbot, Wales, the daughter of Sally , a teacher, and David Phillips, a steelworker-turned-policeman...
. More recently, the tale has been adapted into a puppet show by PuppetCraft. The book has been featured on Jackanory Junior for the BBC, read by Shobna Gulati
Shobna Gulati
Shobna Gulati is an English actress, writer, and dancer of Indian origin, best known for playing Anita in Victoria Wood's Dinnerladies, and Sunita Alahan in the long-running soap opera Coronation Street from 2001 to 2006, a role to which she returned at the end of 2009...
; it was first broadcast on 22 June 2007.