Big cat by Jess Racklyeft

This endearing parable about accepting change begs to be read aloud often as readers take Catherine to their hearts. A neat, tidy, meticulous seven year old, Catherine is an investigator. She wears her binoculars around her neck, keeps files in colour order, uses her compass to find her way around while humming to herself.

Clues are given in the newspaper cutouts on the pages, talking of an animal heading south. Catherine is alert, the idea like sherbet in her mind, she sleeps that night her curiosity rumbling. The next morning she is determined to hunt the Big Cat. She packs tins of tuna to act as a lure, and sandwiches for herself. She walks around Melbourne, looking for suitable places to leave her lures. Sitting on a park bench eating the last of her sandwiches, her hum falls silent as she spies the Big Cat. She thanks her for the tuna and together they set off to look at the wild places the Big Cat knows about. Catherine is a little unsure about the lawlessness of Big Cat, but her sneakers begin to get muddy, her hum is silent and the compass forgotten as they take roundabout routes to almost everywhere.

When Big Cat leaves she takes something of Catherine with her and while she will always be wild, Catherine has learnt that she can be a little wild as well, and with the Big Cat always in her heart she sleeps soundly.

This marvellous look at how change affects us was given impetus during the lockdown when Racklyeft like others in Melbourne, was restricted to their home and environs. Walking through her neighbourhood, Racklyeft became far more acquainted with the unfamiliar things that surrounded her, and these she brings to the reader with the magical endpapers and images presented as Catherine and Big Cat walk the streets. Keen eyes will spot parks and gardens, sculptures, buildings, laneways, streetscapes and fountains, while perusing the words presented in the endpapers will add another layer of interest to the reading.

The pencil and watercolour illustrations give an impression of Melbourne that is enticing and informative as the newly found friends walk the streets. And I love the detail: look out for the old maps of Melbourne, newspaper articles and cat book ends.

An interview with Racklyeft can be found here, while her website gives more information about her.

Themes: Change, Melbourne, Friendship, Lockdown, Neighbourhood.

Fran Knight