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ENTRY TYPE: new
WORK TITLE: POPPY & SAM AND THE MOLE MYSTERY
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://cathon.net
CITY: Montreal
STATE:
COUNTRY: Canada
NATIONALITY:
LAST VOLUME:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Female.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and illustrator.
WRITINGS
Also, author of books in French, including La liste des choses qui existent, 2013, and Les ennuis de Lapinette, 2015.
SIDELIGHTS
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Children’s Bookwatch, November, 2023, review of Poppy & Sam and the Hunt for Jam.
Kirkus Reviews, February 1, 2018, review of A Fire Truck for Chuck; June 15, 2018, review of Poppy & Sam and the Leaf Thief; June 15, 2019, review of Poppy & Sam and the Mole Mystery; August 1, 2020, review of Poppy & Sam and the Search for Sleep.
Resource Links, April, 2019, Alice Albarda, review of Poppy & Sam and the Leaf Thief, p. 2.
School Library Journal, March, 2018, Kristen Todd-Wurm, review of A Fire Truck for Chuck, p. 75; July, 2020, Andrea Lipinski, review of Poppy & Sam and the Search for Sleep, p. 55; October, 2023, Jessica Clark, review of Poppy & Sam and the Hunt for Jam, p. 75.
ONLINE
Cathon website, https://cathon.net/ (March 26, 2024).
Montréal-based artist Cathon makes children’s books and comics. After self-publishing a couple of critically acclaimed zines, she published her first professional book, La liste des choses qui existent, in 2013 — an absurd encyclopedia co-created with established cartoonist Iris.
Her first solo book, Les ennuis de Lapinette, was published in April 2015 by Comme des géants. Vampire Cousins sees her exploring moodier territories, while still retaining her uninhibited drawing style.
In French
DUNKLEE, Annika. A Fire Truck for Chuck. illus. by Cathon. 32p. Owlkids. Mar. 2018. Tr $16.95. ISBN 9781771472852.
PreS-Gr 1--Chuck and his mother visit a yard sale and to the preschooler's delight, there is a fire truck for sale for a buck. Chuck and his new toy quickly become inseparable and even talk to each other in their language of "Wee-ou-wee-ou-wee ou." After a muddy adventure, Chuck's mom takes the vehicle into another room for a cleaning and Chuck thinks it is time to play hide-and-seek. Chuck frantically searches the house and worries that it may have been "sucked up" by the vacuum. His mother saves the day by returning a clean fire truck to Chuck just in time for bed. Rhyming text that repeats words with a "-uck" ending are a constant throughout, creating a nice flow to the text. This a good choice for beginning readers who will appreciate the repetition and recognize some of the sight words. The cartoon illustrations are colorful and vibrant and allow viewers to experience Chuck's varying emotions. VERDICT Recommended for general purchase for picture book collections, storytime favorites, and beginning readers.--Kristen Todd-Wurm, Middle Country Public Library, NY
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
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Todd-Wurm, Kristen. "DUNKLEE, Annika. A Fire Truck for Chuck." School Library Journal, vol. 64, no. 3, Mar. 2018, p. 75. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A529863450/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=fc89025b. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.
Dunklee, Annika A FIRE TRUCK FOR CHUCK Owlkids Books (Children's Fiction) $16.95 3, 15 ISBN: 978-1-77147-285-2
The world's most beloved emergency vehicle...and the child who loves it.
When Chuck's mom buys the toy fire engine at a garage sale, the child is elated. The narration exults, "What luck! A fire truck and for only one buck." Truck and Chuck are inseparable after that, playing in the dirt, and mud, and the "muck." Chuck's mom gives the toy a quick bath without her child's knowledge, leading the tot to indulge in some mild paranoia (a vacuum cleaner begins to look like a likely suspect in the disappearance) until the truck is returned and all is well and right with the world. Hand-drawn ink lines and Photoshopped colors give Chuck and mom (both light-skinned) a cartoonish vibe. Yet although the art may seem simple, there's a running gag involving the mom's new lamp with its fishy shade and the local felines that see it as a tasty treat. The book's low word count and simple language are sure to earn it accolades from parents and kids searching for fun, easy books. Extra points should also be awarded for including such uncommon rhymes to "fire truck" as "mukluk," "woodchuck," and "dumbstruck."
Certain to be a favorite among those young readers who've got a hankering for something red and shiny. (Picture book. 3-6)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Dunklee, Annika: A FIRE TRUCK FOR CHUCK." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Feb. 2018. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A525461506/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=87ee3730. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.
CATHON
Poppy & Sam and the
Leaf Thief
Owlkids Books, 2018.
48p. Gr. Preschool-3. 978-177147-329-3.
Hdbk. $18.95
Poppy and Sam live in a garden with pumpkin houses. yummy strawberries, and a friendly community of plants and insects. One morning, their friend Basil wakes up to find that someone has nibbled his leaves! Poppy and Sam volunteer to interview the garden insects and catch the culprit. Who ate Basil's beautiful leaves? Can Poppy and Sam crack the case?
This graphic novel is a great choice for young readers who may not have read graphic novels before. The illustrations have a picture book feel with comic book dialogue. The world of Poppy and Sam's garden is beautifully designed, with unique character designs and lots of world-building details. In fact, the entire book is extremely well designed, from the arrangement and variety of panels to the adorable endpapers. The idea of a tiny girl and panda living in a pumpkin house with talking plants for friends makes for a very imaginative and unique setting. The characters' expressions and features are reminiscent of old-fashioned cartoons. This feels like a world that we could return to in future books, like a cartoon series in book form.
Thematic Links: Mysteries; Gardens; Bugs
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Resource Links
http://www.atcl.ca
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Albarda, Alice. "CATHON: Poppy & Sam and the Leaf Thief." Resource Links, vol. 24, no. 4, Apr. 2019, p. 2. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A587655089/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2d7eef0c. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.
Cathon POPPY & SAM AND THE LEAF THIEF Owlkids Books (Children's Fiction) $16.95 8, 15 ISBN: 978-1-77147-329-3
A tiny girl and her miniature panda companion solve a mystery and help their plant and insect friends.
Poppy is a small girl who lives inside a hollow pumpkin set in a pumpkin patch. Her panda friend, Sam, who acts like a child or younger sibling, helps her tend her garden. One day, they hear yelling nearby and run to find the cause. It's Basil: Someone bit their leaves while they slept and they and the other plants are outraged. Poppy promises to help find the culprit. When interviews with Ms. Honeybee, Ladybug, and Mr. Bumblebee result in conflicting accusations, they make another plan to catch the thief. After two more failed attempts, Poppy finally figures out a clever way to find the nibbler. The thief apologizes and discovers that Basil is more than willing to share a leaf or two: "You only have to ask." The simple, clean drawings are colored in natural tones, and the panels resemble comic art, varying in size to complement action and drama. Poppy may be curiously small, but she is resourceful and smart. With a dark beige skin tone and straight, black hair in a topknot, she is ethnically ambiguous; that she is a clever girl of color will appeal to many readers. The plant and animal friends are as adorable as Poppy and Sam, and there are clever surprises to discover on several pages.
An appealing whodunit about friendship and community, great for fans of comics. (Graphic mystery. 4-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Cathon: POPPY & SAM AND THE LEAF THIEF." Kirkus Reviews, 15 June 2018. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A543008890/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=db21cbf4. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.
Cathon POPPY & SAM AND THE MOLE MYSTERY Owlkids Books (Children's Fiction) $16.95 8, 13 ISBN: 978-1-77147-379-8
Following their introduction in Poppy & Sam and the Leaf Thief (2018), miniature girl Poppy and her diminutive panda friend, Sam, are back, with another mystery to solve.
It's a lovely day for a stroll among the flowers, and Poppy and Sam decide to pay a visit to Snuggles the mole. Snuggles' home is full of freshly baked pies, which attract Sam's focus, but Snuggles' glasses have gone missing, so the nearsighted animal can't read. Sam gets right to work investigating the pies for the glasses while Poppy asks Snuggles what else the mole has done today so they can retrace steps and hopefully find the missing specs. Their efforts take the trio to the riverside, a spider web, a mushroom, and up a tree. In each place, they find lost items belonging to other creatures, and they begin quite a collection. After much walking and interviewing, they finally find what they are seeking and manage to return all the items they found--a tiring but satisfying adventure that ends in bed. Cathon's sweet illustrations feature spring colors and nature scenes; various small, smiling creatures that fly or crawl and have bit parts are a fun addition to the main story. Comics panels are interspersed with full-page illustrations. Poppy, who presents as a girl of color, is a thoughtful, creative, caring leader.
With its admirable protagonist, this is delightful easy reading with equal parts humor and heart. (Graphic novel. 4-9)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Cathon: POPPY & SAM AND THE MOLE MYSTERY." Kirkus Reviews, 15 June 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A588726891/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=72741d54. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.
Cathon POPPY & SAM AND THE SEARCH FOR SLEEP Owlkids Books (Children's None) $16.95 10, 15 ISBN: 978-1-77147-418-4
Poppy and Sam are ready to hibernate—but Poppy can’t get to sleep!
They have collected their supplies. They bid each other farewell for the winter. Poppy, a miniature human child with light-brown skin, and Sam, an even more diminutive panda, go to their respective homes made of gourds and snuggle into their own beds. Sam dreams of honey, but Poppy tosses and turns. Poppy wakes Sam, horrified at having forgotten how to hibernate. Poppy pulls Sam out of bed, and the two wander the garden visiting friends for tips on how to fall asleep. They try counting honey pots like the bees and say no thank you to warm fly milk from the frog. The ants welcome them to read in bed, but the only book left on the ants’ shelf is the dictionary. Just when they’ve given up—Sam’s lullaby has failed, and the dutiful sidekick has offered to stay awake with Poppy—they come across Simone, who informs them that mice don’t hibernate. They’re cozy in their den playing cards, doing puzzles, and eating snacks. They welcome Poppy and Sam to join them and stay awake all winter…and suddenly, Poppy and Sam are very tired. The comic-style design with spacious, colorful panels, cherubic characters, speech bubbles, and clever use of page turns make this a fun read for independent young readers but also works as a humorous read-aloud for the sleep-resistant.
Another win for this adorable series. (Graphic fantasy. 4-10)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Cathon: POPPY & SAM AND THE SEARCH FOR SLEEP." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Aug. 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A630892303/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=f3100600. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.
CATHON. Poppy and Sam and the Search for Sleep, illus. by Cathon. 48p. (Poppy and Sam). Owlkids. Oct. 2020. Tr $16.95. ISBN 9781771474184.
K-Gr 2--In this latest installment in the kidfriendly series, a tiny girl named Poppy and her panda friend Sam live in a garden and make plans to hibernate as fall turns to winter. But as hard as she tries, Poppy can't fall asleep. She seeks advice from their garden neighbors. Unfortunately, their suggestions aren't helpful. Counting pots of honey and drinking warm fly milk aren't appealing. The ants tell Poppy and Sam to read a good book at bedtime, but the insects have already taken all of the exciting books, leaving the pair with only the dictionary. But Poppy and Sam keep trying, until they find a way they can both fall asleep. Cathon's artwork features wann fall colors and earth tones, as well as cute cartoon-style characters with plenty of reader appeal. The story is just as sweet, whimsical, and simple as ever. VERDICT Sure to delight children looking for a cozy adventure, as well as fans of the series.--Andrea Lipinski, New York P.L., New York City
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
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Lipinski, Andrea. "CATHON. Poppy and Sam and the Search for Sleep." School Library Journal, vol. 66, no. 7, July 2020, p. 55. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A629053898/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7284f7fc. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.
Poppy and Sam and the Hunt for Jam
Cathon, author
Susan Ouriou, illustrator
Owlkids Books Inc.
www.owlkidsbooks.com
9781771475921, $18.95, HC, 52pp
https://www.amazon.com/Poppy-Sam-Hunt-Jam/dp/1771475927
Synopsis: Hibernation is hard when a craving comes! Especially for Sam, who wakes up his pal Poppy in the middle of their winter slumber with a hankering to make rosehip jam. Full of determination, Sam sets out to find his friends in the snowy forest and collect the necessary ingredients.
All seems well, but on his way home, Sam gets trapped in a winter storm! He finds shelter in a cave, only to discover someone else is already hibernating there--a giant bear! It turns out that Ursula the bear is also hungry for a mid-hibernation treat. Luckily, Ursula is not craving miniature panda, and helps Sam get back to Poppy and the safety of home--where at last they enjoy some tasty snacks!
Critique: The adorable, cartoon-like illustrations by Canadian author/illustrator Cathan will keep young readers ages 5-8 rooting for Sam's success in "Poppy and Sam and the Hunt for Jam", the fourth and newest installment of the popular Poppy and Sam graphic novel style series. A fun and delightful pick for family, elementary school, and community library picture book collections, "Poppy and Sam and the Hunt for Jam" isably translated into English by Susan Ouriou.
Editorial Note: Cathon is an artist and creator of children's books and comics, including the Poppy and Sam series. She studied visual arts and media at the Universite du Quebec a Montreal, and is the illustrator of A Fire Truck for Chuck in addition to several books in French. Cathon lives in Montreal, Quebec.
Editorial Note #2: Susan Ouriou (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Ouriou) Susan Ouriou is a Canadian fiction writer, literary translator and editor.
Please Note: Illustration(s) are not available due to copyright restrictions.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
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"Poppy and Sam and the Hunt for Jam." Children's Bookwatch, Nov. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A776858203/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=e4076502. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.
CATHON. Poppy and Sam and the Hunt for Jam. tr. from French by Susan Ouriou. illus. by Cathon. 52p. (Poppy and Sam: Bk. 4). Owlkids. Aug. 2019. Tr $18.95. ISBN 9781771475921.
K-Gr 4--An endearing early reader graphic novel, this delightful tale follows Poppy and Sam on a snowy adventure. Sam, a small bear, wakes up early from hibernation with a growling tummy. Sam wakes up Poppy, who worries that Sam should go back to sleep, but Sam is only thinking of one thing: rosehip jam! The problem is that Sam's special pot is missing, and there is no rosehip or honey to be found! With the help of some friends who are busy working through the winter, Sam finds the pot and the rosehip but is suddenly snowed in and stuck in a cave and unable to get any honey! Sam meets Ursula--another bear who has woken up early because of hunger--and together, they try to figure out a way to Poppy, who is snowed into her pumpkin and worried that Sam is frozen under the snow. Cathon's storytelling keeps young readers engrossed while the illustrations match the text and advance the narrative perfectly, with expressive characters and an adorable story. VERDICT The title perfectly portrays the bonds of friendship and teamwork, making it a great addition to any library collection.--Jessica Clark
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
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Clark, Jessica. "CATHON. Poppy and Sam and the Hunt for Jam." School Library Journal, vol. 69, no. 10, Oct. 2023, pp. 75+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A766727720/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d413c16e. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.