The Mousehole Cat by Antonia Barber

This is one of the most beautifully illustrated (by Nicola Bayley) and a stunning, evocative and atmospheric books ever. It is a story aimed at young children, hence the illustrations, but it is truly a work of art with a universal appeal. It is based on an old tale from Cornish folklore and it involves the sea and a cat. Irresistible then.

The story is about a fisherman who lives in a tiny village in Cornwall called Mousehole, that has a natural harbour. The story starts by describing why Mousehole is named as such and a lovely description of the location. The main characters are introduced: Mowzer the cat and her old fisherman companion, Tom. They lived by the sea and ate lots of fish but the favourite was stargazy pie. One year there came a really bad storm and the 'Great Storm-Cat'  howled and upset the sea. Because of this, the fishermen could not go out to sea and fish, therefore there was no food for the village. As it was coming up to Christmas, Mowzer and Tom decided to tackle the Great Storm-Cat on their own to catch food for the people so they would not starve in the festive season.

This is a wonderful book about companionship, compassion, courage and hope. Well written with imagination and a descriptive vocabulary, it is a joy to read and to listen. With phrases like 'her purring rose like a hymn to home,' it is also a very moving tale. A classic for Christmas storytelling. Even in modern times there is a fish feast on the day before Christmas eve to commemorate Mowzer and Tom, and the village is lit with a thousand lights. Visitors from all over Cornwall visit then too, so it goes, so if you are ever in a position to go to Mousehole you should visit on the 23 December. I bet there is a reading of this story as well.​

In my hall there is a framed print taken from this book that I bought from the village at the same time as buying the book. If I had known then how much I loved this, I would have bought more. One day I will.

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Published by Walker Books on 17 August 1990.

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