Reviews

Audiofile
Amy Tan's light, airy voice includes the listener as if sharing a bedtime story. The naughty white kitten, Sagwa, comes from a long line of royal Chinese cats. Her mischief changes the spirit of the cruel magistrate and future for her ancestors. Tan tells the story simply and with little embellishment. She uses few character voices but seems to warm to her own telling as the story progresses. The story is repeated exactly on side two. Listeners who love cats, Asian folktales, and authors who read their own stories will find this a good choice. R.F.W. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine 

From Booklist , October 1, 1994
Ages 6-9. Ming Miao tells her kittens the story of their ancestor, Sagwa of China, to explain the dark markings on their faces and tails. Sagwa lives in the house of the Foolish Magistrate, his foolishness taking the form of impossible rules. When he declares that no one can sing until the sun goes down, Sagwa changes the rule by falling into an ink pot and getting paws, ears, nose, tail, and selected parts of the Scroll of Rules covered in ink. The Foolish Magistrate has a change of heart after everyone begins following the new rule--people must sing until the sun goes down--and becomes the Wise Magistrate, beginning by forgiving Sagwa. Though the story has some inherent charm, the telling is overly long, often dragging. Schields' decorative, ornate illustrations are a running commentary on the elaborately staged tale, reflecting content and tone with a splashy if somewhat garish vigor. Janice Del Negro
Copyright© 1994, American Library Association. All rights reserved

From Kirkus Reviews , July 15, 1994
A beautifully written story about why Siamese cats are really Chinese cats, and why their faces, ears, paws, and tails turn darker as they grow up. Sagwa, a ``pearl white kitten,'' lived with her parents in the House of the Foolish Magistrate. Sagwa's parents were forced by the Magistrate to write his strict, selfish rules by dipping their tails in ink. When Sagwa falls into an inkpot and walks over one of the Magistrate's Scroll of Rules--the one banning all singing--her paw marks change the meaning of the scroll so that it reads, ``People must sing.'' When the people of the town hear the new rule, they sing in praise of the Foolish Magistrate, which warms his heart and causes him to take back all the old rules. He celebrates what Sagwa has done by opening his house to all stray cats, declaring that they shall eat as much catfish as they wish and that for ever after, ``all Chinese cats shall have dark faces, ears, paws, and tails--in honor of the greatest of felines, Sagwa of China.'' Tan, who collaborated with Schields on her first children's book, The Moon Lady (1992), tells this charming tale perfectly, in language that is both simple and elegant. And Schields's artwork complements the text wonderfully with its traditional Chinese border decorations and colorful, well-drawn characters. (Picture book. 5-8) -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

From Horn Book
A foolish magistrate makes up rules forbidding the people to sing and dance, but Sagwa, a naughty kitten, dips her tail and feet in the ink and changes the rules written on the scroll. The story suffers from wordiness and inaccuracy in regard to Chinese customs and language, and Schields's garish illustrations are cluttered with clichéd hinesesymbols and unattractive cats and people. -- Copyright © 1995 The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.

Synopsis
Amy Tan's storytelling abilities and descriptions of deeply affecting relationships have made her one of the best-loved authors of our time. This new picture book that tells the story of how Siamese cats got their characteristic coloring brings a faraway culture to vivid life, and is certain to win the hearts of all cat lovers. Full color.

Synopsis
Ming Miao calls her family of kittens together to tell them the "true" story of their ancestors. A charming fable about government and the making of rules, from the author of The Joy Luck Club. Includes full-color poster. 

Synopsis
In ancient China, there lived cats that looked like Siamese cats, without the dark markings, until a naughty kitten, Sagwa, tangles with a Foolish Magistrate, falls into an inkpot, and gives Siamese cats their unique coloring.

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