REVIEW: The White Cat and the Monk - Jo Ellen Bogart and Sydney Smith

While perusing the picture books, I fell in love The White Cat and the Monk. 
It tells a beautiful and simple story of the harmonious companionship between a medieval monk and his fluffy white cat, Pangur. The monk spends his days reading, researching, and learning from illuminated manuscripts in silent contemplation. His cat Pangur hunts mice and sleeps. It is a gorgeously gentle tale based on a poem written by a 9th century Irish Benedictine monk wrote about himself and his companion cat.

Pangur

I was so taken not only by the resonance the tale has with my inclinations towards reading, cats, and illuminated manuscripts, but also by Smith's charming illustrations, which are the perfect companion to such an enchanting tale.

A simple but gorgeous gift for any book lover, it's a double bonus if you also like cats. Triple word score if you enjoy illuminated manuscripts as much as I do.

5 stars from me, a must buy!

All Illustrations by Sydney Smith, sourced online from (picture 1, picture 2, picture 3, picture 4.)