Bambino and Mr. Twain
As she did inPicasso and Minou(2005), Maltbie imagines a cat s buoyant effect upon a famous artist, in this case Mark Twain. Grieving the death of his beloved wife and editor, the author moves to New York City in the fall of 1904. He stops writing and refuses all company except that of Bambino, a black cat given to him by his daughter. When Bambino jumps out of a window to chase a squirrel one spring day, an ad with a $5 reward (an average week s salary) is placed in the paper. Hoping to console and catch a glimpse of their favorite author, Twain s admirers stop by with feline replacements. Touched by these well-wishers and Bambino s eventual return, Twain rejoins society and begins donning a white suit year round, which became his trademark. Miyares s digital and mixed media illustrations use color and shadow to represent Twain s moods, while an author s note provides facts about the author and the real bambino. A heartfelt introduction to an American icon and his wit. --Booklist