TEMPLE CAT

Clements (Who Owns the Cow?, p. 944, etc.) pens a tale for consummate cat enthusiasts or lovers of antiquity: a feline's not- too-arduous search for love. The setting, in the ancient city of Neba, lends an exotic quality to the tale: The cat is lord of a temple, and is weary of being pampered and followed around by servants. He longs to escape the restrictive temple atmosphere; one day he does, finding happiness in the arms of two children. The story lacks suspense and ends almost abruptly, but readers will appreciate the clash between the royal treatment the cat receives and his own less complicated desires. The words have a nice, simple ring, while the sand-colored paintings skillfully evoke the Egyptian world. Kiesler, working in an utterly realistic style, employs a subtle visual shift in characterization as the protagonist transforms from a religious icon to an ordinary house cat. (Picture book. 5-8)