Books with title The Old Man and the Afternoon Cat

This is a stunningly illustrated story told in the style of a traditional fairy tale. An old man who lives near a forest looks and wonders at a tree full of birds on the river bank. He longs for them to come near him but they always stay away. When the old man makes a magic flute, all the birds of the forest flock to him, accompanied by insects, lizards, and the fish from the lake. But magic has a way of tricking those who are unwary and the cunning of a cat soon gets the better of him. Originally published in 1984, this stunning edition of Holcroft's magical story has been newly illustrated by renowned American artist Leah Palmer Preiss.

Meet Charlie. He's never been the luckiest fisherman on the coast, just the oldest (and to hear him tell it, the smartest). Charlie's dream is to catch the biggest fish in the sea, so when Roger down at the bait shop announces the first annual Fish-or-Cut-Bait Fishing Tournament, Charlie signs up. In his trusty rowboat, the C-Worthy, with a squishy, squirmy little worm on his hook, Charlie goes to sea and sits patiently waiting for a Big Fish. But what he catches--after the battle of his lifetime--is not only a surprise to Charlie but to everyone at Roger's Bait and Supply Shop. Unlike Hemingway's hero, Charlie turns his quest for a big fish into an amusing adventure that involves a bad case of the hiccups. Charlie turns his discouragement into triumph. This is a story of optimism, perseverance ... and fisherman's luck.