Review: John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat

John Brown was all Rose had left in the world when her husband died long ago. John Brown, the St Bernard, did everything he could to look after Rose and keep her company. ‘We are all right, John Brown. Just the two of us, you and me,’ Rose would say.

And they were all right, until Rose saw a cat in the yard. She tried to enlist John Brown’s help in meeting the cat, but John Brown had other ideas.

Ron Brooks’ meticulous cross-hatched illustrations are mesmerising. I can stare for ages at the intricate details, trying to work out how Brooks created shadows and depth with his tiny lines, but it is the heartfelt tale of love and longing, and the fear of being usurped that keeps me returning to this classic. The fact that John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat was first published in 1979 and is still in print today says it all. I expect it will be in print for many years to come.

Title: John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat   
Author: Jenny Wagner
Illustrator: Ron Brooks 
Publisher: Puffin Books, $14.95 RRP
Publication Date: 1979
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9780140503067
For ages: 3+
Type: Picture Book