Anyone who’s read Flashlight Press’s That Cat Can’t Stay by Thad Krasnesky, illustrated by David Parkins, knows that the book is about family and compromise and, well, cats.
The International Cat Writers’ Association couldn’t help but love Thad’s purr-fect tale. Over 50 categories of awards were presented at the CWA 17th annual Communications Conference (November 18-21 in White Plains, NY), and That Cat Can’t Stay received two of them.
The CWA Muse Medallion is awarded in categories ranging from journalism to photography to fiction. That Cat Can’t Stay won the Muse Medallion in the Books for Children category, with the judge’s high praise:
Pure delight! The rhyme and rhythm excites the mouth when read aloud, the brightly colored illustrations are visually appealing, and the father’s facial expressions and physical antics are hysterical. This book is purrfect.
Thad then received the CWA’s top award for fiction, “The World’s Best Litter-ary Award” presented by World’s Best Cat Litter®. That Cat Can’t Say contended in an open field with works from all genres of fiction. Thad took home the award of $500 and a commemorative pewter bowl. The judge for the Litter-ary award was Beth Withers, a children’s librarian with the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library and a former member of
the Newbery and Caldecott Committees. Her glowing review reads:
This is the perfect blending of text and illustrations which is very important in a picture book. The story, which is about a Dad who really does not like cats, is told with humor, verve and an obvious love of cats on the part of the author. The verse – unintentionally or not – pays homage to Dr. Seuss. The book begs to read aloud and should be enjoyed by children and adults.
Thank you, Cat Writers’ Association, for these wonderful awards.
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