I finally made it to Wardini’s today to pick up a couple of copies of Pearl in a Whirl, the fundraiser for those affected by cyclone Gabrielle. The recent book launch was cancelled because of the threat of new flooding. How very apt.
It’s first and foremost a celebration of a cat who curls up with a dog with her paws sticking up in the air. This is so Catherine. She posts more photos of her cats and dogs lounging in absurd poses than the rest of her life put together, so you know this story comes deep from the heart. She is a cat lover, and her observations of Pearl, the cat in this story, are spot on. Pearl has that insouciant air of entitlement when life is good, and fierce yowl when not.
But life does take a bad turn for Pearl and her family and the book is also the true story of a family whose house was engulfed by the flood waters of Cyclone Gabrielle. The family flee, abandoning their house, which becomes one of the ‘red stickered’ homes – for demolition, and abandoning Pearl, who is hiding from the storm. She has some adventures before being reunited with her family.
This a good way to talk about the floods (and disasters generally) with young children and the repercussions for families when reality is too much. Tell the kids the story of the cat, and show how things work out in the end. It’s a good opener.
Fifi Colston’s illustrations are beautifully balanced between frightening and funny. There’s the cat playing with loo paper on one page facing a flooded valley on the other. There is whirling and swirling on every page, and mud and rain but there are also pictures of this glorious cat snuggled with her favourite dog, hiding in the grocery bag, slurping from a tap.
Catherine Robertson is donating all her royalties, Fifi Colston a percentage to the Hawke’s Bay Foundation to help with their work with people and communities affected by the cyclone. The book seems to be available everywhere, but buy from Wardinis, because they are the beating heart of Hawke’s Bay and also donating a percentage of profits to the cause. Buy a few to give away; that would be a nice thing to do.
Cristina Sanders' blog 