If you grew up in England in the seventies, you may have very fond memories of this small book, with its clever word play and colourful illustrations. It is long out of print and difficult to find second hand - all the more reason to reminisce over the book's sweetest moments.
There are seven siblings in this story. They are named Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They are all cats, each with their own unique traits.
Mon, Tues and Wed are searching for their other siblings who have taken up residence elsewhere about the town. The cats are skipping through the streets, past colourful houses like you see in Brighton, “when down the street came Thursday in a hurry and a bowler hat.” The delighted cats celebrate with a birthday party, singing in "sharps and flats".
When Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday find Friday, the cats laugh at him because he looks so blissful and plump from living at a Fishmongers. It is at this point that Wednesday cries, as all the cats are boys, except for Saturday, and she longs to reunite with her sister. In response to her tears, the boys light a campfire in a field and hang her big tears out to dry, clipping them to a laundry line with clothes pegs.
While searching in vain for Saturday – they find her. She is so glamorous and beautiful the six cats are inspired to go to the seaside for a full week, spending all of their pocket money. But oops – they forgot to look for Sunday. Once they get around to finding the fluffy white Persian, he is very angry for being forgotten!
...And then left in a huff
and a taxi
Quotable stuff! This book would make a fantastic ebook since it's so hard to find.
First Published in 1974 by Roger Schlesinger R.H.S. (Publications) Ltd London W1
Printed in Italy
Hello, I am trying to track this book down - I don't suppose you would have any links or paths to follow? I'm at a dead end :)
ReplyDeleteThis weekend a grammar book and came across a strange term I have never heard before, zeugma. When I checked its meaning, which is the application of one word in 2 different ways to 2 different parts of the sentence so as to create a striking effect, and having read a few examples, “But Wednesday Cried” flashed immediately in my mind. I loved reading it to my children 40 years ago, and one of them kept it (all stuck together with sticky tape) and now reads it to her little ones. The book is full of these zeugmas, zeugmatic Yvonne Mitchell was a master of this striking technique, and our entire family still loves this book.
ReplyDeleteI've been searching for the title of this book for years. If anyone is grumpy my family still refer to them as leaving in a huff and a taxi
ReplyDeletePlease add more pictures of the rest of the book!
ReplyDelete