Chaucer the Cat and the Animal Pilgrims Patricia Borlenghi (Writer) Giles Greenfield (Illustrator) List Price: £14.99 Hardcover - 77 pages (October 1999) Bloomsbury; ISBN: 0747544913 The animals were going on a pilgrimage to the burial place of St Francis of Assisi. Chaucer the cat suggested that, in order to entertain themselves on the way, each one of them should tell a story. This charming framing device surrounds a dozen traditional animal tales from around the world, each one with a 'prologue' telling us about the animal narrating it, a la the Canterbury Tales, and beautifully illustrated by Giles Greenfield. An introduction explaining the route - historically used by human pilgrims - the animals are supposed to have taken, and end notes with information about Geoffrey Chaucer and the origins of the stories, round out the book. There is a lot of text here, but each story is short enough to be a good bedtime read - and just the right length to challenge an improving reader without overwhelming them. Return to index