Here’s the surprise for me. I would never have recognised Hairy Maclary creator, Lynley Dodd, as having anything to do with a cat that hides in boxes. Though I can understand her love for Dr Seuss and how his rhythms have influenced her whimsical adventures.
Not only did Dodd write and illustrate the Hairy Maclary and Slinky Malinki series, she also illustrated My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes.
I sound like an adoring fan, but I haven’t been the most faithful of readers. After gorging on Dodd’s feline chases and doggy tales with my eldest son a couple of years ago, we left Dodd’s books on our shelves to gather dust.
Until a week ago, when my younger son dropped three small picture books on the bed. “Which one?” he asked.
I understand Hairy Maclary is cute and fluffy, but I kind of like Slinki Malinka.
“Which one has the line,” I asked, “Scarface Claw – the biggest Tom in town?“
It took us a while to find the book belonging to the quote.
But we found it.
Words tilted on angles like musical notes on a page. How easy it is to dance with words from a story’s beginning to end all over again.
diane simonelli 
Hairy McLary from Donaldson’s Dairy of course! As a dog person, I like the dog ones more – but that’s probably partly because the cat ones came after my kids grew out of the right age (I think). I trained as a librarian and studied children’s lit, but it really wasn’t until I had kids of my own and started reading kid’s books aloud to them that I felt really confident about assessing “good” kid’s books from the not so good.
I’m a dog person, too, so I can understand your preference for Donalson’s Dairy, whisperinggums. If I think of why I’m so attracted to the stories of Slinky Malinki, perhaps it’s the draw of the night and secret escapades that are so enticing. Perhaps too that image of cat’s paws stuck in socks and woollen balls that unravel.
I’m no librarian, but given I have two boys, now 10 and seven, I was only on the lookout for books that could draw their busy bodies to a place where they could sit still enough to enjoy an adventure of the mind. I am thankful to my sons’ childhoods for letting me discover and rediscover some wonderful picture books.
Ah, well I’d probably have enjoyed those cat stories too. And yes, I’m very thankful to my kids for the same thing. I’m rather sad they’re now 20-something. Oops, one just turned 30. (Wah, I’m getting old!)
Smiley face.