a b Moesch, Christine A. (August 1991). "Slinky Malinki (Book)". School Library Journal. 37 (8): 144. ISSN 0362-8930. Lynley Dodd, too, has created a cast of cat characters which closely align to the cat characters typecast by T.S. Eliot. You’ve got Growltiger with Scarface Claw — the other main cat, and a wonderful nemesis for Hairy. Slinky Malinki is, of course, a modern Criminal, related to the Macavity (who sneaks about) and Mungojerry (who plans naughty things) from T.S. Eliot. No door, wall, fence or basket can contain these cheeky and adventure-seeking youngsters from Parkinson Place. The quartet of escape artists roams the neighbourhood at all hours. Easily keeping up with the most energetic adult cats, they incite each other to greater and greater feats of daring. While each kitten looks very different to his or her siblings, the four are always together in a set, playing and tumbling and scuffling in a blur

Added Alliterative Appeal: Lots of picture book authors make use of alliterative names, but Lynley Dodd’s names would have to have some of the best mouthfeel in the biz. They’re more like Awesome McCool Names. RELATED The moon plays a prominent role of course. First, the illustrator needs a light source, but more importantly, according to folklore (and modern hospital workers), strange things happen when there’s a full moon. In one image we even see Slinky carrying a perfectly round balloon (as well as a slipper and a sausage link), and the blood-red balloon partially obscures the moon. This makes Slinky seem as if he is at one with the moon, and like he might be carrying a moon replica in his very own mouth. The moon, we gather from this picture, is the reason for his personality transformation. Lynley Dodd is an award-winning author/illustrator who lives in New Zealand. She is enormously popular for her rhyming stories of the unforgettable HAIRY MACLARY and his friends. She worked as a teacher before beginning to write her own books in 1974.

More picture books than you might think start with the horror genre and modify the symbolism and tropes for little kids. Stories which manage to achieve this are surprisingly popular. Kids love happenings that take place at night — this is an opportunity for the carnivalesque. The horror genre is really great for making use of symbol, because it is one of the most highly symbolic genres (along with Westerns and sci-fi, which are less common in picture books.) There is an unseen opponent in this story — young readers know that Slinky is not supposed to be taking those things, and that the things belong to people. For the reader, the opponents are the owners of the stolen items, who will get him into trouble if he is caught. For Slinky, his opponent is probably some unseen creature of the night. Slinky is an adrenalin junkie. Plan Mann, Brittany; Beach, Andrew (25 July 2015). "Slinky still cat's whiskers at 25". The Press. New Zealand. p.A7.

The illustrations make use of classically horrific line work, with the kink in the tail and the spindly branches on the trees. Even the native New Zealand flax seems sinister as it looks as if it might reach out and grab any passerby. The Moon Slinky Malinki ends up getting caught in the midst of his naughtiness and experiences the embarrassment and shame of his bad behavior. The illustrations capture his reaction to being caught so well and surely children everywhere can relate to being caught doing something they weren't supposed to do but enjoyed doing a bit to much. Slinky Malinki is a fictitious cat who features in the Hairy Maclary children's stories written by New Zealand author Lynley Dodd.Slinky Malinki (Book Review)". Magpies: Talking About Books For Children. Magpies Magazine. March 1993. p.37 . Retrieved 10 September 2019. Lynley Dodd: A Retrospective, A Tauranga Art Gallery, New Zealand, Travelling Exhibition: 6 jun. — 19 jul. 2014". goulburnregionalartgallery.com.au. Goulburn Regional Gallery . Retrieved 12 September 2019. The Lynley Dodd Exhibition - Redcliffe Library, 8 December 2017 - 17 March 2018". theredcliffepeninsula.com.au. The Redcliffe Peninsula . Retrieved 12 September 2019.

The book is written for pre-school children, with rhythmic, rhyming text. It has become a best-selling bedtime storybook in New Zealand. Has Hairy ever caused such mayhem? Thank goodness for Miss Plum, who once again steps in to save the day!

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Lynley Dodd: A Retrospective 26 January - 24 March 2013". waikatomuseum.co.nz. Waikato Museum . Retrieved 12 September 2019. This elegant cream-coloured Siamese wears a collar which impeccably matches her bright blue eyes and is adorned with a delicate tinkling bell. Along with Pimpernel’s elevated breeding, being the Minister’s cat gives her a certain status. She is well aware of the impression she makes – she has even won a ribbon at the local cat show for the ‘Snootiest Cat’. But her dignity melts away in the presence of a ball of wool (or a ball of any kind) and in the next moment she’s pouncing and scrabbling about like a kitten. With her sharp intelligence and alert senses she’s always an asset on the cats’ night-time outings, where she’s the first to spot and spit at an imposter. Malinki is based on Dodd's cat, Wooskit, who was with her for 13 years. Slinky Malinki is very silly. [4] The Guardian lists Malinki amongst the top ten cats in children's fiction. [5] Original artwork of him has been part of a travelling exhibition over a number of years, [6] [7] [8] and he is part of a sculpture of some of Dodd's characters at Tauranga. [9] Reception [ edit ]