Groucho's Eyebrows

Cat sneaked into author’s heart, book. Anyone who has ever been nutty about a feline companion knows how a cat can pad into a house one minute and creep into a heart the next. Alaska author, Tricia Brown’s white cat with black marks above its eyes managed to climb into her career too. The former family pet, on which Brown based her new book children’s book, “Groucho’s Eyebrows” was a reject at an animal shelter in Fairbanks when Brown found her. * Anchorage Daily News *
Groucho is a white cat with distinctive black eyebrows that make him look like Groucho Marx. Kristen and Groucho have fun together and are the best friends. One day Groucho get out of the house when her mother is signing for a package at the door and decides he will play Nanook with Kristen, except Kristen is still at school. When Kristen returns. her beloved cat is nowhere to be found, and although she calls and calls and eventually checks with all the neighbors, she ends up with a heavy heart worried about all the dangers that Groucho could encounter…. The illustrations are done in watercolor in the unmistakable style of Barbara Lavallee and enhance the text with their Northern appeal. * Kirkus *
Brown takes readers to Alaska for a story of pigtailed Kristie and her cat pal, Groucho, so named for the black “eyebrow” markings on his white fur. From games of hide-and-seek (he’s Nanook; she’s the great Arctic tracker) to under-the-covers snuggles, the partnership develops until kitty escapes through the door during a package delivery. Kristie’s calls carry escalating dread; she knows about potential predators and a “kitty that had stayed out too long on a wintry night.” In the end, however, his distinctive eyebrows make the errant cat quite visible amid the snowdrifts. The story is a bit too long, but Lavallee’s cozy paintings keep readers’ interest from straying. The droll-looking cat, the child’s colorful layers of outdoor wear, and the scary and sweet forest scenes give pleasure at every turn. * School Library Journal *
The heartwarming tale comes to a satisfying conclusion as the clever child focuses on her cat’s distinctive feature. Based on a real snowy white cat named Groucho, the story is beautifully illustrated. Soft breezy watercolors spill across the pages and capture the loving emotions and wintry scenes. * Children's Literature *