Seven Years and a Day by Colette O’Hare
I was wondering which book I should feature this month and, when browsing the shelves of the shop, this one in the Children's section jumped out at me. I am not sure why. Perhaps it was the intriguing title, perhaps it was because I am a cat lover or, perhaps it was Beryl Cook’s wonderfully bold illustrations?
Did you know that if you are kind to a six-toed cat for seven years and a day it will grant your fondest wish? I didn’t!
This is the story of the Mulholland household and how their lives were drastically changed when they get a cat to curb the number of mice in the house. Mrs Mulholland visits her sister who always seems to have plenty of cats around and finds the cat with six toes (on each foot!) and takes it home. Mr Mulholland loves the cat - “There was nothing nicer than having a cat about the place” - but unfortunately, he has his nose put out of joint when Mrs Mulholland starts treating the cat much better than she treats him! At the end of the story (seven years and a day), without giving too much away, Mrs Mulholland finds out that she needs to be very careful what she wishes for!
This book is the author’s second book published for Collins. The first was “What Do You Feed Your Donkey On?” which is a collection of rhymes from her Belfast childhood. When she first noticed that her own cat had six toes, someone said that it might be a lucky sign. This brought forth “Seven Years and a Day” and her cat gave birth to five six-toed kittens!
The book is fabulously illustrated throughout with Beryl Cook’s marvellous bold colour illustrations. While Beryl Cook is known as a painter whose work has been exhibited, collected, televised and published, this is her first work as an illustrator.
The short story and the pictures result in a remarkably cunning book!
Contributed by Maria
(Published on 13th May 2025)
