Ruth Sanderson is one of my favorite illustrators and children’s storytellers. Her art is classical and magical; her storytelling is traditional and grounded in folk tales. After falling in love with her work in the two Saints: Lives and Illuminations books, I started to request everything else she had from my library. Her Twelve Dancing Princesses is the most beautiful version I have seen.

Of all of her books, Papa Gatto is on the top of my family’s favorites list. This delightful Italian morality tale is wholesome and gorgeous. Any lover of folk tales will find the story to be comfortably predictable. Typical of traditional fairy tales and folks stories, the dressed animals feel appropriate and whimsical.