Hepcat

The problem with "Hepcat" is that William Bramhall's narrative isn't nearly as original as his ink and watercolor illustrations, and his use rock icons seems designed more to promote book sales rather than to further the integrity of his story. Hepcat is a musician whom we never really get to know. He's famous--he has a sold out concert at large theatre--, but he's inexplicably nervous. His personality is otherwise unknown to us. He seems to favor beat clothes, but we don't know what kind of musician he is; the charts on his piano and the twenty (or so) piece band at the end suggest some kind of jazz. He's just a nervous cat with beat language and clothes, and there's little with which to empathize. Hepcat (so anxious he can't even practice) gets inspiration from beneath the stage floorboard. Here he finds four beetles, with the faces of The Beatles, playing music and advising him (in a slight revision of the lyrics to "Hey Jude"): "Hey, dude, don't make it bad..."Take a sad song and make it better." One of them explains, "Just cruise the scene, man... Music is EVERYwhere." This provides the motivation for the remainder of the story, as Hepcat realizes that music, indeed, is everywhere-in city sounds and in nature. That initial shot of the Beatles (even though Bramhall calls them beetles, they have the Beatles faces) as insects is a bit of a shock. Drawn with actual beetle shells and legs, it's as if we're back in the early 1960's when people had the two names confused. It's an old joke. He appropriates their images, but has then talking in two entirely different vernaculars, their actual words (from "Hey Jude") and the story's need for "beat language." The book never acknowledges or names the real figures that Hepcat encounters (e.g., the Beatles, Elvis, an unseen Chuck Berry, and Little Richard), yet there's a three-paragraph legal warning about the author's rights on the book's frontispiece. I'm sure book piracy is an important problem, but in this same spirit, Bramhall and his publishers might have mentioned the depicted musicians, perhaps in an afterward. More importantly, the book could have portrayed the musicians more accurately: The Beetles didn't talk in a beat 'jive,' Elvis was a great guitarist and singer before his weight problems and big collars made him so easy to make fun of, and it's inconsistent and a backhanded tribute for Hepcat to say to Little Richard (illustrated as a frog): "Good golly, Miss Molly!" "...Somebody put a frog down that frog's throat. I can't hear a thing." The book changes in the direction of "Fantasia," and Hepcat hears the sounds of nature. As a thunderstorm rains down on Hepcat, big alligators and gorillas play percussion: kettledrums, snare drums, congas. A lightening bolt overhead prepares to crash two gigantic cymbals, and tall trees play saxophones and an accordion. As two bells atop a clock tower clang away, Hepcat remembers all he's heard on his walk and realizes that "Music IS eve

Newspaper cartoonist Bramhall has cooked up a fun book out of a bit of jazzy dialog, lively illustrations, funny settings, and a pinch of problem-solving. Our protagonist, Hepcat, has a case of stage fright that makes him think he has no music in him and say "I lost my groove." As he searches for the self-confidence to finish his concert, he runs across a fun cast of characters (beatles who are Beetles, for one) who give him advice and/or cacophony that makes him realize that music IS everywhere and give him back his 'groove'. While many of the jokes may be out of kid's comprehension, adults who read this will get a kick out of his charicatures of famous personalities and they way he weaves their lyrics into the text. Kids will enjoy the action and expression Bramhall has packed into the hysterically funny illustrations. This would be a fun book to read aloud to any class, and would be especially appropriate for music/music appreciation.

Renowned newspaper cartoonist Bramwell's whimsical debut picture book features Hepcat -a nervous feline pianist costumed in cool sunglasses, beret, and a dark turtleneck who suffers from stage fright before his big concert. Having forgotten his music and lost "his groove," Hepcat takes the advice of a band of four beetles to "[t]ake a sad song and make it better" by simply cruising the "scene" because "[m]usic is EVERYwhere." Taking their advice, Hepcat eventually realizes that there is music everywhere - including traffic noises, whistling birds, a croaking frog, rumbling thunder, crashing lightening, pouring rain and gusting winds. A newly inspired Hepcat overcomes his stage fright and gives the best performance of his life. Amusing and enchanting black and white cartoons brightened with colorful, watercolor washes bring this tale to life. Children are unlikely to appreciate the references to rock and roll legends (i.e., the Beatles, Elvis, and Little Richard) or their classic songs (i.e., "Sad Song," "Hound Dog," "Good Golly Miss Molly," and "Yellow Submarine"). But, adult readers are sure to enjoy them and perhaps introduce these classics to a younger generation. Recommended for all children aged 4 to 8 and highly recommended for ones interested in music.