Iowa City author, illustrator releases her newest children book about a colorful cat

When Iowa City author/illustrator Jennifer Black Reinhardt saw her sister-in-law's cat accidentally covered in blue chalk dust it left a hilarious - and indelible - impression. Years later, she incorporated the incident into what would be her author debut.

Reinhardt will read from and discuss her new children's book about a curmudgeonly cat's transformation, 'Blue Ethel” (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux BYR, Amazon $12.73, Kindle, $9.99) at 3 p.m. today at Prairie Lights Books in Iowa City.

What began as a 'color story” went through several iterations culminating in four 'dummy” books, according to Black Reinhardt.

'I first wrote ‘Blue Ethel' in 2008,” she said. After talking with editors who loved the tale's beginning and end, she focused on refining the middle. Her protagonist, a black and white furry feline named Ethel is a sedentary senior, stuck in a rut until one day she inadvertently rolls in bright blue sidewalk chalk art. Scorned by others, she is humiliated until a good friend, Fluffy, turns himself pink to show her that change can be good.

Reinhardt, who has a degree in illustration from Carnegie Mellon University and has illustrated several other books for children, including 'Yaks Yak: Animal Word Pairs,” 'The Inventor's Secret: What Thomas Edison Told Henry Ford,” and 'Rabbi Benjamin's Buttons,” received excellent reviews on her first outing as a writer/illustrator. She enjoys 'ownership of the words,” likening the writing process to 'figuring out a puzzle. When I only illustrate someone else's words it's more like problem solving,” she explained.

When instructing children in writing workshops, the newly-minted author also emphasizes the importance of the revision process, saying 'You can't skip that.” Interestingly, the final version of 'Blue Ethel” retained the conceptual gist of her original draft.

The book, designed for ages 4 to 6, is also 'perfect for summer reading. I can just imagine kids reading the book, then heading outside with a piece of chalk to draw Ethel's story,” she said.