Miss Minoes

Gr 4 Up—Based on the 1970 book by Dutch children's author Annie M. G. Schmidt and directed by Dutch filmmaker Vincent Bal, this family film stars Carice van Houten as Miss Minoes and Theo Maasen as Tibbe. Minoes, a cat who goes sniffing where she should not, finds herself transformed into a young woman. In her human persona, she still retains some cat-like behaviors, like climbing trees and sleeping in a box. Tibbe is a talented reporter who is so shy that he has trouble interviewing people and might lose his job. Miss Minoes supplies Tibbe with excellent news stories, courtesy of the neighborhood cats. Tibbe's editor is so impressed with the articles that Miss Minoes starts working as Tibbe's assistant in return for room and board. When she turns up news of some evil-doing by a local businessman, the neighborhood turns against Tibbe, and she must decide whether or not to remain a human. This charming, fast-paced movie features colorful art direction, wildly inventive sets, and a jazzy musical score. It was originally produced in Dutch, and the English has been dubbed, which might be disconcerting for some viewers. From the fun images of Miss Minoes creeping across rooftops to the fuzzy, home-movie style of the closing credit sequence, this film is delightful.—Geri Diorio, The Ridgefield Library, CT