25th birthday tour for Slinky
Slinky Malinki, so brave and so bold. Surprises us all, by turning 25 years old. A quarter century ago, the adventurous cat. First appeared in a book, and we’re grateful for that.
all New Zealand literature’s craftiest cat has had more 25th birthday parties than the average Hollywood celebrity.
His creator, author and illustrator Dame Lynley Dodd, hopes to write more Slinky stories.
Early incarnations of his character were based on the Dodd family cat, Wooskit. ‘‘He was black and shiny and handsome, and had a kink in the end of his tail, too,’’ Dodd said. ‘‘He didn’t last forever, sadly.’’
Dodd’s latest Slinky books – Slinky Malinki’s Christmas Crackers and Slinky Malinki – Early Bird – were based on Dodd’s Burmese cat, Suu Kyi. ‘‘She definitely wakes people up far too early in the morning.’’
There are five Slinky tales in the Hairy Maclary series, the first of which was published in 1990.
Dodd, a self-described ‘‘animal person’’, said she was equally fond of Hairy and Slinky characters. ‘‘Slinky is fun because he’s a cat, and he’s does cat activities. Hairy’s fun because he’s a typical little mischievous terrier.
‘‘At the moment I’m pretty busy with Hairy Maclary and friends activities.
of course
‘‘I’ve got lots of ideas for other stories – it is just a question of getting on with writing them.’’
Dodd has visited schools, bookshops and libraries throughout the South Island to mark 25 years since the first Slinky Malinki book was published.
Prebbleton School in Christchurch hosted her yesterday, marking the occasion by creating an 800-cupcake mosaic in the shape of the kleptomaniac cat.
Dodd said her tour so far had been huge fun. ‘‘For someone who spends her time sitting at home writing and drawing and dealing with things on the computer, it’s absolutely essential for us sometimes to get out and actually meet the public and see the people that we’re writing and illustrating for.’’