Scan barcode
wardo2700's review
4.0
Another animal story that surprisingly was enjoyable. This book had so much more depth than the title would have hinted at because it was a story of relationships not just about a cat. The main character's interactions with his parents, neighbors, and friends create a compelling tale of life in NYC in the mid sixties. This book certainly deserved the Newbery Award as the other books that year were not as intriguing nor creative. I'd recommend this book to any reader 8 and over.
chaoticpix93's review against another edition
2.0
I think I get why this has a Newbery Award. The writing has a very strong voice throughout, while it stayed far away from giving us homophones for their acccents, the way the writing was done you could hear it in their tone, it rang true.
The story itself seems kind of unlikely. Maybe growing up Midwestern in the 90's wasn't the same as New York City in the 60's but it felt very off. For one, nobody kept to themselves, everybody was in everybody else's business which resolved things nicely, but didn't quite ring true. Maybe I'm just jaded. I think part of it felt more like a glossing over of the 60's than an honest retelling of it. Granted, this was before Vietnam, but I don't think the country was that wide-eyed and innocent.
Granted, this book was written in the 60's so the requirements for Young Adult fiction were quite different back then, so maybe things were nudged a little in a certain direction. Either way, I had mixed feelings about it.
The story itself seems kind of unlikely. Maybe growing up Midwestern in the 90's wasn't the same as New York City in the 60's but it felt very off. For one, nobody kept to themselves, everybody was in everybody else's business which resolved things nicely, but didn't quite ring true. Maybe I'm just jaded. I think part of it felt more like a glossing over of the 60's than an honest retelling of it. Granted, this was before Vietnam, but I don't think the country was that wide-eyed and innocent.
Granted, this book was written in the 60's so the requirements for Young Adult fiction were quite different back then, so maybe things were nudged a little in a certain direction. Either way, I had mixed feelings about it.
katcanwrite's review against another edition
I read this book a thousand years ago. I basically read anything with "cat" in the title.
keirareadsbooks's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
tangodiva's review against another edition
3.0
I got this for free at Project Gutenberg after going down a rabbit hole based on Newberry Award winners.
Anyway, I like this! It's a middle school book featuring a boy protagonist who gets a cat from the crazy cat lady in early 1960's New York, and he just sort of narrates his life on the Lower East Side, including a relationship with a beatnik girl he meats on Coney Island. Sweet! I loved the illustrations and the sense of time and place. This kid could totally have grown up to be a copywriter at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.
Anyway, I like this! It's a middle school book featuring a boy protagonist who gets a cat from the crazy cat lady in early 1960's New York, and he just sort of narrates his life on the Lower East Side, including a relationship with a beatnik girl he meats on Coney Island. Sweet! I loved the illustrations and the sense of time and place. This kid could totally have grown up to be a copywriter at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.
s3471g3r12's review against another edition
3.0
The writing and depiction of the story are reminiscent of The Catcher in the Rye, my favorite classic, so I expected to like this book more. What it lacks, however, is a strong message. This prevented me from connecting to the novel, but it was still a sweet read.
hwelch69's review against another edition
4.0
Newbery Medal Winner: 6/101
low stakes and cats. one major bummer, but otherwise great.
low stakes and cats. one major bummer, but otherwise great.
kent2016tesol's review against another edition
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a slice of life story about a boy named Dave and a cat named Cat as they learn about the world around them. I originally read it in the sixth grade in my classroom library and enjoyed it then. I rediscovered it as a teacher in my school's free little library and enjoyed it now. Each chapter is a down-to-earth vignette of the hijinks that Dave gets up to on his days off. He might not always be the most responsible member of society, but he always is a pretty good pet owner even if it's against his will. The real joy of the book is the character's voice: wry, quick-witted, and scheming. If you're looking for a short book with episodic story telling and engaging writing, this is it.
sydknee64436's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
dch7's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death