Hate That Cat

Hate That Cat
Sharon Creech 5/5 stars
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Hardcover: 160 pages
Publisher: Joanna Cotler (September 23, 2008)

Wow! What a lovely book! I was taken from laughter to tears and back and finished with a sense of absolute satisfaction. It's a simply stunning book!

It it told all from the point of view of Jack's writing journal, directed to his teacher Miss Stretchberry. Apparently, Miss Stretchberry was Jack's teacher last school year (during the book Love That Dog), but not having read that book, I'm going only on what I've picked up from Jack's journal. His class in school is learning poetry, and through Jack's attempts and one sided conversations with his teacher, the reader learns so much about Jack, his relationship with Miss Stretchberry and his family--and about poetry!

Ms. Creech tells more in this one sided story that many books tell for all their omnipotent narrators! It was a thrill to watch Jack grow emotionally, to see how his poetry progressed, to see his family through his eyes, and to be a part of the gentle, gradual changes in Jack himself.

This would be a wonderful book to read out loud with a child, in part because of some of the beautiful wording and language in this book that so deserves to be shared but also because some rather important elements are implied (perhaps known if you read the other book?)and younger readers might have a more difficult time processing the clues. Otherwise, I cannot begin to recommend this book enough, even for adults, and look forward to reading the poets she mentioned as well as Ms. Creech's other books. As soon as this is published (September 23, 2008), I recommend purchasing it for yourself or your children!

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ARE copy reviewed for Harper Collins Children's.