Hate That Cat

Hate That Cat
by Sharon Creech

Well, I love cats, but I didn't let it put me off picking up this book. I always eagerly await any new offering by Sharon Creech, so I was very happy to see this new title.

Hate that Cat picks up the story of a boy called Jack and his ventures into poetry. The story began in Love That Dog, with a very reluctant young boy and a very keen teacher, who is eager to share the joy of poetry with her class. Both books are written in rhyme, which is quite refreshing and both follow the story of Jack through his own poems. At the start of Love That Dog, we learn that Jack hates poetry, or thinks he does, his first poems are very short and disgruntled, but as we move through the book, we can see an interest in poetry developing and we learn more about his family and his beloved dog.

Hate That Cat picks up the story with a new school year and Jack moving into a new class. Jack is very relieved to see teacher has moved classes with him, "You understand my brain," Jack says to Miss Stretchberry. And so the new year continues though Jack's poems, but this time Jack is focused on a neighbourhood cat he really dislikes, no lets make that hate, well to begin with anyway.

These are quick reads that are well worth picking up.

And on a final note, I cannot end a post on cats without a reference to Simon's cats. So here is an old favourite for you to enjoy.