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.

Picture Book Picks - Penguin & Dogs On The Bed

Penguin
by Polly Dunbar

I can't say enough about this book! I just love it. It is a lovely, gentle tale of a boy called Ben who opens a gift and finds a penguin inside. A real penguin, not a toy. The whole story revolves around the boy trying to persuade the penguin to speak to him. He moves from gentle persuasion to more rather aggressive techniques.

It is a really charming book, which is beautifully illustrated by the author and very humourous! I think it is the facial expressions that just crack me up. They make me laugh every time.




Dogs on the Bed
by Elizabeth Bluemle


This is the first book I have come across by this author, but I am mightily impressed. Dogs on the Bed is a story many of you may be familiar with if you have either a dog or a cat and the night-time campaigns they mount to take over your bed, be they allowed there or not. The shoving and gradual take over of the bed until you are pushed out.

This story has a lovely rhythmic flow to it and amusing illustrations by Anne Wilsdorf. I found I was telling the story to the voice and rhythm of the last Children's Laureate Michael Rosen. I don't know, it just felt like one of his poems and I hear his voice as I read it, which probably influences my storytelling of this book.

Here's a little taster of Michael Rosen, a very funny man and a great poet.



Just in case you missed the news, Anthony Browne is the new Children's Laureate and will hold the post until 2010. He took over the post from Michael Rosen who held it from 2007 to 2009.

You can find out more about the new Children's Laureate and previous Laureates here.