Winner of the 1964 Newbery Medal
The Newbery-winning classic novel about a young New Yorker who figures out the world on his own terms with the help of one prickly tomcat, for readers who enjoy such books as Al Capone Does My Shirts and Hoot.
Dave Mitchell and his father disagree on almost everything—and every time their fighting sets off his mother’s asthma, Dave ends up storming out of the house. But when Dave meets a big, handsome tomcat, he decides to bring him home, no matter what his father has to say about it.
With adventure-loving Cat around, Dave meets lots of new people—like Tom, a young dropout on his own in the city, and Mary, the first girl he can talk to like a real person.
And as his eyes open to those around him, Dave starts to understand his father a little better. They still don’t see eye-to-eye on a lot of things, but there is one thing they can both agree on: Having a cat can be very educational—especially when it’s one like Cat.--from the publisher
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After another fight with Pop, 14-year-old Dave storms out of their apartment and nearly gets hit by a car. Kate, the local cat lady, comes to the rescue, and Dave returns home with an ally: Cat, the stray tom that becomes Dave's confidante and his key to new friendships and experiences. Cat inadvertently leads Dave to Tom, a troubled 19-year-old who needs help, and Mary, a shy girl who opens Dave's eyes and ears to music and theater. Even the Cat-related confrontations with Pop take on a new spirit, with less shouting and more understanding. It's Like This, Cat offers a vivid tour of New York City in the 1960s. From the genteel environs of Gramercy Park to a bohemian corner of Coney Island, the atmospheric journey is punctuated by stickball games, pastrami sandwiches, and a ride on the Staten Island Ferry. Recounted with humor, a remarkably realistic teenage voice, and Emil Weiss's pitch-perfect illustrations, this 1964 Newbery Award-winning tale recaptures the excitement and challenges of growing up in the big city.---from the publisher
176 pages 9780064400732 Ages 10-14
Keywords: city living, cities, cat, friends, friendship, pets, New York, teens, Newbery Medal, dysfunctional family, 10 year old, 11 year old, 12 year old, 13 year old, 14 year old
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The lean and quirky and utterly touching story of a fourteen-year-old boy, David Mitchell, living “right in the middle of New York City” with his blustering, sharp-tongued father and his worrying, long-suffering mother… and how he grew to maturity, helped along indirectly by a very special stray cat.
“My father is always talking about how a dog can be very educational for a boy. This is one reason I got a cat…”
“it’s like this, cat’ recounts a year in the life of Dave Mitchell as he completes junior high school and enters high school in New York City. It’s also the story of how he grew to maturity, helped along indirectly by a stray cat that he brought home from Crazy Kate, the neighborhood Cat Lady. Dave, who has bouts of asthma brought on by family strife, lives with his lawyer father and his mother. The cat, named "Cat" lives a wild life that brings Dave in contact with a future friend and girl friend. Dave's adventures take him throughout areas of New York City, and the reader is treated to descriptions of famous city landmarks. With Dave's new cat-related experiences comes an increased appreciation for his parents and deepening care for his new friends. And through his interaction with others, Dave develops the strength of character and emotional maturity to accept and survive life's inevitable tragedies.---from the publisher
