Review of
The Cat That Was Nothing But Trouble,
by Anne Toole ISBN 9781478797432
Five out of five stars
How the old pet views the new one
Lee is a small
white puppy that is living an idyllic life. He has his toys, food and all the
attention of the adults in the house. His world is uprooted when his Mom
encountered what she thought was a stray cat while she was out walking. Feeling
sorry for it, she brought it home and began feeding it. Intimidated by the new “beast,”
Lee is uncertain as to what to do.
When the cat
engages in mischief and damages things, Lee is the one that gets the blame,
which sends him into a depressive state. Things continue to go downhill until
the joyous day when a man knocks on the door and tells Mom that he is looking
for his cat named Sweetie Pie. He calls her the best cat in the world and
wonders if she has seen it. When the cat hears the man’s voice it runs to him
with joy and the last sight Lee has of the cat is when it is being carried away
and out of his life.
The story is
expressed in rhyming form with the general pattern being the even lines rhyme
with the line preceding it. The level of the prose is that of the middle of
elementary school. It is a solid story that contains a valuable lesson to children
regarding the acquisition of a second pet. While the children may be excited
about getting the new pet, the one with seniority may have a contrary opinion.
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