Little Cat's Luck

by Marion Dane Bauer, Jennifer A. Bell (Illustrator)

Overview

From Newbery Honoree Marion Dane Bauer comes an “endearing tale…told with warmth and humor” (School Library Journal) that’s a companion to the “wholly satisfying” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) Little Dog, Lost.

When an indoor calico cat named Patches spots a golden autumn leaf fluttering past her window, she can’t help but venture outside to chase it. But soon, Patches feels something tugging at her, telling her to find a special place—one she won’t know until she sees it. Why must she go on this search? She doesn’t know yet.

Along the way, Patches finds herself in dire circumstances, but with the help of the other neighborhood animals, she faces off against the scariest dog in town and continues on her journey to her special place.

Beautifully told in verse and accompanied by adorable illustrations by Jennifer A. Bell, this heartwarming novel from Newberry Honor­–winner, Marion Dane Bauer, is a timeless, touching, and fulfilling story about finding your way home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781481424905
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication date:	02/09/2016
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
Lexile:	760L (what's this?)
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Marion Dane Bauer is the author of many books for young readers, including the Newbery Honor book On My Honor and the Coretta Scott King Book Illustrator Award winner The Stuff of Stars. She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, and can be reached at MarionDaneBauer.com.

Jennifer A. Bell is an illustrator whose work can be found in greeting cards, magazines, and more than forty children’s books. She studied fine art at the Columbus College of Art and Design and spent many years designing seasonal giftware and greeting cards before becoming a children’s book illustrator. She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Read an Excerpt

Little Cat’s Luck


Little cat,

searching.

Little calico cat

searching for a place,

a special place

to be her very own.

What she would do with a special place

once she found it,

she wasn’t sure.

Perhaps she would just curl up for a good nap.

But if she didn’t know

what her special place was for,

she knew exactly

what it would be like.

Hidden away,

snug,

dark,

quiet . . .

very, very quiet.

The little cat,

whose name was Patches,

by the way,

had checked

every possible spot

in her

entire

house,

looking for her special place.

Corners,

closets,

cupboards.

Even the dusty space

behind the refrigerator

and the floor beneath the kitchen table

next to the chipped blue bowl

that held her kibble . . .

and occasionally a touch of tuna.

Nothing

was quite right.

Not the pillow

where she slept

next to her girl’s sweet breathing.

Too open.

Not the basement

where her man pounded nails

and whirled saws.

Too noisy.

Not the studio

where her woman

slathered paint.

Too smelly!

And so,

on the day our story begins,

Patches sat just inside the window

at the front of her house,

gazing out

at the wide wide world

and longing.

She licked a paw

and ran it over her ginger ear.

She washed her black ear next.

But just as she was starting on

her pretty white face,

something caught her eye.

Something golden.

Something

f

a

l

l

i

n

g.

Editorial Reviews

[A] charming tale for young readers. . . . Animal-lovers will want to take this home pronto.

Booklist

[A] charming tale for young readers. . . . Animal-lovers will want to take this home pronto.

Booklist

01/01/2016
Gr 2–5—An inquisitive little calico house cat, on the prowl for a special place all her own, slips through a loose window screen and finds herself outside, where falling golden leaves lure her far away from home. At first, one may think that a cat wandering through town does not make for much of a story. But with deliberate pacing, the feline's adventures escalate, and while her boldness grows, so do readers' trepidations. Indeed, the ensuing encounter with the meanest dog in town reaches climactic suspense, but readers still don't know why the little cat named Patches is seeking a place of her own—though there are some clues. Written in free verse and using concrete poetry elements interspersed with charming black-and-white drawings, the book engages on many levels. The writing in verse shows careful use of words; each sentence is spare but laden with meaning that moves the story forward. The use of free verse also makes the narration intimate and immediate, pulling readers right into the events. The story at its most basic is about families and love, but other themes are present, such as friendship, neglect, bravery, and determination. This is an endearing tale that is told with warmth and humor and a great understanding of love. This companion novel to Little Dog, Lost (S. & S., 2012) shines all on its own. VERDICT A good buy for young readers, whether they are animal lovers or not, and equally appealing to reluctant and voracious readers.—Gretchen Crowley, Alexandria City Public Libraries, VA

School Library Journal

★ 2015-10-14
This little cat's luck turns out to be dependent on the kindness of strangers, and that, most satisfyingly, connects back to her own unerring kindness. In free verse that cascades down the pages in short lines—ever so inviting to newly fledged independent readers—Bauer deftly navigates inside cat Patches' adventures after she darts from her cherished home to chase a tumbling leaf. Lost and desperately hungry, she nevertheless spares the life of a tiny captured mouseling who has the courage to ask, "Please!" As Patches realizes, "Making conversation with your dinner / is never / a good idea. / It makes the first bite / so very / hard / to take." Patches in turn is aided by a huge, lonely (and therefore mean) dog, Gus, who spends his pathetic life alone in the yard. It's in his doghouse that Patches gives birth to three unexpected kittens. True, it's all been done before, this clever manipulation of print, extending words down—and sometimes up—a page to reflect their action. But Bauer is a master of that skill and crafts, with remarkably little text, memorable, fully understandable characters with achingly real worries and sorrows. Patches' ultimate understanding of Gus' needs is enchanting, appropriate for a tale that's as much a gentle parable as it is a novel. Bell's softly shaded illustrations are a perfect accompaniment. Excellent for young readers and all cat lovers. (Verse fiction. 7-12)

Kirkus Reviews