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Help! i need a reading book with a cat!


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:lol: ok stop laughing lol! my 10 year old HATES, DESPISES, DREADES to read! its a constant struggle. she is also special needs, possible dyslexia, drysgraphia, adhd, aspie...

 

she found a book at the library, Socks by Beverly Cleary and she has been reading it off and on forthe last few days without me even asking her!! its the only book in the series about cats, and honestly i never associated before, but she does have an "addiction" to kittys! any recommendations for some books around this reading level on kittys? thanks so much!

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Three Swords for Granada - ds is reading this historical fiction set in Medieval Spain where three cats are fighting injustice in the form of dog guards.

 

Cricket in Times Square has a cat on the cover, but we haven't read it yet.

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Aristotle by Dick King-Smith

Gobbolino the Witch's Cat by Ursula Moray Williams

Miranda by Eleanor Estes

Carbonel books by Sleigh

Jenny and the Cat Club books by Averill

Cats of Roxville Station by George

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Not sure of the level but we've seen a series at the library called Magic Kitten. Looks maybe 2nd grade level but might be worth it.

 

Also I've seen a series called Animal Ark - I don't know anything about it but I'm betting some of the books might be about cats :)

 

eta: The Catwings books might be good too. Very short though.

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Oh! Pick me! I have a cat obsessed daughter too. Here are some ideas of varying reading abilities...

-Dewey the Library Cat

-Time Cat

-Miranda the Great

-Pinky Pie

-Amazing Maurice and his educated rodents

- Warriors series

- Jenny and the cat club

- Catwings

- The Cats of Roxville Station

 

Plus... You could try some books like these which have some silly or inspirational stories

-Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Cat Lover Companion

- The Devious book for cats

- Chicken soup for the cat lover

- How to live with a neurotic cat

- Catfantastic

 

Also, if your daughter is up for reading adult mysteries, there are also some series like Rita Mae Brown's and Lillian Jackson Braun and Leann Sweeney, but my daughter didn't seem to find them appealing.

 

Of course, don't forget TS Eliot's Book of Practical Cats -- and then watch the musical!

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There is a series of 3 books (can't remember author, but should be an easy find on Amazon). It starts with The Flying Flea, Callie, and Me. It is about a cat living in the country who becomes friends with a mockingbird who was too scared to migrate south for the winter. This whole series is hilarious and tickles children (and adults) to no end.

 

I recommend them heartily, and if she likes Socks, I think she'll like these even better. :001_smile:

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And then, on the other side of things, there's The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man, by Lloyd Alexander. The sorcerer who owns him--and who grants his request for a little period of time--doesn't think much of men, and prefers him as a cat. But, as it turns out, the cat thinks differently, despite the fact that he is a fish out of water.

 

She may still enjoy the story. As I recall (although I read this book in high school myself), Alexander does a good job presenting the world of men as seen with the eyes of a newly changed cat.

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One of my favorite cat books is also by Lloyd Alexander and is How the Cat Swallowed Thunder, something like that. Don't have it in front of me. It is a kids book, lots of pictures and very engaging story, which might be helpful for building confidence.

I also loved the Cat Who books by Lillian Jackson Braun, but they might be a bit advanced for her.

 

Don't forget Herriot--there are many, many stories about cats in his books. Some of them are in storybook format, but I like the originals.

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Oooh, and then there's No One Noticed the Cat, by Anne McCaffrey, which is a fairy tale very loosely based on "Puss in Boots." This is definitely one to check out from the library, though. It's pretty short.

 

Note: In case you've run across her Pern stuff, let me tell you that I find her juveniles to actually be somewhere in the range of fairly to very good. Some of them are even set on Pern, and they're still good. I know, amazing, right? Maybe it's because she knows kids won't let her get away with as much as adults will.

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This will probably sound really odd, but I've come to believe this is a type a kid. I seriously met several cat-obsessed special needs kids when I was teaching and have heard of others.

 

Seconding Catwings and Warriors. Neither are especially literary, but they're high interest. The Lloyd Alexander and Dick King-Smith offerings are a little better, but possibly less high interest. The only one that I didn't see listed above is Diana Wynne Jones's Charmed Life, which features a cat... but I wouldn't give it to reluctant reader. It's too complex.

 

In a couple of years, I'll bet she'll enjoy Tamora Pierce's Immortals series. Not cats exactly... but in that vein of animal obsession.

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Miranda the Great by Eleanor Estes

Pinky Pye by Eleanor Estes

 

The Prodigal Cat by Janette Oke

 

Pioneer Cat, by William H. Hooks

Not cats, but she might like:

 

Animal Adventures (Little House Chapter Book) by Laura Ingalls Wilder

 

Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin by Marguerite Henry

 

The Littles, by John Peterson Tom Little says, "Why don't we just try taming the cat?" Uncle Pete sighs in disbelief, "Do you hear what the boy is saying? He's gone soft in the head. A cat has never been a friend to a Little. I can tell you that."

 

Capyboppy by Bill Peet

 

Catwings, by Ursula K. Le Guin, 2003 Scholastic

ISBN 0439551897, Reading Level: 4.3

 

Sarah Witcher's Story

 

A young girl lost in a New Hampshire forest in pioneer days is saved by a bear.

 

RL = 5.3

Edited by Lovedtodeath
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I don't know if these were mentioned. Ginger Pye and Pinky Pye. Loved,loved, loved these! Maybe better as read alouds right now.
Ginger Pye is about a missing dog. We thought it drug out way too much with unnecessary details (like the children cleaning the church and going swimming with nothing related to the dog or the mystery?) and we couldn't get through it. I didn't even finish reading it and that is very rare for me. I suggested Pinky Pye (about the cat) earlier though we haven't read that one. They are both by Eleanor Estes... but so is Miranda the Great and it didn't drag out like Ginger Pye, so I am not sure how Pinky Pye is.

 

Socks also has quite a bit about the baby. You might try books about babies. One of the first fiction books my DD read was Baby Island, and she surprised me by reading it very quickly too.

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Some of these are repeats, but my girls enjoyed them

 

Mr Putter and Tabby

Catwings

Pioneer Cat

Jenny and the Cat Club- there is a whole series of these

 

I don't think I saw these mentioned

 

No Flying in the House- has a magical cat that helps protect a girl

Lighthouse Family series is about a cat who runs a lighthouse

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Ginger Pye is about a missing dog. We thought it drug out way too much with unnecessary details (like the children cleaning the church and going swimming with nothing related to the dog or the mystery?) and we couldn't get through it. I didn't even finish reading it and that is very rare for me. I suggested Pinky Pye (about the cat) earlier though we haven't read that one. They are both by Eleanor Estes... but so is Miranda the Great and it didn't drag out like Ginger Pye, so I am not sure how Pinky Pye is.

 

Socks also has quite a bit about the baby. You might try books about babies. One of the first fiction books my DD read was Baby Island, and she surprised me by reading it very quickly too.

I thought there was a cat in Ginger Pye too. Well, it's been a few years since we read it. I did look at the cover and there is a cat on the cover. Maybe she just plays a minor role?

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It's a bit easier than Socks, but if picture books also please then you might try "Fire Cat." Our B&N usually has a copy for $3-4ish. It's sort of a chapter book picture book, if that makes any sense. But pretty easy compared to Socks.

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I thought there was a cat in Ginger Pye too. Well, it's been a few years since we read it. I did look at the cover and there is a cat on the cover. Maybe she just plays a minor role?

That's weird, I don't remember a cat... but we didn't finish the book either, so maybe the cat plays in later in the book.

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That would make a great Amazon list!

 

I think everyone has picked all the ones we have read, my daughter enjoys animal books.

 

If you check your library non-fiction children's section, they might have some there, too, our library had several good ones. They are all together so they are easy to find and look through.

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Cat Wings are probably below her, but are cute.

The Incredible Journey

 

If it seems a little too complex, find the OLD movie of it, and then she can follow the story pretty well.

 

Would she like a Quail? My son loved That Quail Robert, but I read it to him.

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Not to correct you, but No Flying in the House has an evil cat/fairy named Belinda. It's the dog who protects the girl.

Just sayin'...LOL It's a really, really good book, and one of my very favorites.

 

Well-written twaddle--Bunnicula has a cat that suspects the new bunny in the family is a vampire. It's hilarious!

 

If she likes Cleary, she might like Henry Huggins or the Ramona books. No cats, really, but the same style (same author).

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Guest sameasycure

My son (10), is reading through the Cat Warriors series and really enjoying it. My daughter (7), is reading the Bad Kitty series. There is a lot of laughing going on when either of my kiddos read those! :001_smile:

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