Tj and The Cats

February 1, 2003
Gr 3-4-TJ hates cats, but out of love for his grandmother, he agrees to care for her four out-of-control pets while she vacations in Hawaii. One day, when he returns from school, a terrible mess, akin to a crime scene, greets him. In fact, the police are called to investigate, but they quickly discover who the real culprits are. Determined to "know your enemy," TJ recruits his pal Seymour to research felines for their science project, rather than their old standby, dinosaurs. The more the boys read, the more they discover fascinating facts about these animals. The cats settle into a routine and so does TJ; in fact, he enjoys the after-school distraction, especially since his working parents are never around. He comes to love the cats while he learns responsibility, and his parents take notice of his growing maturity. This realistic story has moments of humor, likable characters, mischievous pets, and large type. A few black-and-white line drawings are scattered throughout.-Alison Grant, West Bloomfield Township Public Library, MI

Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2002
Gr. 2-4. "My name is T J Barnes and I don't like cats." This candid admission opens this short chapter book and sets the stage for the wild adventures T J encounters when he agrees to care for his grandmother's four cats while she's on vacation. Determined to find out more about cat behavior, T J talks his best friend into changing the topic of their school report from dinosaurs to cats. By story's end, T J has decided, "maybe, just maybe, I like cats after all." The transformation is so believable and happens so gradually that children will be hard-pressed to pinpoint when T J begins to change his mind. A somewhat serious subplot involving T J's relationship with his parents, who are totally preoccupied with their business, will strike a chord with many kids. A handful of pleasant black-and-white pencil drawings are scattered throughout the book, increasing the appeal for beginning chapter-book readers as well as older, reluctant readers. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)