Your Neighbor the Alley Cat

November 1, 2011

Gr 1-3-Each book starts off with animal facts; e.g., there are more than 230 species of squirrels, raccoons are omnivores, young pigeons are called squabs, coyotes are excellent hunters, alley cats are feral, etc. Then, dangers each species faces in its urban habitat are exposed. Spreads display photographs of the subjects in the world at large and in the neighborhood. Each title ends with an invitation to look for evidence of the featured animal on a neighborhood safari. Photographs are clear and interesting. New words are displayed in bold and defined in glossaries, but some, such as "iridescent," "carrion," and "omnivores," might require adult help with pronunciation. Bold red and yellow side boxes fill out the text with fact snippets, though the strong hues can be visually distracting. Worthy purchases, particularly for neighborhoods in which these creatures can be found.

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2011
Grades 1-3 Alley cats don't get much love, even though, under other circumstances, they'd be lounging on a besotted owner's couch waiting for their next treat. This nicely packaged entry in the City Critters series explains that feral cats are often abandoned, while some are runaways, and unless neutered, this category of cats can rapidly reproduce. The book then goes on to explain how the cats hunt and eat rodents and other small prey. While the discussion centers around alley cats and their survival (although there is much about house cats, too), the color photos often present more attractive felines, with only some showing the scrawnier, wilder group. There are a few activities to help readers look for alley cats, which seem tacked on: Have you noticed a decreased number of birds in your neighborhood? But the text also warns readers never to pick up a feral cat due to the risk of infection. The bold graphics and many pictures are a plus, as is the to-the-point text in an easily readable type. A glossary is appended, and suggested websites are provided on the publisher's own site.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)