Catboy

September 15, 2011
Grades 4-7 Taylor is still adjusting to life in Toronto, which is very different from the small town where he used to live. He and his new friends start caring for a junkyard colony of feral cats with the help of Mr. Singh, the yard's security guard. But when the yard is sold for condos, the feline caretakers find they must work together and move fast if they are to save the cats from being killeda plot arc that nicely ties together Taylor's need to find his place with the cats' need for a new home. Walters' storywritten in collaboration with students in Toronto schoolsmoves fast and is plenty appealing, if sometimes unbelievable. Realistic elements, such as the multicultural diversity of the big city and the proper way to care for feral cats, give way in the end to over-the-top anthropomorphism, but, by that time, readers will be too eager to see what happens to mind. Solid writing, strong kid characters, caring adults, and cute animals could make this a popular choice.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)