Creech, Sharon. 2008. Hate That Cat.
Hate That Cat is the sequel to Love That Dog. It's a verse novel too. Our narrator, Jack, is one year older, but his favorite teacher, Miss Stretchberry, is right there continuing to challenge him and encourage this young poet-in-the-making. (She moved up a grade.) And if this is possible, I think I loved this one just as much if not a tiny smidgen more. We learn more about Jack, more about Sky--the yellow dog he lost, more about his family--his mom. And the more I learn, the more I love.
Here are two poems to give you a glimpse of what it's like:
December 20
When you put up that one line
from the eagle poem--
He clasps the crag with crooked hands
--and used all those different colored chalks
to show how Mr. Tennyson
managed to cram in
ALLITERATION
and
ASSONANCE
and
CONSONANCE
all in one line
well
I was impressed
but that doesn't mean
I remember which is which
and
I will never be able to do all that stuff
that Mr. Tennyson does
and did he know he was doing it
when he did it?
I feel stupid.
I am a bad writer.
I'm going to quit.
December 21
Thank you for telling me
I could FORGET
those confusing words
and that it isn't knowing the words
that describe writing
that is important--
it is the thoughts in our heads
that are most important
and that feeling the rhythm
is even more
wondrous
than hearing the rhythm.
And
thank you for saying
I am a genius
(even though I know
you are exaggerating).
(54-56)
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
Thank you for posting about this book. My daughter's favorite book of all time is Love That Dog. When I showed her your post, she said we have to go to the bookstore NOW.
ReplyDeleteThe eagle was the first poem I learnt for a competition - I can still recite it in its entirety - also Blakes little Lamb and Lear's pobble who had no toes and the owl and the pussycat. After 40 years I can still know all the words - a bit rusty on the Pobble - but remember most of it
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