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The Cat Who Came in off the Roof

by Annie M.G. SCHMIDT
4 CDs 4:02 hrs. Listening Library. Jan. 2016. $27. ISBN 9780147521019. digital download.
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Gr 3–6—Mr. Tibble, a reporter for the local newspaper in his small town, is rather reserved and spends his time writing quaint articles about cats. But his new mandate is to write about the people in the town, not just the animals; otherwise he will be let go. Fortuitously, Minou crawls into his life, or, in this case, into his home through a window, and helps him find news for his articles. Her sources? Neighborhood cats! Minou has a few secrets of her own; not only can she communicate with cats but she also used to be one. This animal story is a real treat. Katherine Kellgren does marvelous voices for each character—both human and cat.
VERDICT A great addition for libraries looking for selections that will appeal to animal lovers. ["Offer this charming tale to children who enjoy animal adventure and friendship stories": SLJ 10/15 review of the Delacorte book.]
Reviewed by Katie Llera, Bound Brook High School, NJ
Journalist Tibble is so shy about pursuing news stories that he is about to lose his job. With one last chance to redeem himself, he happens across Minou, an unusual young woman who used to be a cat and whose knowledge of cat language and access to the Cat Press Agency give Tibble all the juicy town secrets he needs to be a sensational reporter. Schmidt's 1970s Dutch classic is nutty, thoughtful, and congenial; a comedy of manners with poignant undertones. Narrator Kellgren holds nothing back in her interpretations of human and feline communications, making this an extremely lively few hours of story. She mingles her British intonations, tropes of dialect, and delivery with highly realistic meows and fishbone-choking retches-among other voice effects appropriate to the cats' anthem, the "Great Yawl-Yowl Song." deirdre f. baker
 , Aug 01, 2016

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