Stick Cat
by Tom Watson, published 2016
“Goose pats Stick Cat on the head. Then he scratches him behind the left ear. Stick Cat allows Goose to do all this. It’s how Stick Cat rewards Goose for working all day and buying him food.”
This children’s book comes after a series of five other books about Stick Dog. However, I’m not a dog fan, so I never picked them up. Judging by this one, however, the others are probably quite fine as well, if you love dogs. In this book, we see the world through a very intelligent cat and his not-so-intelligent cat neighbor. There is lots of humor, and some action that is sure to stretch belief. But it makes for a great little story.
I think the best part of this kind of children’s book is that it is easily read by a young and possibly struggling reader. The pages are drawn as if they are written on lined paper, the print is quite clear, and there are imaginative stick-figure drawings to keep you interested. I think it’s a great format for emerging readers to work with.
It’s not ‘great literature’ but as a children’s book, I think it adds a lot to the genre of easy-to-read books that will help keep children reading. I would definitely add it to a school or home-school library, if there are second and third grade children who need encouragement to read. If you enjoy this one, then check out the Stick Dog series as well.