The Cat Who Came In off the Roof
Written by Annie M.G. Schmidt
Very feline hijinks are the theme of this recently-translated and great fantasy.
Winner of the Hans Christian Andersen Award, Annie M.G. Schmidt died in 1995. Her books are loved throughout Europe, but especially in her home, the Netherlands. This translation stands as a delightful addition to children’s literature available in the USA.
Minou is very cattish, but she doesn’t look like a cat. And she’s not sure why. She climbs a tree when a dog chases her, and thus begins her association with Tibble, a reporter with the Killenthorn Courier and sometimes rescuer of cats in trees. Killenthorn is full of cats, and Minou finds she is able to communicate with all of them. She helps Tibble gather news and keep his job at the paper. His editor hates cat stories, but they’re able to give him news about humans from what they overhear. Mr. Ellmore is a businessman who has the entire town convinced he is a nice, compassionate man, but he’s really very nasty. Plus, he owns the meanest dog in town. Through Minou’s efforts, Tibble is able to expose Ellmore. The reader also finds out how Minou ended up in her predicament and can cheer for her to find peace in her life.
Fifth graders will enjoy the gentle humor and ridiculous situations. Meanwhile, they’ll learn about a slightly different culture and definitely a different fantasy world.
Title: The Cat Who Came In off the Roof- Author: Annie M.G. Schmidt
- Published: Delacorte Books for Young Readers/Random House, January, 2016
- Reviewer: Sue Poduska
- Format: Hardcover, 160 pages
- Grade Level: 5 Up
- Genre: Fantasy, Humor
- ISBN: 978-0-553-53501-3
