All About Middle Grade Review: A Tail of Two Kitties

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A Tail of Two Kitties (Stick Cat, 1) by Tom Watson, May 3, 2016. Published by HarperCollins. Source: Publisher.

There’s a new pet in town.

Stick Cat.

It’s a big day in the big city for Stick Cat and his best friend, Edith. There are treasures to hunt, songs to sing, pigeons to catch, and naps to take. But way up on the twenty-third floor, danger lurks just around the corner. Terrible noises and violent crashes trap a desperate man in the building across the alley. Stick Cat will need to navigate his way across the alley—and around Edith’s peculiar ways—to attempt a rescue.

With Tom Watson’s trademark combination of laughs and adventure, Stick Cat’s high-wire act is sure to please cat lovers and Stick Dog fans everywhere. 

First Sentence

Do you remember our deal from the Stick Dog books?

I was going through my 'need-to-review' shelf on Goodreads when I noticed that I still hadn't gotten around to sharing my thoughts on A Tail of Two Kitties (from the author of Stick Dog). So, let's talk about this book.

• While definitely not an all-time favorite read, the first Stick Cat book was entertaining. While it is fairly funny with cute illustrations, I do believe that it would be enjoyed more by readers in the 8-10 range (those just moving into middle-grade books); I guess you could say that it would make a good transitional book for young readers making the jump from really short children's books to MG.

• So, what makes this such a cute read is Stick Cat and Edith, his neighbor, and the adventure they embarked upon while their owners were away at work. I won't tell you what kind of adventure they had because it would give away the entire story, but let me just say this, it was amusing as they had to traverse a dangerous path and attempt to return home all before their people returned. It is definitely a story that readers will enjoy.

• If I didn't love it, then why do I recommend it? Well, that's simple. It may not have been the book for me because I'm not the targeted reader bracket, but, that doesn't mean it isn't a good book. It's just a fun lighthearted read. I mentioned earlier that it's cute, so while that might not pack a lot of punch with me as a reader, it is still entertaining. I would actually say this is a great book for reluctant readers or for those who enjoy graphic novels (as it sorta blends the two together).

Final Verdict: A Tail of Two Kitties- A lighthearted and cute read about the adventures of two cats when their humans are away for the day.

A copy of this book was received from the publisher for review consideration. All thoughts are my own.