The Cat at the Wall by Deborah Ellis
On Israel s West Bank, a cat sneaks into a small Palestinian house that has just been commandeered by two Israeli soldiers. The house seems empty, until the cat realizes that a little boy is hiding beneath the floorboards. Should she help him? After all, she s just a cat. Or is she? It turns out that this particular cat is not used to thinking about anyone but herself. She was once a regular North American girl who only had to deal with normal middle-school problems staying under the teachers radar, bullying her sister and the uncool kids at school, outsmarting her clueless parents. But that was before she died and came back to life as a cat, in a place with a whole different set of rules for survival. It's not long before the boy's teacher and classmates come looking for him, and the house is suddenly surrounded by Palestinian villagers throwing rocks, and the sound of Israeli tanks approaching. Not my business, thinks the cat. And then she suddenly understands what happened to the boy s parents, and knows it's up to her to diffuse the situation. But what can a cat do?
Quietly moving, full of surprises and, with Clare's colloquial and spirited voice, highly readable* Kirkus Reviews *
There are no black and whites here, only ordinary people caught in the tangle of history, misunderstanding, and fear. * Booklist *
The ultimate message that every one has a story and that everyone has a chance at redemption is a hopeful one … a useful fictional counterpart to Ellis’ nonfiction work. * Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books *
The characters’ complexities are slowly revealed, adding layers to the story. Readers are plunged into the narrative, in the same way Clare must face her new feline life. * School Library Journal *
Ellis's premise is an unusual one, but with it she crafts a thought-provoking and sensitive story about the power of empathy and selflessness. * Publishers Weekly *
Without editorializing, Ellis’s suspenseful and thought-provoking novel offers a touching, humane context for one of the world’s most intractable situations. * New York Times *
Ellis takes quiet characterizations and situations, using gently eloquent descriptions and dialogue to immerse the reader in the raw tension. * Library Media Connection *
There are no black and whites here, only ordinary people caught in the tangle of history, misunderstanding, and fear. * Booklist *
The ultimate message that every one has a story and that everyone has a chance at redemption is a hopeful one … a useful fictional counterpart to Ellis’ nonfiction work. * Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books *
The characters’ complexities are slowly revealed, adding layers to the story. Readers are plunged into the narrative, in the same way Clare must face her new feline life. * School Library Journal *
Ellis's premise is an unusual one, but with it she crafts a thought-provoking and sensitive story about the power of empathy and selflessness. * Publishers Weekly *
Without editorializing, Ellis’s suspenseful and thought-provoking novel offers a touching, humane context for one of the world’s most intractable situations. * New York Times *
Ellis takes quiet characterizations and situations, using gently eloquent descriptions and dialogue to immerse the reader in the raw tension. * Library Media Connection *
DEBORAH ELLIS is the author of The Breadwinner, which has sold over one million copies. It has been published in 30 different languages and was made into an Oscar-nominated film. She has won the Governor General’s Award, the Middle East Book Award, the Peter Pan Prize, the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award and the Vicky Metcalf Award. A recipient of the Order of Canada, Deborah has donated more than $2 million in royalties to organizations such as Right to Learn Afghanistan, Mental Health Without Borders and UNHCR. She lives in Simcoe, Ontario.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781554987078 |
| ISBN 10 | 1554987075 |
| Title | The Cat at the Wall |
| Author | Deborah Ellis |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Groundwood Books Ltd ,Canada |
| Year published | 2014-10-16 |
| Number of pages | 144 |
| Prizes | Commended for OLA Best Bets (Junior Fiction, Honorable Mention) 2015 (Canada), Commended for Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices 2015 (United States), Commended for Bank Street's Best Children's Books of the Year 2015 (United States), Short-listed for Red Maple Award 2016 (Canada) |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |