I Want a Cat by Darcy Pattison

I Want a Cat by Darcy Pattison

The Cat of Her Dreams

When cousins Mellie and Dennis decide to get a cat, they consider carefully what breed would be best for each family. For example, Mellie wants a cat that pounces, but Dennis wants a lazy cat, like his lazy dog, Clark Kent. Mellie wants a lap cat, but Dennis just wants a warm body BESIDE him. They consider different cat personalities, family situations, and personal preferences.

Mellie writes an opinion essay for her teacher, Mr. Eagle. But will her essay convince her parents to get the cat of her dreams?

This children's picture book takes a popular subject-kids getting a pet-and adds cats of all sizes and shapes: all writing lessons should be this much fun. In the end, it's the cousins and the cats that keep a reader turning the page. What kind of cat will Mellie choose? Will Dennis want the same kind of cat?

This story hits many notes:

• A family story about cousins, Dennis and Mellie
• Information on dog breeds
• Responsible cat ownership
• Mentor-text for teaching writing
• Model opinion essay for elementary students
• Models the writing process, especially the importance of pre-writing or planning before you write
• Completes the writing process by showing the results of Dennis's essay

I WANT A CAT almost makes opinion essays look too easy. But it works on many other levels, as well. Younger kids will be excited to learn the differences between dogs and will laugh at the antics of the dogs. Elementary kids will rejoice in a story of cousins (and will write the best essays ever ). A universal dream - a great pet - becomes an engaging writing lesson.

See other books in THE READ AND WRITE series:

• I Want a Cat: My Opinion Essay
• My Crazy Dog: My Narrative Essay
• My Dirty Dog: My Informative Essay (forthcoming)

WATCH DARCY PATISON DISCUS HOW TO TEACH OPINION ESAYS

In this 20-minute video, author Darcy Pattison explains how to use this book to teach opinion essays: mimshouse.com/writing-opinion-essays/

Darcy Pattison (www.darcypattison.com) wanted to be an astronaut as a kid. Instead, in this chapter book, she writes about space. Her middle grade works include SAUCY AND BUBBA: A Hansel and Gretel Story, THE GIRL, THE GYPSY AND THE GARGOYLE, and VAGABONDS, which have been translated into nine languages. ABAYOMI, THE BRAZILIAN PUMA: The Real Tale of an Orphaned Cub (Mims House), WISDOM, THE MIDWAY ALBATROSS (Mims House), a Starred Review in Publishers Weekly; DESERT BATHS (Sylvan Dell), an NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book 2013; and PRAIRIE STORMS (Sylvan Dell) are some of the most recent nature books for children. Start Your Novel, How to Write a Children's Picture Book, and The Book Trailer Handbook are some of the other resources for writers. Darcy Pattison won the Arkansas Governor's Arts Awards in 2007 for her contributions to children's literature.