Emily Cheney Neville (1919–1997)

This is one of those books I come back to if I want some comfort reading. A book that brings back memories of originally reading it. I first read it in my early teens, I think my brother had brought it home from school as a required reading text. I picked it up, at the time I was (and still am) a huge Science Fiction fan but the story gripped and pulled me in. At one point my original copy got lost so I managed to find another copy.
The book won the Newbery Medal for Children’s literature show more in 1964 and was the authors first book. It is the story of Dave Michell a 14-year-old boy growing up in New York city in the early 1960s. The story explores his relationships with his family and friends (both old and new) after he adopts a stray cat. The Cat which he names ‘Cat’ (why not) is a sign of his changing attitudes and independence.
I find that the book perfectly encapsulates that period in the city, well at least what I think it was like. The characters within the text are rounded and well thought out even the secondary ones. Tom who the protagonist meets early in the book has a very interesting back story and the morality often isn’t black or white, with an accessible writing style you immediately get pulled in by the story.
The background of New York is well visualised the description of places such as the Fulton Fish Market and Coney Island really put you in those places at that period of the 1960’s. Throughout the book you can see how Dave’s attitudes and actions are changing as he is maturing.
It’s very hard for me to think of a Negative of this book other than I would love to follow Dave and Cat some more. The question is would this book be suitable for modern Teenagers/Children, to be honest I don’t know as I do not have children of my own. I think it may appeal to a slightly younger age than originally published for, but I cannot see any reason why even now Children and Adults would get something out of this book.
I also must shout out Emil Weiss the Illustrator who’s work in the book is a fantastic representation of the time. If you are going to buy a physical copy of this book, I recommend that you try and pick a second hand one with the original cover. It is however still in print and available on both Kindle and Kobo stores in the U.K. show less

IT'S LIKE THIS, CAT, written by Emily Neville and illustrated by Emil Weiss, first published fifty years ago, won the Newberry Medal in 1964. I found this copy - obviously a reissue in hardback - in a bookstore remainder bin, deeply discounted. In an earlier life, back in the 70s, I once taught Children's Lit to elementary education majors, and tried to at least familiarize myself with many of the award-winning books for children. This was not one I remembered, so I thought I'd try it.

While show more it was a pleasant enough read that moved along at an even pace, I found it to be dated and even "quaint" in both its language and in the way it depicted teenagers. Early praise from reviewers commented on its "touch of the vernacular" and the dialogue as being "modern teenage but never phony." HUH? I mean the dialogue here would have been considered stilted and quaint - maybe even 'phony' - even in 1963. Here's a story about a fourteen year-old boy, Dave Mitchell, who is still uncertain of so many things, often at odds with his stodgy attorney father, over things like his cat and music. Well, it's certainly true that teenagers and fathers often clash, but the reasons here seem out of touch and hokey. For example the noisiest Dave's music seems to get is a record by Harry Belafonte. Again, HUH? Where was Elvis, Little Richard, or Chuck Berry in this supposedly typical tale of teen angst? Nary a mention, that's where. And while I'm at it, if the book came out in '63 wasn't it supposed to be set in present-day New York? But it seems more like the fifties than the tumultuous times that marked the sixties. The young protagonist seems, in fact, to be extremely buttoned-down and conventional in his behavior and interests. His friends too, for that matter - an Italian Catholic who leaves for a Catholic high school and a studious Jewish boy who goes to shul. And his first girlfriend, Mary, who is the daughter of a couple of "beatniks," and yet nary a mention of Dylan or Greenwich Village. Young Dave lives, in fact, a very sheltered and careful life in a far away land called Grammercy Park.

I could say more, but here's my summation: this book has not aged well. It seems today, fifty years on, little more than trite, contrived and overly well-mannered. Dave Mitchell reminds me of young Bud, on "Father Knows Best," a show from the fifties, I might add.

And one more thing. The story has no ending. It ends 'in media res.' I mean, wait a minute, where's the conclusion? What happens with Dave and Mary? Does Kate the cat lady come to terms with her sudden windfall? Will Tom and Hilda make things work? Does Mom's asthma get better? Does Dad simply all of a sudden stop being such a jerk? Does Dave's DA grow back in satisfactorily? I mean all these unanswered questions.

What we have here is a sweet little NYC fairy tale from the fifties, but I'm afraid I couldn't really recommend it to kids today. Most of 'em would be bored stiff. And I can't help but wonder whether the kids in 1963 and '64 might have been just as bored. show less

I'm glad my book group chose this one. I hadn't read it since childhood. An interesting tale. Any one familiar with New York will better understand the journeys Dave takes. Not much of a plot line. More a glimpse into a life. I was startled at the ending and had to reread a few pages to make sense of it. Now I want to read some of Beverly Cleary's teen books and see how they compare. I was interested to see inside a boy's head having always been inside a girls!

It's Like This Cat follows the story of Dave Mitchell as he forges through those awkward teen years we all have. He argues with his father and has a hard time talking to girls and finding friends. He stumbles upon a stray cat, which he takes home and calls Cat. Cat helps Dave meet two new friends, Tom and Mary. Tom is on his own and has no connection with his family. This encourages Dave to start looking at his own family differently.

This was a great coming of age story. It's lighthearted show more but with significant truths we can all connect with. Who hasn't had difficult relationships with parents or peers? Sometimes it takes seeing things from someone's perspective other than our own to break down barriers and become a true family.

It was slightly dated, but good, nonetheless. show less