Have you ever felt like you don't quite fit in? Catawampus felt like that, because his front legs didn't look or work like everyone else's -- and being a stray, he was often lonely.
When one day he is caught and taken to the animal shelter, he knows he must comes up with a plan to make others like him. But will it be enough to help him find a forever-home?
Editorial Reviews
"This clever and touching tale is a timely reminder of the beauty in our differences and the importance of love."
-Marie-Hélène Fasquel for Readers' Favorite
FULL REVIEW:
Catawampus: The Story of a Crooked Cat by Lori Hoffman Penna is a delightful tale about a stray cat with two bent legs. Living happily on the streets, his life takes a turn when he is caught and sent to a shelter. Longing for a family of his own, he wonders how anyone could love a cat with such imperfections. Fortunately, hope arrives when an elderly janitor visits Catawampus’s room one day. Seeing the cat’s sadness, he recognizes that all the cat needs is love and imagines how perfect Catawampus would be for his grandson.
The author’s enchanting illustrations bring this heartwarming story to life and beautifully complement the poetic and dreamlike narrative. The occasional rhyming lines add a lyrical charm to the text. Beyond its whimsy, the story carries an important message about overcoming bullying and rejection, themes that are especially relevant today.
Catawampus by Lori Hoffman Penna is about embracing differences and loving who you truly are. It reminds us that love should never be conditional upon appearances. The book celebrates diversity, showing how dull and uninspired the world would be if we were all the same. Penna deftly tackles issues like rejection and prejudice—whether directed at crooked cats or marginalized people—while highlighting the transformative power of kindness and acceptance.
This clever and touching tale is a timely reminder of the beauty in our differences and the importance of love. The “Did you know” section at the end is particularly intriguing, adding another layer to the book’s appeal. I highly recommend this gem of a book!
"Lori Hoffman Penna’s equally engaging, colorful cat illustrations present fine visuals that also impart underlying messages about diversity and acceptance."
-Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
FULL REVIEW:
Catawampus: The Story of a Crooked Cat follows a disabled stray cat who dreams of having a real home someday, but is aware that his crooked front legs don’t make him a prime candidate for adoption.
Caught by animal control and imprisoned at the pound, Catawampus is bullied for his differences, and an idea is reinforced that he will never fit in. A rollicking rhyme describes it all:
Then everyone laughed, howls and meows all around. Catawampus’s tail fell right to the ground.
It was then that he knew, without any doubt,
that he was a misfit, and better left out.
Lori Hoffman Penna’s equally engaging, colorful cat illustrations present fine visuals that also impart underlying messages about diversity and acceptance.
Libraries that choose Catawampus for elementary-level collections and parental read-aloud opportunities will want to point out that this is more than an exceptional story about cats. It’s ultimately about life and love.