The Cat Mummy [Import] [Paperback]

Jacqueline Wilson (Author), Nick Sharratt (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

I sometimes talk about my mum to Mabel, because Mabel doesn't ever get upset. Verity adores her cat, Mabel, and is desperately sad when she dies. Remembering her recent school lessons about the Ancient Egyptians, Verity decides to mummify Mabel and keep her hidden. Verity's dad and grandparents can't bear to talk about death, having lost Verity's mum in childbirth, but when they eventually discover what Verity has done with Mabel, the whole family learns that it's time to talk. A superb handling of bereavement in Wilson's uniquely accessible and enjoyable style.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"* 'A brilliant young writer of wit and subtlety' THE TIMES * 'Hugely popular with seven to ten year olds: she should be prescribed for all cases of reading reluctance' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY * 'Has a rare gift for writing lightly and amusingly about emtional issues' BOOKSELLER --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

JACQUELINE WILSON is an extremely well-known and hugely popular author who served as Children's Laureate from 2005-7. She has been awarded a number of prestigious awards, including the British Children's Book of the Year and the Guardian Children's Fiction Award (for The Illustrated Mum), the Smarties Prize and the Children's Book Award (for Double Act, for which she was also highly commended for the Carnegie Medal). In 2002 Jacqueline was given an OBE for services to literacy in schools and in 2008 she was appointed a Dame. She was the author most borrowed from British libraries in the last decade. 'A brilliant writer of wit and subtlety' THE TIMES. 'She should be prescribed for all cases of reading reluctance' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY. 'Has a rare gift for writing lightly and amusingly about emotional issues' BOOKSELLER.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Corgi (April 21, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440868572
• ISBN-13: 978-0440868576
• Product Dimensions: 5.1 x 0.2 x 7.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,519,315 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Suspenseful, tackles grief and regret, November 24, 2007

By 

Mars Violet "mom of three" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cat Mummy (Book & Tape) (Paperback)

My older children, ages 6 and 4 (at the time of this review), hung on my every word when I read this book to them. Both my son and daughter found the story funny and morbidly fascinating. My four year old daughter liked hearing about all the pets the characters had and empathised with Verity when her kitty died. My son longed to hear chapter after chapter, taking in the difficulty Verity's family has accepting her mother's death and how Verity deals with the loss of her very old cat. He also appreciated the minor plotlines of a bullying classmate who taunts Verity with threats to unleash a pet constricter snake on her. Both kids were grossed out by the cat's 'worrisome smell' but never scared by the way death was presented in this book. Thanks to this book, I believe they were made to feel comfortable enough to approach a parent with their concerns about death or having fibbed. However, due to the special subject matter this isn't a book we read over and over.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Cat Mabel (Japanese Title), January 14, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Cat Mummy (Radio Collection) (Audio Cassette)

Verity thought her cat was boring because Mabel slept all day and had no interest in toys and playing. Mabel used to be her mom's cat, so she was really old. She wished that Mabel was as fun as her friends' pets. After Mabel died, she understood how important her pet was and how much she had liked her. She wished that Mabel was still alive. I thought that this book taught me that even though you think something is boring when you have it, after you lose it, you'll understand how important it is. If you have ever lost somebody really close to you, or your pet, I think this book make you tear up, but it will also cheer you up. Even if you haven't lost anybody, you'll understand how important your family and pets are. So to whoever is ready to read this book, make sure you put a tissue box beside you!

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The cat mummy, April 16, 2003

By 

Michelle "Gohan" (NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cat Mummy (Galaxy Children's Large Print Books) (Paperback)

Verity lives with her Gran and Granda and Dad. She also lives with an elderly cat called Mabel. This is a sad story, about the loss of a loved pet. Verity keeps the secret about Mabel the cat's death from her grandparents and father. She decides to mummify her, after learning about mummification in school. I really liked this story, and the illustrations by Nick Sharratt are brilliant and emotional as usual. :)