Ghost Cats [Hardcover]

Susan Richards Shreve (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1999 | Age Level: 8 and up

Peter's family has lived all over the world, but now they've settled permanently in Boston. As Peter struggles to adjust to major changes, his family's dead-but-not-forgotten cats appear. Are they ghosts? Angles? Or hallucinations of a restless boy?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Shreve (Jonah, the Whale) skillfully upends a familiar subjectAa move to a new homeAand crafts a memorable, emotionally honest story. The oldest of four children, 11-year-old Peter has grown up all over the globe: Tokyo, Edinburgh, Rome, Ghana, Prague, Washington, D.C., and Houston. He's liked changing cities and he's especially enjoyed being the head of the "domestic army" of siblings. But now Peter's father, a pediatric neurologist, has settled the family in Boston. As Peter's mother finally enrolls in law school and as his siblings make legions of new friends, Peter misses his old role as his mother's ally and second in command. Making sophisticated use of flashbacks, Shreve anchors Peter's complex feelings in everyday exchanges. Peter narrates, in a voice that is distinct and credible but that lets the other charactersAthe family members and even their catsAemerge with clear, well-formed personalities. Readers who have struggled with various forms of loss will especially warm to this illuminating and sympathetic story. Ages 8-12. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Grade 5-8-Since birth, sixth-grader Peter Hall has lived in a dozen different places around the globe. Of the six members in his family, he likes change the most. In fact, he relishes each new move and the way their vagabond life brings him and his siblings together, "thick as thieves." Therefore, when his parents tell him they will be living in Boston for a long, long time, his whole world is thrown into chaos. While his younger brother and sisters begin making new friends and having sleepovers and play dates, Peter refuses to fit in. His only friends are the family's six cats. And now, two of the cats have died and one has run away. Told as a flashback, Shreve's story is compelling; however, it is also complex and difficult to follow, and the ghost cats make their appearance only at the end of the book. Though their "visit" gives way to the cathartic resolution of Peter's struggle to embrace his new life, their presence in the title seems deceptive. Rather than a true ghost story, this is actually an insightful, realistic treatment about trying to adapt to change. Peter is a well-drawn character, and his first-person narration will grip readers. His gradual acceptance of his new life rings true. He is not immediately accepted into the school cliques, and it takes work on his part to make friends. A well-written story with lyrical prose that may be lost on all but the most sophisticated readers.
Elaine Baran, Gwinnett County Public Library, Lawrenceville, GA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic; 1st edition (September 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590371312
• ISBN-13: 978-0590371315
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,450,900 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ghost Cats - a tale of how a family can change, July 8, 2000

By 

Erik B. Karlsson (Kansas City, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ghost Cats (Hardcover)

Don't let the title fool you - this is less a ghost story and more an examination of how a family can change as the children grow, as seen through the eyes of the eldest boy, 11 year old Peter. The cats (both alive and ghosts) are used as symbols of the change in the family.

Peter, the narrator, lives in a family where his father's job makes the family move to different countries almost every year. Peter enjoys the constant change and thrives on being the eldest child - often in charge. But when the family finally stops globe-hopping by settling down in Boston, the changes that occur to the family are not changes that set well with Peter and suddenly, change becomes his enemy.

Reader, beware - this is not a happy book (although the end can be viewed as a ray of hope). However, Susan Shreve paints a wondrous picture of Peter's life and the conflicts that are roiling about inside of him. This book is a fantastic departure from the standard conflict of "here's your good guy...here's your bad guy" that children are so often force-fed. Most advanced young readers will likely find this book perfectly to their liking. I suspect adults (especially ones with kids) will also enjoy this book and view it on a completely separate level from younger readers as they imagine routes that their family may take as their children grow.

Overall, this is a truly excellent book. Highly recommended.

-Likely to make you cry: yes -Likely to make you laugh: possibly - especially if you remember your childhood. -Reading Level: Advanced youth to adult -Reviewer's Favorite Authors (so you can compare to your favorite for possible interest connections): John Irving, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Charles Dickens, Kurt Vonnegut, J.D. Salinger

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Really a Ghost Story, March 22, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ghost Cats (Turtleback)

I picked up this book largely because of the cover--and I liked the idea of a cat ghost. The ghost cats don't show up until the very end of the novel. Still... I loved it. What a wonderful young narrator. And I disagree with the other reviewer. I didn't think it was sad. Just very real... about a difficult time in a young person's life.