Customer Reviews

Go Home!: The True Story of James the Cat

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My friend Ann told me about this little book, and I decided that I too, should read it.

This is a poignant story of a lost and lonely cat. He's very attractive with black fur, a white chest, and white paws. The little feline wonders through a neighborhood hungry and weak, seeking a safe place. He meets some children and their mother who appear to admire him, but because he's wearing a collar they assume he belongs to someone in the area. The truth is, he's been lost for a long time and he has no home. The collar, once placed on him with care, is now outgrown and is causing him a great deal of pain. He does not remember how to get home. Months pass and the cat is slowly starving to death because he's too weak to hunt. One day, the exhausted cat is confronted by a large and aggressive dog. What happens to the cat and how he gets his name is a story every child will love.

This beautifully told narrative is well accompanied by memorable and touching illustrations. The fact that this is a true story makes it very powerful and reminds us that a stray animal may need help.

Our family recently had the opportunity to attend a program at our local library. The author, Libby Meggs read this book, Go Home! and presented a slide show of the real James the cat. We learned of the process she followed translating her photographs into the beautiful, detailed illustrations contained in the book. The reading itself provided a most touching tale of love and caring for young children. Highly recommended!

This book won the coveted national ASPCA Henry Bergh Award for humanitarian children's literature. Deservedly so!

It is a poignant story that teaches kindness to animals without preaching. The detailed, realistic illustrations are beautiful. I think this book should have won a Caldecott Award as well!

The beautiful illustrations are enhanced by a great story. Incredible color, lush landscapes, minute attention to detail, brilliant compositions, and an outstanding portrayal of animals create these must-see illustrations that tell the sensitive and sweet saga of James the Cat. This book is a gem among the many cat books out there. I eagerly await more work from Libby Phillips Meggs! This book will make you a devoted fan of her work!

The title caught our attention because my little boy is named James. We are not particularly cat lovers, but are dog lovers and animal lovers in general. The illustrations are beautiful; the story is captivating. My little Jimmy loved it and was very attentive when I read it to him. It teaches some great lessons and is very realistic.

This is a great story to show things are not always as they seem. The people thought that James had a home, because he had a collar on. It wasn't until he was attacked by a dog that they took a better look at the problem. They took the tight collar off and went to the vet to get help for him. They try to find his owner, but no steps forward. It's cute how he got his name. It is a happy story, he fits in well with their other two cats and has a great home for the rest of his life.

This book is amazingly popular with a wide variety of people I know. One six year old girl I know carries the book with her everywhere and asks people to read it to her. She says, "This is the best cat book I have ever read!" Also, I showed the book to my seventy-five+ year old neighbors, and they loved it. They immediately bought copies as gifts, and had to buy one for themselves. This book is beautiful and sweet. The story of James the Cat will touch your heart. I really believe anyone would love it!

I love this book! It is the most beautiful and touching book I have read in many years. The gorgeous illustrations masterfully present the powerful story of James the Cat's heroic search for a home, and the serious obstacles he encounters along the way. This book combines edge-of-your-seat excitement with a poetic philosophical journey that trancends all boundaries of time and the physical world. We all can relate to this book, because everyone goes through the same journey James goes through- the search for our place in the world, a home, and the search for love. Definitely a TIMELESS CLASSIC, with universal appeal. You've got to read and see this one! AWESOME!

My 5 year old daughter checked this out of the library, and I was so proud of her! Our family has adopted a dog and three cats (that look very similar to the three cats in the story), and we are animal lovers and advocates. I was touched that she chose this story. James is a cat who was abandoned or lost, and he lived in the woods behind someone's house. He struggled to survive for a long time, until the family realized that he had no home, took him in and gave him lots of love. It also hits close to home because my mother in law just took in a black and white cat who was living in her yard for some time. He was recently hurt by an animal, so she took him to the vet and then he became an "inside cat" in her home. Just like James!

I work with children who have been abused and have been in the foster care system. All my clients have related very well to this story and seem to connect with the pain the cat has endured. This book has been helpful in the healing journey!