Jon Flora and the Odd Eyed Cat [Paperback]

Stella Pevsner (Author)

Book Description

An evocative mystery from an award-winning author. "Readers looking for an unusual story will find it in this novel about true friends."--Booklist. Previously published by Clarion.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-8-A disappointing effort. Jon, 14, is recuperating from rheumatic fever during the summer his family relocates from Chicago to a small Southern town. He receives visits from an unfamiliar odd-eyed cat and its owner-a strange girl who is determined to re-create a druid ceremony on the night of the solstice. Though Jon is not sure at first whether Flora is real or imaginary, he decides to help her. Despite the first-person voice, the narrative is neither robust nor gripping; most of the early pages establish the young man's fragile health and loneliness. The plot moves sluggishly as the preparations for the rite proceed and as Jon's health deteriorates. The ceremony begins at last, only to be interrupted by the alarming appearance of Flora's estranged father. None of the characters fully engages readers' interest. Themes touched upon but poorly developed include a young person's right to decide with whom to live, the effects of prejudice, and the role of fantasy in surviving stressful situations. Elizabeth M. Pope's The Perilous Gard (Houghton, 1974) is a better story about druidic practice. Pevsner's book is unlikely to achieve nine lives- it's not fast-paced enough to be of interest to reluctant readers and not satisfying enough for demanding ones.
Carolyn Noah, Central Mass. Regional Library System, Worcester, MA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 6-8. The family's move to South Carolina has been difficult for everyone, but particularly for 14-year-old Jon, who is recovering from rheumatic fever. But late-night visits from an odd-eyed cat (Kat) wearing a flower garland catch Jon's interest, with the sudden midnight appearance of Kat's 12-year-old owner, Flora, called "crazy girl" by neighbors, providing an irresistible distraction. Jon is at first amused when Flora announces that she is actually a druid and invites him to participate in a midsummer ritual. It isn't long, though, before he's drawn into the activity and into a new friendship in spite of himself. Readers looking for an unusual story will find it in this novel about true friends. Chris Sherman --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin; First edition (June 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671561057
• ISBN-13: 978-0671561055
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,072,557 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Colleen from Hauser Junior High, November 23, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Jon, Flora, and the Odd-eyed Cat (Hardcover)

I think that Jon, Flora, and the Odd-Eyed Cat was an excellent book, but it wasn't quite my favorite. It seemed very real, as if it could really happen. I could really get into the book: it was as if I was Jon, This book was really exciting because anything was possible. It was intriguing, mysterious, and extremely interesting. The main character was Jon. He was very sick and angry because his family had just moved from Illinois. He battles with rheumatic fever. His way of escaping the fever is his nightly with Flora and Kat. It is really an awesome story that everyone should read!

5.0 out of 5 stars Olivia from Hauser Junior High, November 23, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Jon, Flora, and the Odd-eyed Cat (Hardcover)

I thought this book was Great! My favorite part was when Jon kept on helping Flora. That was a nice thing to do because he really didn't want to do it. I thought it was a nice ceremony. I would give this book a five star because it was Great! Katmandu was my favorite character. He was my favorite because he has one amber eye and one blue eye. I hope that many people will read this book and love it as much as I did. Have a Great time reading it.

4.0 out of 5 stars Jaimie, November 23, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Jon, Flora, and the Odd-eyed Cat (Hardcover)

The book Jon, Flora, and the Odd-Eyed Cat was a fantastic book to read. The book is now one of my favorite books to read. The beginning two chapters were not exciting, and then things started to pick up in the rest of the chapters. My favorite character was Flora because even though she is only around 10 years old she has a mind of her own. Sometimes she even tells Jon what to do. I like that she has a strong opinion. I think that Flora is a dare devil most of the time because she is not afraid to do something that is wrong. Most of the time she doesn't even get in trouble. The total effect on a reader was strong but that is my opinion. I know for a fact that the book had a strong effect on me because I enjoyed reading the book. When I read a few chapters I didn't want to put the book down and stop reading it because it was so good. Every time I finished a chapter I wanted to read ahead and find out what happens next. Sometimes it was just too tempting that I have to read on to the next chapter to find out what happened. The book is so good and exciting that I recommend it to readers who enjoy reading realistic fiction and a little bit of fantasy mixed together.