What The Cat Knows [Paperback]

Brent Schofield (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

When a small kitten (Cupcake) is brought home, her new owners (Andy and Carol) don't quite know what to make of her strange behavior. Since Andy and Carol have never had a cat, they didn't realize that all cats behave this way. As it turns out, there's more going on in the home than Andy and Carol can see. Horrible germ creatures are lurking about, trying to make people sick. Only cats can see them and its Cupcake's job to make sure she keeps these creatures from getting her family sick. The kitten attacks the germ creatures, even though she is very afraid of them. Another cat (Thomas) tries to help Cupcake find her courage. Thomas also helps Cupcake understand her feelings about the new baby that has just arrived in the home. Just as Cupcake is about to conquer her fear, an evil germ creature has come into the home and it's after the new baby.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Brent Schofield was born in Georgia and lives there with his wife and two children. He works in information technology and enjoys writing and spending time with his family.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 108 pages
• Publisher: IUniverse (July 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595235379
• ISBN-13: 978-0595235377
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,274,791 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Brent Schofield was born in Georgia and lives there with his wife and two children. He has been working in information technology since 1983. He enjoys writing fiction, spending time with his family, and church activities. His first published work, What The Cat Knows, was written for a young audience and inspired by his own cat. See more at: www.brsbooks.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What the Cat Sees, October 30, 2002

By 

Rebecca Johnson "The Rebecca Review" (Washington State) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What The Cat Knows (Paperback)

It always gives me a shiver when I see a cat seeing
what I can't see. ~Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965)

When Brent Schofield found a kitten on the road in July of 1998 a story was born. Cupcake is the hero of the story and the author was inspired to write about her due to her more-than-wild-kitten-like-behavior.

Andy and Carol take on the responsibilities of a new kitten but are confused by her strange behavior. They buy books on cats and try to understand why she at times runs like mad through the house or goes tearing up the curtains. Cat owners will be able to relate to these stories.

The first chapter is from Andy and Carol's perspective. The second chapter is from Cupcake's perspective and from there on out, she has a real personality and talks to another cat and has her own thoughts about the situation she is in. It is cute to see how she finds courage and learns to accept the new baby and how she gets up the courage to find the germ creatures.

"Her ears picked up the scratching sound of the creature. She lowered her body and stalked along the wall toward the living room. She peered into the dimly lit room and saw the germ creature sitting on top of the coffee table. Cupcake trembled. She thought she wouldn't be afraid this time, but she didn't know where the other germ was....."

All the while, Cupcake is fighting off creatures Andy and Carol can't see in an attempt to protect them. She takes her job very seriously. This is a story for ages 9-12 which will make kids laugh and has enough suspense to keep their attention.

Much of this story reminded me of both my cats when they were kittens. Cat "pets/owners" will enjoy the humor and remember when their kittens acted in similar ways. However, now you will know why. ;) You will relate to giving a cat a bath and know it is not their favorite activity.

I would say it is not good to give cats milk, they do have milk "just" for cats now. However, the author mentions that: "The plastic from around the milk jug top was one of her favorite things to play with." This is so true! I have yet to meet a cat who did not go wild with cat-like joy when they found the ring from around the milk jug top.

Also, cats have been know to fight off disease by catching rats. The European bubonic plague of medieval times was largely due to the huge rat population. Cats are well known for controlling rodent populations, however people at that time did not see the connection and thought cats were evil.

A clever story to teach children how to respect cats and perhaps they will want to know more about cats and maybe even adopt a kitten from a shelter. Adults who
love cats might also be amused.

"What the Cat Knows" is cute, comical and creative.

~The Rebecca Review

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reviewed by Michael LaRocca, author of RISING FROM THE ASHES, August 26, 2003

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: What The Cat Knows (Paperback)

If you own a cat, does it ever seem like you own two of them? The one
who wants to be cuddled, and the one who flees your attention. The one
who purrs calmly at your feet as you sleep and watches you build
furniture, and the one who randomly charges through the house attacking
invisible monsters?

In this book, all is explained. That is exactly what your cat is doing.
Attacking invisible monsters. Invisible to you. Not to the cat.

And, by the way, the monsters are real.

A small kitten is rescued from the roadside. Her owners, who have never
owned a cat before, don't know what to make of her strange behavior.
It's not strange at all, though. They don't realize this, because
they've never owned a cat.

As a cat owner myself, I was groaning at bits of the first chapter. It's
obvious the characters in this book don't know cats. But, lots of people
don't. Not a thing unrealistic about it. But, I know cats, so I groaned.
At the characters, not the author. The author knows how to tell a story.

Chapter two, the balancing act begins. How can an author write middle
grade fiction, largely through a cat's eyes, without the
anthropomorphism growing trite, twee or condescending? Well, they could
do far worse than follow Schofield's example.

Cupcake is a kitten, somehow separated from her mother before she could
learn the valuable purpose cats serve, much less the skills she needs.
I'd never name a cat of mine Cupcake, but again, her pet humans are new

to all this. Consider it one more obstacle she must overcome.

According to the book's web page, it contains "humor, suspense, and
lessons about finding courage." That's absolutely correct. And, I
enjoyed reading it. I recommend visiting the web page.

Oh, and please don't judge this book by its cover. Quite honestly, I
don't like the cover. But I do like the book.

...

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More than a children's book -- for all ages., December 24, 2002

By 

Joan M. Lewis "georgiagirl2002" (GA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: What The Cat Knows (Paperback)

What the Cat Knows
By Brent R. Schofield

Review by Joan Moore Lewis, author of southern fiction

Perfect Gift for first-time cat owner
Have you ever noticed the strange actions of a cat? I have noticed how friends' cats would entertain me for a while by running, jumping, attacking the drapes, and wrestling with an invisible opponent on the floor before slinking off to another room. Upon their return, they would act calm, cool and collected. Now I understand why.

When Andy and Carol take the abandoned Cupcake into their home, they are in for a number of surprises. It is fun to see Cupcake, the playful kitten, get tangled in wallpaper and glue while "helping" Andy decorate the new baby's room.

After she gets established in her new home, Cupcake becomes friendly with Thomas, an outside cat. Even though Cupcake is growing up, she is still unsure of herself and her actions. Through windowsill conversations, Thomas is instrumental in helping Cupcake overcome fear and develop courage.

Pets have a way of becoming part of the family, and Thomas is no exception. He had once been a part of a family he missed terribly. At the end of "What the Cat Knows," Thomas was leaving to go back to his family. Does Brent Schofield know what happened to Thomas, and if so, will he tell us in a sequel? I certainly hope so.

This is more than a children's book; I recommend it to anyone who has ever owned or observed a cat.