Creech, S. (2008). Hate that cat. New York: Scholastic.
Hate that Cat by Sharon Creech is a novel that is written in poem/journal form about a boy named Jack that is studying about poems, various poets, and writing poetry. During the course of the book Jack gets a cat for a present. Although at the beginning of the book Jack hates cats and particularly a black, fat, mean one that lives in his neighborhood, he learns to love cats, even the black, fat, mean cat.
The reader is able to learn about the poets and various poetry forms as the book progresses. The book is written in first person point of view so the reader knows Jack's ideas and his perspectives about poetry and cats. The first stanza, or set of lines grouped together, of the book begins with Jack's thoughts about cats:
"I hate that cat
like a dog hates a rat
I said I hate that cat
like a dog hates a rat"
Creech often uses sense imagery in the text of book. For example, when Jack is writing about his deaf mother using sign language, the sense of sight is utilized by writing the text in a waving pattern, giving the feeling of hands moving through the air.
her hands
wav air
ing the
in
This book is best read individually, or with everyone having a copy. It is necessary to see the text to fully understand the meaning. It is also easier to understand if read in its entirety in one sitting or in large chunks. Because of the many references to poets and their specific poems, it would be helpful for students to have a little background knowledge of these poets and their styles of writing. Creech has conveniently included these poems at the end of the book. Reading these poems ahead of time would give the reader better understanding to why Jack writes the poems that he does.
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