Hate That Cat

Written by Sharon Creech

Narrated by Scott Wolf

Return to Miss Stretchberry's class with Jack, the reluctant poet, who over the course of a year encounters new and challenging things like metaphors, alliterations, onomatopoeia, and one mean fat black cat!

The Newbery Medal-winning author of Walk Two Moons, Sharon Creech, introduced Jack in Love That Dog, a New York Times bestseller. Both Love That Dog and Hate That Cat are approachable, funny, warm-hearted introductions to poetry told from the point of view of a very real kid wrestling with school assignments.

These books are fast reads that will be welcomed by middle graders as they too wonder how poetry and schoolwork connect with their interests and how to uncover their true voices.

In Hate That Cat, Jack is only trying to save that fat black cat stuck in the tree by his bus stop—but the cat scratches him instead! At school Miss Stretchberry begins teaching new poems, everything from William Carlos Williams to Valerie Worth to T.S. Eliot.

As the year progresses, Jack gradually learns to love that cat and finds new ways to express himself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Sep 23, 2008
• ISBN: 9780061706110

Sharon Creech

Sharon Creech has written twenty-one books for young people and is published in over twenty languages. Her books have received awards in both the U.S. and abroad, including the Newbery Medal for Walk Two Moons, the Newbery Honor for The Wanderer, and Great Britain’s Carnegie Medal for Ruby Holler. Before beginning her writing career, Sharon Creech taught English for fifteen years in England and Switzerland. She and her husband now live in Maine, “lured there by our grandchildren,” Creech says. www.sharoncreech.com

Reviews for Hate That Cat

[anneofia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a beautifully told little story in verse. Jack, a lover of animals and a budding writer, is hurting over the loss of his beloved dog. He does not want to replace him, especially with a cat. The story, a tribute to both cats and dogs, tells of his anger over the loss, his longing for his pet, and his eventual acceptance of the way things are.The journal he keeps for his teacher is both funny and touching and tells a lot about his character. I loved the references and the rephrasing of poetry I already knew, and was so pleased to find all of the poems mentioned in the book are included in the back.

[salsabrarian · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Narrated by Scott Wolf. A sequel to "Love That Dog." Jack has Miss Stretchberry as a teacher again and through her teaching of poetry and his own writing, he finds an affinity for cats he didn't know he had. Scott Wolf nicely strikes the tone of a boy reluctant to expand his comfortable boundaries but who discovers that what's new isn't so bad after all.

[gharhar · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was a joy to read! Like many novels in verse, it is a quick and easy read, with a lot of white space to help the story move along. Jack, the main character, tells the story of his hate for cats through poetry. There is no way a cat can compare with a pet dog, who met in the prequel to this, Love That Dog. We learn how that hatred turns to love when he receives a kitten from his parents. Jack's initial dislike for poetry lessens as we witness his incredible talent at writing a poem, often imitating famous poets in the process. The book will make you laugh and smile. Highly recommended, especially for reluctant readers.

[engpunk77 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I recently reread Love That Dog and liked it a little better the second time, but this one is incredible. I LOVE it! So I recommend it even if you thought that Love That Dog was just okay. Poignant, touching, a middle school English teacher's dream come true. I'm wanting to share this with ALL of my students and it won't even crush me if they hate it. I love it that much.

[simonealexis · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is a follow-up to Love That Dog, in which a young student named Jack narrates in free verse what is happening at school and his love hate relationship with poetry. This time he talks about despising a cat, who he actually turns out to like (surprise, surprise!) in the end! This book is a great read aloud book, and a great book to read as an introduction to poetry.

[nkwak1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

 I liked reading this book. It wasn't until I finished reading that I found out there was a previous book that correlated with this one. I realized that I enjoy reading books that are styled in a way that exemplifies the writer making journal entries. Seeing the progression of Jack's writing made me want to continue reading to find out what aspects he was improving on. One of the reasons why I enjoyed this book was because the main character, Jack, was portrayed in a believable way. Although he was obviously a younger student, readers could relate to his frustrations with writing and also his interests. For example, on page 85 Jack mentions feeling stupid because he doesn't know how he would be able to explain his thoughts and appreciations for this poem to others. As readers and writers, we can empathize with the struggle of not being able to find the right words or not being able to accurately represent our thoughts or ideas. Another reason why I enjoyed this book is because it pushed readers to think about the touch issues. This book also broadened the perspective that I had previously had about poems and writing. The interest in all of the different poets made me more interested in some of the poems that were included in the novel and why the author wrote them. Sometimes the author would mention difficult topics, like the death of a pet or when a pet runs away. Those who have experienced this mishap will be able to directly relate to the feelings expressed by Jack. Overall, I think the overall message or idea of this novel was to show the progression of a child writer who, initially, just stated his thoughts but then transitioned to writing poems.

[elenchus_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Following R's Summer Reading (1 of 3): assigned for the Summer before 4th Grade, she liked it despite expectations and A and I also thought it was great fun. It plunges the reader in without any preamble, and figuring out what's going on is half the pleasure. Apparently it is clearer to those having read the first book, but I liked that I hadn't. The verse is inspired by influential poems, challenging but not ridiculous, and the actual verse stands up well even without knowing its inspiration well enough to see the borrowings. Some crucial stanzas are reprinted at the end, perhaps the author's intention for it to be used to capture the interest of grade school children.In addition to the good use of poetry, the bit about Jack's mom being deaf is subtly done and adds another layer of appreciation for words and sounds. Probably worth seeking out Love that Dog.

[mbklibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love this book and it's companion Love that Dog by Sharon Creech. Reading it just made me smile!

[bornbookish · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

There are two types of middle grade books; those specifically geared for middle graders, and those with enough depth for all ages. These books fell into the first category.Told in a series of journal entries, Jack communicates to his teacher Miss Stretchberry about his thoughts on poetry. Every time his class learns about a new type of poem or famous poet, Jack writes a poem inspired by them about events in his own life.Out of the two, I enjoyed Hate That Cat a lot more than the first. I think Jack’s personality came through a lot more than in the first. I liked his sense of humor, he definitely had me smiling =)He also used the word tintinnabulation is a sentence, which was one of my Wordlover Wednesday Words!As a 22 year-old, I didn’t particularly get a lot from these stories but I do think they would be good books for their specific age bracket. They both touch on different types of poetry, being embarrassed to put your name on something you’ve created, and most importantly it turns a boy who’s reluctant to write poetry into a boy who loves poetry.

[flight_of_stars · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In the style of Newberry award-winning "Out of the Dust", this book tells a story using separate yet connected poems. It is written in the words of Jack, who communicates with his teacher though the entries of his class poetry journal. By following his compositions, the reader journeys with him as he processes the loss of a beloved pet, discovers what poetry is (and isn’t), and learns to relate to a parent with a disability. Enriching the narrative are poems from great authors, which Jack uses as inspiration for his own poems.As a teacher, I loved this book. It shows the process that we see every day as students fumble with new material they're sure they'll hate, turn it around and backward, and finally make it their own. Jack is an emerging writer like many of my middle school writers, and I applaud Sharon Creech (a Newberry winner herself, "Walk Two Moons") for being able to map out that journey in such a convincing way.

[pbailey1980 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This sequel to Sharon Creech's book Love That Dog follows Jack through another year with his teacher Stretchberry. While the first book was primarily about a student reluctantly participating in his required poetry writing and how he developed a love for poetry and found an outlet for communicating his feelings, this second book begins to also focus more on the characteristics of poetry itself. This is a great book for continuing the story about Jack while at the same time teaching formal concepts about poetry. In fact, it is a great way to take a student-centered approach to teaching poetry rather than traditional lecture. Each new aspect of poetry can be discussed as it comes up in the book. The book is also an easy and entertaining read that should take away from the boredom of text books and anthology questions.

[jennycheckers · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Hate that Cat by Sharon Creech (2008) is the follow up book to Love that Dog (2001), and tells the story of a third grader named Jack as he struggles to write poetry. Told in a series of poems, we learn that Jack hates cats, likes classic and contemporary poets, has a deaf mother, and has a great relationship with his teacher. All of these things lead Jack to find his inner poet.In the classroom, I would use this as a read-aloud in a poetry unit, as it's a natural way to introduce poetry and the various forms it can take. It may also be appropriate to use in a discussion about Deaf culture because it beautifully describes how Jack's deaf mother uses signs to communicate. Grades 2-5.

[knitwit2_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A little boy in his second year with a poetry loving teacher. She uses the work of famous poets to teach kids that poetry is within all our reach. His mom is deaf, so he gets that beat and rhythm are important. Als,o he doesn't hate cats in the end. LOVE IT!

[aglater-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Love That Dog always makes me cry. Hate That Cat has the same fun with poetry styles and a sweet story line, but it isn't as moving as Love That Dog.

[katie-2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sequel to "Love That Dog" -- Jack one year on still writing poems for Miss Stretchberry in Room 204. Same format - poetry diary with poems he has to read at the back of the book. Discusses rhyme, rhythm, images, symbols, metaphors, onomatopoeia, alliteration, assonance, and consonance. The nominal query of the book is about cats, e.g., vs. dogs in life. The deep question of the book is, can you feel sounds instead of hear them? Like tapping out the rhythm of a poem. Because the book is a long love poem not only to his cat, but to Jack's mother, who is deaf and in the end when parents are invited to school for a poetry evening, Jack volunteers to do sign translation for his mother.

[lindap69 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The poetic fun continues with Jack and Miss Stretchberry and now the cat. Another great way to make the learning of poetry fun.

[scote23 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

MSBA nominee 2009-2010.

Still really good. Creech picks wonderful poetry to include, and I really enjoy the original pieces she writes. It's inspired me to try writing poetry again.

[aimeestanaland · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book, which is about a fifth grade boy who gets a cat after his dog dies, focuses not only on his acceptance of getting a cat, but demonstrates this acceptance through poetry and journal entries that he communicates through with his teacher. The reader grows with the narrator as he writes throughout his school year and shares information about his dog that died; his mother, who is deaf; his role in the family; and how he changes throughout the book and his ideas change as he matures and writes. This book would make a great teacher mentor book because the teacher can use this for students to understand perspectives, predictions-through his writings during the year,and creating their own journals or poetry to express their feelings.

[amandawaltz · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Hate That Cat is the sequel to Love That Dog and it is just as heartwarming as its predecessor. The book is told through a collection of short poems that manage to convey the emotions and thoughts of a young boy as he opens up about his family life, his nostalgia for times spent with his old dog, and his multiple encounters with a fat black cat. A large aspect of the story deals with Jack's reactions to the poems his teacher, Miss Stretchberry, reads to his class and how he incorporates those poems into his own writing. I liked the narrator's humor and his use of brief but powerful poems to convey the deep emotions surrounding his mother's deafness and his dog's death.The book can be used to teach poetry vocabulary, multiple writing techniques, and how to create poetry that is influenced by other works rather than copied from them. The book is also a good example of literary voice. Reading Level is 3 - 5.

[amcantrell · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a very sweet book to read. This is a sequel to Sharon's first book "Love That Dog". Throughout the book there is a great use of vocabulary and expression used in poetry format. "Hate That Cat is a poetry narrative that goes through the process of not liking cats or poetry, and then by the end of this touching tale the boy appears to grow fond of both. This would be a great introduction or read aloud for a poetry unit in 3rd or 4th grade. Great book, and definitely worth reading!

[kimbykunishige · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Hate That Cat shows that poetry does not have to be complex and filled with fancy vocabulary. It is a breezy read, but through the book, the writing becomes more in depth but the idiolect, the way in which the writer writes, remains the same. Extremely touching.

[jmilton11 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Genre: Realistic fictionMedia: noneAge: IntermediateReview: This book is realistic fiction because the characters are not real people. However, the story has strong connection to real life because not everyone likes cats, and people can relate to not wanting to write at times.

[atlomas · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a very funny book. I enjoyed reading it even though I do not have a cat.

[thedivineoomba · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I loved "Hate that Dog" by the same author. This book just doesn't hold up to it. Where the first book in the series has an interesting relationship between a poetry hating boy and his poetry loving teacher, this book tries to recreate that feeling and doesn't succeed. It also seemed the there are two plot elements that don't really connect... (a cat and a hard of hearing mother). Also, the poetry seems to be of the same type from the first book, This is the next year in school... shouldn't they be doing different poetry?

[jeneennammar · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3rd to 6th. In verse novel Hate That Cat, Newbery award winner Sharon Creech creates a tender-hearted sequel to Love That Dog. By doing so, fans will enjoy getting to read another round of her sensitive young narrator Jack's poems. He still makes references to his dog, but this time we read of how a neighbor cranky cat prejudiced Jack toward cats in general. Then a kitten steals his heart. We also read of his mother, and how he feels about her disability. Creech's poetry remains highly accessible to kids and provides ample mentor text possibilities. Although the narrator plays with poetic forms, he discusses what he is doing and how he feels about trying those forms. For example he says at one point, "we practiced doing ALLITERATION on them like with the purple pickle..." This book is useful for teachers trying to inspire reluctant students to express themselves poetically. Despite all this somehow Hate That Cat doesn't quite have the originality and high quality that Love That Dog had. But it is still enjoyable for those who were attached to the narrator in the first book. A space was created for it when readers left Love That Dog wanting more. Hate That Cat is recommended to public, elementary, and middle school library collections.

[kikotomo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Creech uses the same style and characters from Love That Dog to create this book, Hate That Cat. Readers learn more about Jack and his family through this novel, which is just as enjoyable as the first.

[dayehsensei · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This collection of poems is a "sequel" to 2003's "Love that Dog." Both collections respond to Walter Dean Myers' "Love that Boy" poem and a variety of other poems (grouped together in the back of the book). Both collections mention Myers and his family members extensively. Both collections tell a story: Jack is writing poems in Miss Stretchberry's class, taking notice of different events and topics. What marks the two collections apart is that this one is about cats-- cat poems, annoying cats, cat habits, etc. The poetry/fiction combination and lighthearted nature of the poems will make this collection a hit with elementary/middle school students as well.

[4sarad_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was cute, and I liked the ending, but it just wasn't as good as Love That Dog. If you really loved Love That Dog, it's worth a read, but to me it felt like an epilogue that you didn't really need or want.

[t1bclasslibrary · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the sequel to "Love That Dog" and is equally powerful. I absolutely adored it- it made me think of poetry in new ways. It was profound, taught poetry, and told a story. This should be read after "Love That Dog," and is as powerful for adults as for children.

[blockbuster1994 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Hate That Cat Written by Sharon Creech. Read by Anna Watson and Kate Watson Poems, but not the usual sort with SYMBOLS and METEPHORS, RHYMES and regular METER.No. Jack wrote poems coming out of his head. He did not care if he crowded the page with very long poems, written of a disapproving Uncle Bill and his Rules. Poems wereshort.And poems were about mean black catsfrom the neighborhood. Stray cats with sharp clawsand biting teeth. Cats Jack Hated. Or so he thought, until a Christmas Cat was saved.A kitten springing forth—alive-- filling the dead space left by a loving, lively yellow dog long gone. Learning from the best (surely dead, right?) poem masters,Mr. Tennyson. Mr. Williams. Mr. Poe. Mr. Myers. Mr. Eliot. Ms. Worth. Inspired Original Jack, writing poems in school,then coming home, watching his mother hear poems with her fingers.METAPHORING her to a sturdy chair and even a plum, once, we think.Expressive poems.No formula poems, only fun poems.We can actually write poems in verse.Thanks, Jack, for showing us how!