We look forward to seeing you on your next visit to the library. Find a location near you.

Negative Cat
(Kindle Book, OverDrive Read)

Book Cover
Your Rating: 0 stars
Star rating for

Average user rating: 3.8 stars
User ratings:
5 star
 
(1)
4 star
 
(1)
3 star
 
(2)
2 star
 
(0)
1 star
 
(0)
Published:
Penguin Young Readers Group 2021
Accelerated Reader:
IL: LG - BL: 2.2 - AR Points: 0.5
Status:
Checked Out

Description

Two-time Caldecott winner Sophie Blackall spins a winning tale about Max, a feline whose behavior doesn't win any raves, except from the boy who believes in him and finds a way to turn a negative into a positive.
When a boy is FINALLY allowed to get a cat, he has no doubts about which one to bring home from the shelter. But Max the cat isn’t quite what the family expected. He shuns the toy mouse, couldn’t care less about the hand-knitted sweater, and spends most of his time facing the wall. One by one, the family gives up on Max, but the boy loves his negative cat so much, he’ll do anything to keep him. Even the thing he dreads most: practicing his reading. Which, as it turns out, makes everything positive!
 

Also in This Series

Formats

Kindle Book
Works on Kindles and devices with a Kindle app installed.
OverDrive Read
Need Help?
If you are having problem transferring a title to your device, please fill out this support form or visit the library so we can help you to use our eBooks and eAudio Books.

More Like This

Other Editions and Formats

More Copies In LINK+

Loading LINK+ Copies...

More Details

Format:
Kindle Book, OverDrive Read
Street Date:
08/31/2021
Language:
English
ISBN:
9780698172982
ASIN:
B08TV2P68Q
Accelerated Reader:
LG
Level 2.2, 0.5 Points

Reviews from GoodReads

Loading GoodReads Reviews.

Citations

APA Citation (style guide)

Sophie Blackall. (2021). Negative Cat. Penguin Young Readers Group.

Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation (style guide)

Sophie Blackall. 2021. Negative Cat. Penguin Young Readers Group.

Chicago / Turabian - Humanities Citation (style guide)

Sophie Blackall, Negative Cat. Penguin Young Readers Group, 2021.

MLA Citation (style guide)

Sophie Blackall. Negative Cat. Penguin Young Readers Group, 2021.

Note! Citation formats are based on standards as of July 2022. Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy.

Copy Details

LibraryOwnedAvailable
Shared Digital Collection10

Staff View

Grouped Work ID:
e3c457e2-3e2f-3d84-a6d9-dc4a63bd9da5
Go To Grouped Work

QR Code

API Extraction Dates

Needs Update?:
No
Date Added:
Aug 24, 2021 11:26:35
Date Updated:
Aug 24, 2021 11:26:35
Last Metadata Check:
Dec 01, 2024 14:37:06
Last Metadata Change:
Nov 03, 2024 17:25:29
Last Availability Check:
Dec 01, 2024 14:37:10
Last Availability Change:
Nov 25, 2024 22:16:39
Last Grouped Work Modification Time:
Dec 07, 2024 02:10:24

OverDrive Product Record

sortTitle
Negative Cat
crossRefId
6032298
images
    • cover:
        • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-100/1523-1/{5A898EA5-1CE9-4389-AF4D-25CC4194CC3B}Img100.jpg
        • type: image/jpeg
    • thumbnail:
        • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-200/1523-1/{5A898EA5-1CE9-4389-AF4D-25CC4194CC3B}Img200.jpg
        • type: image/jpeg
    • cover150Wide:
        • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-150/1523-1/5A8/98E/A5/{5A898EA5-1CE9-4389-AF4D-25CC4194CC3B}Img150.jpg
        • type: image/jpeg
    • cover300Wide:
        • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-400/1523-1/5A8/98E/A5/{5A898EA5-1CE9-4389-AF4D-25CC4194CC3B}Img400.jpg
        • type: image/jpeg
formats
      • identifiers:
            • type: ISBN
            • value: 9780698172982
      • name: OverDrive Read
      • id: ebook-overdrive
mediaType
eBook
primaryCreator
    • role: Author
    • name: Sophie Blackall
id
5a898ea5-1ce9-4389-af4d-25cc4194cc3b
title
Negative Cat
starRating
0
dateAdded
2021-08-24T12:39:00-04:00
contentDetails
      • href: https://link.overdrive.com/?websiteID=141&titleID=6032298
      • type: text/html
      • account:
          • name: Sacramento Public Library (CA)
          • id: 1151

OverDrive MetaData

interestLevel
LG
isPublicDomain
False
formats
      • fileName: NegativeCat_6032298
      • partCount: 0
      • fileSize: 0
      • identifiers:
            • type: ASIN
            • value: B08TV2P68Q
      • rights:
            • type: Kindle
            • value: 1
      • name: Kindle Book
      • isReadAlong: False
      • id: ebook-kindle
      • onSaleDate: 8/31/2021
      • samples:
            • source: From the book
            • formatType: ebook-overdrive
            • url: https://samples.overdrive.com/?crid=5a898ea5-1ce9-4389-af4d-25cc4194cc3b&.epub-sample.overdrive.com
      • fileName: NegativeCat_9780698172982_6032298
      • partCount: 0
      • fileSize: 0
      • identifiers:
            • type: ISBN
            • value: 9780698172982
      • name: OverDrive Read
      • isReadAlong: False
      • id: ebook-overdrive
      • onSaleDate: 8/31/2021
      • samples:
            • source: From the book
            • formatType: ebook-overdrive
            • url: https://samples.overdrive.com/?crid=5a898ea5-1ce9-4389-af4d-25cc4194cc3b&.epub-sample.overdrive.com
keywords
      • value: Animals
      • value: cat
      • value: Cats
      • value: negativity
      • value: Picture books
      • value: Self-Esteem
      • value: animal books
      • value: funny books for kids
      • value: Funny Kids Books
      • value: cat pictures
      • value: cat stories
      • value: cat book
      • value: cat lover gifts
      • value: animal books for kids ages 6-8
      • value: cat books for kids
      • value: cat gifts
      • value: feelings books for children
      • value: funny gifts
      • value: growth mindset books for kids
      • value: nature gifts
      • value: cats book
      • value: self esteem books for kids
      • value: social skills for kids
      • value: anxiety books for kids
      • value: anxiety relief for kids
      • value: animal gifts
      • value: hilarious gifts
      • value: social emotional books for kids
      • value: childrens cat books
creators
      • role: Author
      • fileAs: Blackall, Sophie
      • name: Sophie Blackall
      • role: Illustrator
      • fileAs: Blackall, Sophie
      • name: Sophie Blackall
imprint
Nancy Paulsen Books
publishDate
2021-08-31T00:00:00Z
isOwnedByCollections
True
title
Negative Cat
fullDescription
Two-time Caldecott winner Sophie Blackall spins a winning tale about Max, a feline whose behavior doesn't win any raves, except from the boy who believes in him and finds a way to turn a negative into a positive.
When a boy is FINALLY allowed to get a cat, he has no doubts about which one to bring home from the shelter. But Max the cat isn’t quite what the family expected. He shuns the toy mouse, couldn’t care less about the hand-knitted sweater, and spends most of his time facing the wall. One by one, the family gives up on Max, but the boy loves his negative cat so much, he’ll do anything to keep him. Even the thing he dreads most: practicing his reading. Which, as it turns out, makes everything positive!
 
gradeLevels
      • value: Grade 50
      • value: Grade 1
reviews
      • premium: True
      • source: Publisher's Weekly
      • content:

        June 14, 2021
        “Ugh! I’m not so great at reading!” confesses the cat enthusiast who narrates this story by Caldecott Medalist Blackall (If You Come to Earth). Having persuaded their family to adopt a feline “on Day 427 of asking for a cat,” the brown-skinned child promises to care for the animal and read for 20 minutes each day as part of the deal. But “words only make sense when I read them out loud slowly,” and Maximilian August Xavier, the orange-striped cat from the shelter, proves utterly devoid of charm—a negative cat. While classmates’ felines perform all manner of tricks, Max “stares at the wall” and “leaves hairballs on the rug, his tail in the butter, and poop in the vestibule.” The family complains, and a consultation with a shelter worker is arranged. In a sweetly suspenseful sequence, the narrator discovers that reading—“slowly. Out loud. The only way I know how”—is the key to Max’s heart. In dusty blues and greens, oranges and pinks, digital artwork “superimposed on the reverse side of vintage wallpaper” dials in on the interracial family’s dynamics and facial expressions. (Scorn demonstrated by the child’s older sibling is particularly vivid: “We should’ve gotten a dog,” they mutter, busy with nail polish.) Max is, of course, adorable, and the discovery that reading to animals can benefit both the children who read and the animals who listen is the story’s hidden treasure. Ages 4–8. Agent: Marietta Zacker, Gallt & Zacker Literary.

      • premium: True
      • source: Kirkus
      • content:

        July 1, 2021
        Sometimes things aren't what they seem at first. A child with brown skin has been asking for a cat for 427 days! His family finally says yes if he agrees to certain conditions, including reading every day. Uh-oh; reading is not this child's favorite activity. When the cat arrives, he reveals his true personality--gloomy. He won't play, listen to jokes, or fetch. What's worse, he leaves a hairball on the carpet, poops in the vestibule, and stares at the wall. What's even worse is that the kid's parents point out their unmet conditions. What to do? Well, as it turns out, what the cat likes best is what the child likes least--reading. An unusual cat for sure. Set against brown-paper backgrounds, the illustrations feature muted tones of orange, pink, blue, and green. Attention has been paid to portraying a variety of skin tones, from lighter beige to deeper brown, both within the protagonist's interracial family and among his friends; however, the mother's facial features lack consistency. Varying compositions in the spreads adds to the tension and resolution of the story. Understated text brings a dry sense of humor to the child's plight even if the interactions between the child and the family seem at times a bit adversarial. An author's note describes the true event on which this story is based and offers readers ideas on how they can go read to animals. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A humorous tale in which everyone gets what they want--even a negative cat! (Picture book. 4-7)

        COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

      • premium: True
      • source: Booklist
      • content:

        July 1, 2021
        Preschool-Grade 2 After begging his family for a cat, a boy finally gets his way--on the condition that he do certain chores and work on his reading, which he struggles with. A trip to the animal shelter leads him to a rotund orange tabby, whom he names Max. All of the boy's enthusiasm bounces off Max, though, and soon the family realizes that this cat is "kind of negative." The family turns on Max, who only seems to bring distress, and as they prepare to return him to the shelter, they find the boy reading out loud--overcoming his difficulties--with Max cuddling up to him, listening attentively, and their hearts are turned. Blackall based her concept on a true story of shelter cats warming up to reading children. Her illustrations, "created digitally and superimposed on the reverse side of vintage wallpaper salvaged from a falling-down house," have a charmingly old-school feel, deepened by the dull-toned color palette and design choices. A touching story that adds depth to the usual sweet humor of cat books.

        COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

      • premium: True
      • source: The Horn Book
      • content:

        January 1, 2022
        This entertaining tale is a tribute to animal rescue shelters -- and to literacy. The narrator is in the midst of an intense campaign to get a cat; we read that there have been 427 days of fervent pleas. The boy agrees to conditions -- including a commitment to reading daily, even though reading is a challenge -- and is allowed to choose a cat from the shelter. Max turns out to be aloof and troublesome. But just as the family is about to return this "negative" cat to the shelter, the narrator unlocks the key to Max's affection: reading to him. Later, the boy comes to the shelter to read to all the cats, and then his entire class does, too. The many eye-catching details in Blackall's fine-lined illustrations invite close inspection; for instance, readers will notice the narrator's mother sharing Wenzel's They All Saw a Cat at bedtime, and later Max becomes enthralled with Gag's Millions of Cats. Blackall expertly captures body language and extracts a lot of humor from the surly cat, especially when comparing him to the animated pet-owner: we see the child attempt to connect ("I tell him all my best jokes. He doesn't even smile"); the cat is shown with his back to readers, staring at the wall or rudely putting his tail in a stick of butter. As a result, it's immensely rewarding to see the connection that occurs when the boy starts to read (and to enjoy it!) and Max crawls closer to cuddle. A positive and satisfying tale. Julie Danielson

        (Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

      • premium: True
      • source: The Horn Book
      • content:

        January 1, 2022
        This entertaining tale is a tribute to animal rescue shelters -- and to literacy. The narrator is in the midst of an intense campaign to get a cat; we read that there have been 427 days of fervent pleas. The boy agrees to conditions -- including a commitment to reading daily, even though reading is a challenge -- and is allowed to choose a cat from the shelter. Max turns out to be aloof and troublesome. But just as the family is about to return this "negative" cat to the shelter, the narrator unlocks the key to Max's affection: reading to him. Later, the boy comes to the shelter to read to all the cats, and then his entire class does, too. The many eye-catching details in Blackall's fine-lined illustrations invite close inspection; for instance, readers will notice the narrator's mother sharing Wenzel's They All Saw a Cat at bedtime, and later Max becomes enthralled with Gag's Millions of Cats. Blackall expertly captures body language and extracts a lot of humor from the surly cat, especially when comparing him to the animated pet-owner: we see the child attempt to connect ("I tell him all my best jokes. He doesn't even smile"); the cat is shown with his back to readers, staring at the wall or rudely putting his tail in a stick of butter. As a result, it's immensely rewarding to see the connection that occurs when the boy starts to read (and to enjoy it!) and Max crawls closer to cuddle. A positive and satisfying tale.

        (Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

popularity
1091
links
    • self:
        • href: https://api.overdrive.com/v1/collections/v1L1BWwAAAA2I/products/5a898ea5-1ce9-4389-af4d-25cc4194cc3b/metadata
        • type: application/vnd.overdrive.api+json
    • shareInLibby:
        • href: https://link.overdrive.com/share?q=qgtcAMShdiw
        • type: text/HTML
id
5a898ea5-1ce9-4389-af4d-25cc4194cc3b
starRating
4
images
    • cover:
        • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-100/1523-1/{5A898EA5-1CE9-4389-AF4D-25CC4194CC3B}Img100.jpg
        • type: image/jpeg
    • thumbnail:
        • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-200/1523-1/{5A898EA5-1CE9-4389-AF4D-25CC4194CC3B}Img200.jpg
        • type: image/jpeg
    • cover150Wide:
        • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-150/1523-1/5A8/98E/A5/{5A898EA5-1CE9-4389-AF4D-25CC4194CC3B}Img150.jpg
        • type: image/jpeg
    • cover300Wide:
        • href: https://img1.od-cdn.com/ImageType-400/1523-1/5A8/98E/A5/{5A898EA5-1CE9-4389-AF4D-25CC4194CC3B}Img400.jpg
        • type: image/jpeg
isPublicPerformanceAllowed
False
languages
      • code: en
      • name: English
subjects
      • value: Juvenile Fiction
      • value: Juvenile Literature
      • value: Humor (Fiction)
publishDateText
08/31/2021
otherFormatIdentifiers
      • type: ISBN
      • value: 9780399257193
mediaType
eBook
shortDescription
Two-time Caldecott winner Sophie Blackall spins a winning tale about Max, a feline whose behavior doesn't win any raves, except from the boy who believes in him and finds a way to turn a negative into a positive.
When a boy is FINALLY allowed to get a cat, he has no doubts about which one to bring home from the shelter. But Max the cat isn’t quite what the family expected. He shuns the toy mouse, couldn’t care less about the hand-knitted sweater, and spends most of his time facing the wall. One by one, the family gives up on Max, but the boy loves his negative cat so much, he’ll do anything to keep him. Even the thing he dreads most: practicing his reading. Which, as it turns out, makes everything positive!
 
sortTitle
Negative Cat
crossRefId
6032298
publisher
Penguin Young Readers Group
atos
2.2
bisacCodes
      • code: JUV002050
      • description: Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Cats
      • code: JUV019000
      • description: Juvenile Fiction / Humorous Stories
      • code: JUV039090
      • description: Juvenile Fiction / Social Themes / New Experience