Review

The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook

Common Sense Media says

Realistic story of girl coping with sick cat, dad's death.
Age
8
Quality
 
  • Educational value3
    Oona lives in the urban environment of Oakland, Calif., and the characters and settings reflect the city's diversity: She participates in Indian traditional celebrations with her neighbors, learns a smattering of Yiddish from her grandmother, listens to the blues, and works in a pizzeria that serves both Italian and Mexican-style pizza. Oona helps her little brother learn to read by inventing rebuses for him, and she talks about what makes a story successful. Readers will also learn about pets and that it's sometimes necessary to acknowledge their mortality.
  • Positive messages4
    The importance of family, neighbors, and community is emphasized. Everyone watches out for one another, and even when friends or family get into disagreements, they work at resolving them.
  • Positive role models4
    Ten-year-old Oona has a rating system for her "whoppers" -- some are harmless white lies, some are inventive stories, and others can actually hurt people. She sometimes struggles to follow her conscience, although she does realize that doing the right thing makes her feel better. Oona is observant and has several theories about life that help her define the world around her, but she also learns that there can be danger in pigeonholing people and situations. Her mother understands that much of her rebellious behavior is a reaction to her father's death and helps her find the way to do the right thing.
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook is the story of 10-year-old Oona, who is still mourning her father's death two years ago and struggling to accept the changes that have occurred since, which sometime lead her to make bad choices. She worries deeply about the aging of her beloved cat, and her anxiety is magnified by something she hasn't told her mother that weighs on her conscience. Oona's efforts to do the right thing are realistically depicted.

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