Hobo's Book Club: a review for kids to read

Kasey Cox

Hi, everyone! I’d like to choose the next book for Hobo’s Book Club, but on this one, I’d like to include the kids. Moms, dads, grandparents, teachers, scout leaders, big brothers, librarians, older sisters, and all other friends of our younger audience, would you please share the review below with the kids in your life? I’d love to see the kids feel more involved in reading their local newspaper! Especially in a rural community, the weekly newspaper is an important way to keep up on sporting events, concerts, fundraisers, support groups, township meetings, job openings, and a lot more. We rely more on our newspaper and local radio stations than people in more metropolitan areas, who often have a daily newspaper and/or a TV station specifically for their city. Since we continue to hear a lot of wonderful feedback from parents and teachers about how much the kids enjoy Hobo, we thought a word or two from Hobo to the kids about a cool book would be just the right place to start. Look for more reviews and notes direct from Hobo to the kids in coming months. And now, here’s ……….. HOBO!

Hi! Hobo here! The book I want to tell you about is Fat Cat by Margaret Read MacDonald. I picked this book for my friend Gypsy, because she is a fat cat. Just like the cat in this book, Gypsy has a little head on top of a round, fat body. I like the drawings in this book. They are fun and have a lot of colors. The fat cat is dark orange. He wants more food. He eats and eats, but he wants more. He eats anyone who tells him he is fat! He gets bigger and bigger. At the end, he eats his friend, the mouse. She has a way to cut a hole out of his big tummy, and everyone who was inside gets out! Then she sews nice patches over the hole. Now the cat is flat, not fat, and he gives Mouse a part of whatever he eats. This story is like many other old stories called folk tales.

What I liked about this book: The funny fat cat gets bigger and bigger. The pictures are so cool!! There is something fun to look at on every page. The little mouse is cute. I like the song the fat cat keeps saying, “I may be fat, but I’m still a hungry cat.” This book is easy to read, by myself, or with my family. Kevin read it and now he tells Gypsy, “YOU are a fat cat!” Gypsy has not eaten Kevin. Yet.

What I did not like: I was a little afraid when the mouse cut a hole in the cat’s tummy. But, the mouse made it okay for everyone. He fixed the hole with nice fabric. I think the cat looked even better at the end, but not better than me. I am the prettiest orange cat I know.

I would love for you to write to me about the book you like best, or tell me what you think of my book. Tell me about your pets: do you know any fat cats? How about dogs? Or hedgehogs? What do you like to eat when you are hungry? Do you like to draw? I like to hear about you! Write me at: Hobo, 87 Main St, downstairs, Wellsboro, PA 16901 or email me at frommyshelf@epix.net Thanks!