Common Sense Media Review
By Darienne Stewart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sweet tale of kind cat is daffy fun for reluctant readers.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
After Stick Cat's human roommate leaves for the day, his friend Edith slips through a hole in the wall to visit, play games, nap, and enjoy listening to Mr. Music in the piano factory across the street. But on this day, something goes terribly wrong: The piano player ends up trapped. It's up to Stick Cat and Edith to rescue him.
Is It Any Good?
Author Tom Watson turns his comedic talents to poorly drawn cats for this spin-off series featuring a thoughtful, clever feline, his goofy but headstrong sidekick, and their everyday adventures. STICK CAT: A TAIL OF TWO KITTIES shines when it focuses on the cats' great but simple joys -- particularly Stick Cat's appreciation of the music and city sounds drifting through the window -- and on Mr. Music's painful predicament. Watson lingers in these passages, inviting readers to pause and reflect along with Stick Cat.
Edith is a less introspective character -- her ditzy nature gets laughs, but it would have been nice if the only female character had more obvious strengths. Even her bold sense of adventure is turned around as recklessly shortsighted. This quick-moving easy reader has short chapters, plentiful line drawings, and a page-turning plot that should engage beginning readers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the friendship between Stick Cat and Edith. In what ways is Stick Cat kind to Edith? Do you think they're very good friends?
Is there a Mr. Music in your life, someone you don't know well who brings joy to your life?
How do you deal with friends who don't want to do what you want to do or who insist on doing things their own way?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Humor
- Topics : Adventures , Animals , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : HarperCollins Publishers
- Publication date : May 3, 2016
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 208
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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