Common Sense Media Review
By Sally Engelfried
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Realistic story of girl coping with sick cat, dad's death.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Ten-year-old Oona lives in Oakland, CA, with her mother and her little brother. Since her father died, Oona has been given more independence and responsibility: Every day, she picks her brother up from preschool, and together they work at the local pizzeria in exchange for pizza slices. When Oona's beloved cat Zook must go to the vet, she reassures her brother (and herself) that Zook is only on his fifth life, and she proceeds to tell her brother stories about Zook's previous lives, which reflect many aspects of their own. As Zook's seeming recovery gives the family hope, Oona must decide if she can handle her mother meeting a new man, reconcile the fact that it's possible to be happy again after her father dies, and accept that Zook can't live forever.
Is It Any Good?
As Oona says in her Theory of Story-making that she learned from her dad, "A story doesn't have to be true, but it does have to be real"; by these exacting standards, ZOOK definitely succeeds. Oona's inner struggles are all the more believable because they aren't easy -- even when she knows what she should do to make a situation right, she can't always bring herself to do it, and her quandaries make her a sympathetic, relatable character. Oona defines herself as "a noticer," and she invites the reader to notice right along with her. Her observations about the lively and diverse community of Oakland are delightful, and her stories and theories to fit all situations help both Oona and the reader understand her world, even when the stories don't have happy endings.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Oona tells her brother stories to help them both worry less about their cat Zook. Have you ever had a pet get sick? How did you deal with your own worries?
Oona gives her theory of story-making in eight steps. Test it out: Do your favorite books or stories follow these rules?
Oona attends her first annaprasan, a Hindu rice-feeding ceremony where her neighbors celebrate the first time their baby eats solid food. Have you ever experienced a new or different cultural tradition through your friends or your community?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Contemporary Fiction
- Topics : Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Animals , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Amulet Books
- Publication date : April 1, 2012
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 218
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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