Catty Corner Pounces into Action

Gr 2-4–Murphy’s chapter book offers readers a fun mystery to solve along with very likable characters. Catty is half-cat and half-girl, just like her mom. She likes things quiet and needs a place to scratch when she gets overwhelmed. She has two great friends: Bebe is organized, just like her chef mom, but Jo’s life and household is complete chaos. Catty tries to balance out both of her friends’ personalities while they try to discover who is stealing snacks, art, and meatballs! Readers will find all three characters easy to identify with and see something of themselves in this story. Whether they like chaos, organization, or peace and quiet, there is something for everyone. The author uses some higher level vocabulary that is either defined contextually, or used frequently enough to help even younger readers understand the meaning. Farb’s artwork is bright and colorful, and adds to the enjoyment of the text. The details make the pictures practically pop right off the pages.