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Prelutsky, Jack.
IF NOT FOR THE CAT
New York : Greenwillow Books, 2004.
IL K-3, RL 3.3
ISBN 0060596783

(2 booktalks)

Click on the book to read Amazon reviews
Booktalk #1

"If not for the cat,
And the scarcity of cheese,
I could be content."

So begins Prelutsky's examination of animals.  Each animal is described in haiku -- a form of poetry.  See if you can guess what each haiku describes.  Then, maybe you can write some of your own.

Booktalk #2

“The Gruesome Ghoul, the Grisly Ghoul without the slightest noise Waits patiently outside the school to feast on boys and girls…or The baby uggs are hatching out of their ugly eggs, here come their ugly bodies, here come their ugly legs. You can guess that these poems are by Jack Prelutsky.  If not for the Cat is not your typical Jack Prelutsky poetry. In this beautifully illustrated book, he teams up with his neighbor, illustrator Ted Rand to produce a collection of Haiku featuring an array of animals and insects, such as the shark and ant.  Readers are challenged to figure out the type of animal being described in the three line poems.  The poetry conveys meaning in both sense and sound as in this poem.  When I raise my tail, Expressing my displeasure, Even wolves make tracks.  (skunk)  (Prepared by:  Alleene Holland, SCASL Picture Book Awards)

SUBJECTS:     Animals -- Poetry.
                        American poetry.
                        Haiku.

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