Sunday, April 8, 2007

Mrs. Katz and Tush


Mrs. Katz and Tush was written and illustrated by Particia Polacco. This is a precious book and one worth reading as an adult as well as reading aloud to a child. The runt of a litter becomes the gift that opens the door to the world of the Jewish people and a friendship that lasts beyond a lifetime.

Larnel is a young man who lives in the same neighborhood as Mrs. Katz. Since Mrs. Katz’s husband passed away, Larnel’s mother has visited Mrs. Katz on a regular basis. She was lonely. A litter of kits were born in the basement. When they were of age, all of the kittens were taken except for the runt of the litter. Larnel took the kitten and gave it to Mrs. Katz so she would not be lonely. Mrs. Katz named the kitten Tush.

As the days passed, Larnel continued to visit Mrs. Katz. He listened to her stories and began to learn about the Jewish culture. Larnel was intrigued. Their relationship grew and so did Larnel’s knowledge of the Jewish culture. One day, Larnel and Mrs. Tush went to the market to purchase supplies to make a special meal. The window was left open and Tush got out. Both Mrs. Katz and Larnel were sad. Eventually the cat was found huddled in a dark alley all wet and miserable.

In the end, Larnel learned a great deal about the Jewish culture from Mrs. Katz. The two grew close. Their friendship was birthed through a gift, was nurtured through knowledge, and strengthened through time.

AR QUIZ: 100%

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