Weekly Reader Children's Book Club Presents the Watchcat

by James Holding

Book Overview

When the twins bring home the Siamese cat with the unusually loud voice, they declare him a watchcat, little realizing how appropriate that title will prove. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0883752069
• ISBN13: 9780883752067
• Release Date: January 1975
• Publisher: Xerox Weekly Reader Family Books
• Length: 62 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Well done story based on the familiar plot of unwanted pet becoming a hero

This is a book that will delight the cat-loving child. Jerry and Jessica Patterson are twins who get off the school bus and begin their trek home through a park. As they are walking, they come to a box tied up tight with string. Being curious, they peek into the box and are frightened by a wild shriek that comes from it. A frightened cat that was locked in the box and then abandoned generated the noise. There is a note that says that the previous owner simply could not handle the noise that the cat makes. The twins take the cat home and convince their mother that they should keep it. However, their father is another story, he does not want a cat. However, after some serious pleading and persuading, he agrees to allow them to keep it. The cat adapts quickly to its new home, making its bed in a solver bowl. It is given the name Thaiger (pronounced Tiger) since they cannot determine if it is a tiger or siamese and the twins learned in geography that Siam is another name for Thailand. He is also fitted with a collar, giving his name and phone number. One night when everyone is away, burglars break into the house and steal the silver. Thaiger jumps at one of the thieves but is knocked unconscious when hit by a flashlight. He manages to crawl inside the silver bowl before he passes out and is packed in with all the other loot. Shortly after this, a man contacts the Patterson's, telling them he has found Thaiger. He was locked in a garage and it was his unusual screech that led the man to him. The police are contacted and they use the van in the garage to track down the thieves and solve a large number of local burglaries. Thaiger is now a hero and the police create a medal for him. The book contains illustrations, which are minimal black and white. However, the strength of this book is in the story, which is the now classic one of the originally unwanted pet that becomes a hero. It is so well done that one can forget how unoriginal the plot is.