When Mom brings home a stray cat, Dad is emphatic: they are not keeping it.
“There’s no use begging. Don’t say please.
I don’t like cats. They scratch my knees.
They carry fleas. They make me sneeze.
They’re always getting stuck in trees.
I want it gone. Send it away.
I’m telling you, that cat can’t stay.”
Mom, who could win an award for diplomacy, agrees with her husband, adding a comment about the fate of the poor kitty if left outside in the rain. Dad relents, but insists the feline be gone when the weather improves. Needless to say, the cat becomes part of the household.
This scene repeats itself again and again, with Dad’s protests becoming longer and more comical, and each time a new feline joins the family (as attested by a picture showing a home scene with the appropriate number of cats). Finally, in a surprising, laugh-out-loud conclusion, Dad has his say about the pet situation.
Thad Krasnesky’s wacky story begs to be read aloud. Kids will giggle at the refrain, and might begin chanting it along with the reader. David Parkins’ comic, expressive illustrations are a perfect match for the lighthearted tone of the tale. That Cat Can’t Stay joins a long line of Flashlight Press success stories. A winner all around. Ages 5-8
Published by Flashlight Press in 2010
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