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Oct 30, 2009

Abigail rated it:

Dragged along on a condolence call to his widowed upstairs neighbor, Mrs. Katz, young Larnel is struck by the older woman's loneliness, and offers her the runt of a litter of kittens. Mrs. Katz accepts, on the condition that he help with the care of little Tush. And so begins a long-lasting friendship between the young African-American boy and the Jewish widow - a friendship that will effect the course of both of their lives...

A tale of friendship across religious, racial, cultural, More...

5 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 23, 2012

L12_Robyn rated it:

In Mrs. Katz and Tush, an old Jewish widow becomes friends with a young African American boy. The author does a wonderful job of bonding two characters through friendship,weaves the similarities between the two cultures and shows the similar struggles of slavery that the people have endured. Patricia Pollaco continues to impress readers with well developed characters that leave the reader thinking about the bond and kindness of Mrs. Katz and Larnel long after reading the story.

Mrs More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Nov 29, 2011

Melissa rated it:

This story of friendship is founded on two overlapping social inequalities from different times in history. A young African American boy named Larnel becomes close friends with his elderly widowed neighbor, Mrs. Katz, when she agrees to adopt a baby cat. Larnel visits Ms. Katz and the kitten, called Tush, everyday, and learns about the hardships Mrs. Katz faced being Jewish during the World War II era. Larnel can understand the hardships she faced, for he knows that his people too have faced h More...

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Nov 21, 2011

Maria rated it:

This is an interesting story, a connection story between a Jewish Polish old woman and a young African American boy. I enjoy reading it, but I think the title should be Mrs. Katz and Larnel. This story book portrays two cultures and it makes connections between them across time. Patricia Polacco is skillful in the way she crafts her stories.

The illustrations transmit emotions and mannerisms. All the illustrations are double-spread water color. She uses language and particularly an expr More...

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Jun 10, 2011

Ronyell rated it:

Patricia Polacco has written so many children’s books that show the true meaning of friendship and “Mrs. Katz and Tush” is no exception! “Mrs. Katz and Tush” is a children’s book by Patricia Polacco which is about an old Jewish woman named Mrs. Katz whose husband had died recently and she ends up making friends with a young African-American boy named Larnel and a stray cat named Tush. “Mrs. Katz and Tush” is a truly wonderful tale about the importance of true friendship that children will enjo More...

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Sep 27, 2010

Simone rated it:

Mrs. Katz and Tush by Patricia Polacco
Publisher and Date: Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 1992
Grade:2-3 (but can be used for 4th- 5th grade because of the content)

Summary: Larnel is a young African-American boy who lives next door to Mrs. Katz, an elderly Jewish lady. Larner goes to Mrs. Katz's house to giver her a cat for her loneliness, but Mrs. Katz end up giving him lessons about Jewish traditions and cultures. Although the two main characters have a lot of differences More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Jul 23, 2009

Lv2readB rated it:

Polacco, P. (1992). Mrs. Katz and Tush. New York: Dell Dragonfly Books.

Summary:
Larnel and his family live near Mrs Katz, a lonely widow who lives alone. When a cat has a litter of kittens in the basement of his building, Larnel brings Mrs. Katz the runt that no one wanted. Mrs. Katz falls in love with the kitten, whom she names Tush because he has no tail. When Tush goes missing and is rediscovered one day, Mrs. Katz and Larnel learn that she is pregnant. Finally, Mrs. Katz is More...

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Oct 01, 2009

(NS) Brea M rated it:

In Patricia Polacco’s book, Mrs. Katz and Tush, an unlikely friendship unfolds. Mrs. Katz is a lonely widow who is comforted when a young African-American neighbor, Larnel brings her a kitten. He then continues to visit her after school each day. Larnel learns how Mrs. Katz came to the US from Poland, how she met her husband, and he even joins her in celebrating each Jewish holiday. Over the years, Larnel and Mrs. Katz experience life’s ups and downs together from a lost cat to new life (Lar More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Apr 04, 2011

Carrie rated it:

This book and its characters reminded me a lot of the characters in Babushka by Patricia Polacco. The old woman looks as if it could almost be the same character. I like that this book has multiple races in it and those people interact with each other and have friendships because in many children's books this isn't the case and the characters will all be the same race. I also found it interesting that there are many words that resemble the word "cat" in this story like Mrs. Katz, Catsk More...

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Nov 04, 2009

Lisa rated it:

Thanks so much to my Goodreads friend Abigail for recommending this book.

This book touched me deeply and I can see why it was a “Reading Rainbow” book. The last several pages had me close to tears with emotion.

I love how this story shows the power of friendship, and how friends can be like a family. In this case it’s the friendship between a lonely Jewish widow and a neighbor who’s an African-American boy, and also that same Jewish woman and her cat, a cat given to her by More...

11 comments like (4 people liked it)

Sep 18, 2011

Tara rated it:

Larnel, a young African American boy, is taken by the loneliness of Mrs. Katz, his neighbor. He begins visiting her with his mother as a neighborly courtesy, but then, Larnel is moved to help Mrs. Katz by giving her the runt of a litter of kittens that Mrs. Katz names, "tush". From here, Larnel and Mrs. Katz develop their own friendship in which Larnel learns about the differences and many similarities between Mrs. Katz's history and that of his grandmother's. It is a sweet and tend More...

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Mar 16, 2009

Rian rated it:

Summary: Larnel befriends his elderly neighbor, Mrs. Katz, by bringing her a kitten and helping her to care for the pet. He learns about her husband and celebrates Passover with her, and they come to feel like part of each other's families.

Response: I love Patricia Polacco, and the more I read of her books, the more respect I have for the stories she tells and the way she is trying to bring people together. I read this minutes after having finished Deborah Ellis' "Three Wish More...

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Nov 12, 2008

Carter rated it:

There's an illustration of Tush (the cat) lying on his back with his cream belly exposed... my kitty does this all the time and it's uber cute.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jul 07, 2011

Jenny rated it:

Age:
Grades 2-4

Genre:
fiction

Diversity:
Friendship; Jews; African-American

Illustrations:
Illustrations look like they were drawn with pencil and markers.

Personal response:
I wasn't sure what to expect from this story but ended up loving the book. The two characters, Mrs. Katz and Larnel develop such a great friendship and bond over a cat named Tush. Their friendship grows and even to the end of the story. I thought the book had a rea More...

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Apr 30, 2009

J-Lynn rated it:

This is a really touching story about a young African American boy who becomes friends with an elderly Jewish woman who has lost her husband. The boy brings her a kitten for company and she becomes the catalyst for the story. But, the beauty is the unlikely allies of Larnel and Mrs. Katz.

The book also addresses how both Jewish people and African American were discriminated against in American history as well as how both populations were enslaved at one time.

The book is More...

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Oct 07, 2008

Maureen rated it:

Larnel, a young African-American boy, and his neighbor,Mrs.Katz, an elderly Jewish widow, begin to forge an unlikely friendship when he asks her to adopt a stray cat. The cat, fondly named Tush, is a wonderful antitdote for Mrs.Katz's loneliness. As they spend more and more time together, they become more than acquaintances , but develop a deep and familial friendship. As Mrs.Katz acquaints Larnel with the Passover traditions, they discover similarities in their respective heritages, as they c More...

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Jan 08, 2009

Toby rated it:

Great kids picture book.
Heart warming story of a young African-American boy and an Elderly Jewish widow. Mrs. Katz does not have any family so Larnel gives her a runt of a kitten. Mrs. Katz agrees to take care of the kitten as long as Larnel will come visit. During Larnel's visits he learns about Mrs Katz's family history and Jewish traditions. Larnel and the kitten, Tush, become Mrs. Katz's extended family. I loved the illustrations and the story. Have a tissue if you have leaky eye

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Aug 10, 2011

Linda rated it:

Patricia bases her stories on real life, real people and real neighbourhoods. It makes her stories feel personal and well, 'real'!

This story includes so many themes for children to talk about you could bring it out every other week. Loss. Loneliness. Community. Family. Love. Hardship. Friendship. Slavery.

How much more can one writer pack into a picture book?! But it doesn't feel didactic or over crowded with ideas. I loved it - can't wait to read it with my kid

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Mar 15, 2011

Alison rated it:

Great book to introduce the hardships slaves and Jewish people endured throughout their life. The story also represents finding a friend where you least exspect, and the characteristics a person may have in common with another. This is a great book relating the hardships both Jews and slaves went through, and how they have grown from these hardships. This would be a great read aloud book for a second or third grade classroom.

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Sep 29, 2011

Andrea rated it:

Larnel's neighbor, Mrs. Katz, is lonely, so Larnel brings her a kitten to take care of. He helps her take care of the kitten, Tush, and learns more about her history and how much they are alike.

This was a very cute book! I enjoyed the plot and was able to relate to Mrs. Katz's history lessons. I think it is a must read for any young Jewish child, however, it should not be limited to that.

2 comments like

Oct 16, 2011

Hannah rated it:

Mrs. Katz and Tush is an inspirational read. This book contains a friendship that I did not really expect. It shows children that they need to give everyone a chance, and they may be surprised at the things they have in common with one another. It also gives the background of very different cultures! The pictures got my eye and were very detailed!

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Jan 26, 2011

Yael rated it:

There is not a Patricia Polacco book that I don't like! Mrs. Katz and Tush is a story that has so many connections. Students can understand loneliness, helping the elderly, importance of taking care of animals, as well as a connection between two people that come from different backgrounds but with hardships that were and are worked through and overcome.

1 comment like

Jun 28, 2011

Kinga rated it:

The book chronicles a story of a satisfying friendship between an old Jewish woman, Mrs. Katz and an African-American boy, Larnel. Larnel and Mrs. Katz are not alike but they are friends. While taking care of a tail-less, albeit adventurous cat, Tush, they learn a lot about each other, about the different cultural background they are from.

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Sep 12, 2010

Teresa rated it:

A little boy befriends his neighbor Mrs. Katz when he asks her to adopt a runt kitten. The two are from completely different backgrounds but they learn from each other how her people and his people are very similar. The little boy learns all about her religion and her past. The story does end with her death but in a very comforting way.

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Sep 06, 2011

Travis rated it:

Mrs. Katz and Tush by Patricia Polacco is one of my personal favorites. The key feature of this book is its rich detail of jewish culture and how one kitten can turn a tragedy into a joyeus moment. I think it's an appropriate book for learning mosre specifically jewish culture.

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Apr 04, 2011

Auttumn rated it:

The message that I get from this book is how friends can come in all different shapes, ages, and sizes. I believe that this is a wonderful book to share to a class on friendship. Children of all ages can read this book and learn something new from it each time.

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Jul 22, 2010

Marianna rated it:

One of those books that when you finish reading it you hug to your chest. A story of friendship between Larnel and Mrs. Katz, forged with the help of Tush, a runt kitten. A fine example of the beauty of loving people for who they are, not what they are.

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Oct 25, 2009

Dolly rated it:

This is an amazing story about friendship, compassion and love that transcends race, religion, ethnicity, gender and age. The tale is so sincere and heartfelt; the emotion just pours through and it's a tearjerker in more than one part. I loved this story!

3 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 21, 2011

Jenny rated it:

I liked this book for the bonds that developed between neighbors who started to look out for each other and ended up being like family. I hope these happy bonds are really being forged out there. We need to all look out for each other.

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Apr 08, 2011

Amy rated it:

This is a good book to introduce to students in order to have a conversation about friendships. Patricia Polacco writes book that kids can easily relate to. Polacco's illustrations are one of a kind, this book is a must for classrooms!

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