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Cats to the Rescue: True Tales of Heroic Felines
Do cats really have a sixth sense? War hero, world traveler, adventurer, bodyguard—not the first descriptions that come to mind when we think of cats. But in this collection of true stories about the fascinating behavior of cats around the world readers will meet Grover, who saved his owners’ lives when their house caught fire. And Sugar, who spent fourteen months trekking 1,500 miles from California back home to Oklahoma.
Marilyn Singer offers a collection of inspiring cat stories, providing a historical framework and behavioral context to explain each cat’s actions. Cats to the Rescue is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Marilyn Singer offers a collection of inspiring cat stories, providing a historical framework and behavioral context to explain each cat’s actions. Cats to the Rescue is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
- GenresCatsAnimalsNonfiction
160 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2006
2 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Marilyn Singer
174 books101 followersMarilyn Singer was born in the Bronx (New York City) on October 3, 1948 and lived most of her early life in N. Massapequa (Long Island), NY. She attended Queens College, City University of New York, and for her junior year, Reading University, England. She holds a B.A. in English from Queens and an M.A. in Communications from New York University.
In 1974, after teaching English in New York City high schools for several years, she began to write - initially film notes, catalogues, teacher's guides and film strips. Then, one day, when she was sitting in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, she penned a story featuring talking insect characters she'd made up when she was eight. Encouraged by the responses she got, she wrote more stories and in 1976 her first book, The Dog Who Insisted He Wasn't, was published by E.P.Dutton & Co.
Since then, Marilyn has published over seventy books for children and young adults. Her genres are many and varied, including realistic novels, fantasies, non-fiction, fairy tales, picture books, mysteries and poetry. She likes writing many different kinds of books because it's challenging and it keeps her from getting bored. She has won several Children's Choice and Parents' Choice Awards, as well as the following: the Creature Carnival, Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Honor Book, 2005; I Believe in Water: Twelve Brushes with Religion, New York Public Library's "Best Books for the Teen Age," 2001; Stay True: Short Stories for Strong Girls, Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, 2000 (YALSA); On the Same Day in March, Booklist's Top Ten Science Books of 2000; NCSS-CBC Notable Book, 2000; Deal with a Ghost, finalist, YA category, Edgar Award, 1998; It Can't Hurt Forever, Maud Hart Lovelace Award, 1983; The Course of True Love Never Did Run Smooth, ALA Best Book for Young Adults, 1983; Turtle in July, NCTE Notable, N.Y.Times Best Illustrated and Time Magazine Best Children's Books of 1989; Turtle in July was also a Reading Rainbow review book.
Marilyn currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband Steve; their standard poodle Oggi, a cousin of their beloved and recently departed poodle Easy, seen in the home page photo; a cat named August ; two collared doves named Jubilee and Holiday; and a starling named Darling. Her interests include dog training, reading, hiking, bird-watching, gardening, meditation, playing computer adventure games and going to the movies and the theatre. She's also a major Star Trek fan.
In 1974, after teaching English in New York City high schools for several years, she began to write - initially film notes, catalogues, teacher's guides and film strips. Then, one day, when she was sitting in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, she penned a story featuring talking insect characters she'd made up when she was eight. Encouraged by the responses she got, she wrote more stories and in 1976 her first book, The Dog Who Insisted He Wasn't, was published by E.P.Dutton & Co.
Since then, Marilyn has published over seventy books for children and young adults. Her genres are many and varied, including realistic novels, fantasies, non-fiction, fairy tales, picture books, mysteries and poetry. She likes writing many different kinds of books because it's challenging and it keeps her from getting bored. She has won several Children's Choice and Parents' Choice Awards, as well as the following: the Creature Carnival, Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Honor Book, 2005; I Believe in Water: Twelve Brushes with Religion, New York Public Library's "Best Books for the Teen Age," 2001; Stay True: Short Stories for Strong Girls, Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, 2000 (YALSA); On the Same Day in March, Booklist's Top Ten Science Books of 2000; NCSS-CBC Notable Book, 2000; Deal with a Ghost, finalist, YA category, Edgar Award, 1998; It Can't Hurt Forever, Maud Hart Lovelace Award, 1983; The Course of True Love Never Did Run Smooth, ALA Best Book for Young Adults, 1983; Turtle in July, NCTE Notable, N.Y.Times Best Illustrated and Time Magazine Best Children's Books of 1989; Turtle in July was also a Reading Rainbow review book.
Marilyn currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband Steve; their standard poodle Oggi, a cousin of their beloved and recently departed poodle Easy, seen in the home page photo; a cat named August ; two collared doves named Jubilee and Holiday; and a starling named Darling. Her interests include dog training, reading, hiking, bird-watching, gardening, meditation, playing computer adventure games and going to the movies and the theatre. She's also a major Star Trek fan.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 11, 2018
This short book explores the mystique of the cat. Each chapter depicts felines as something different, - hero, muse, therapist, explorer, etc. These stories will delight cat people of all ages.
September 2, 2007
All cats are heroes in my book!
July 14, 2017
If your kid is even remotely interested in cats, he or she will LOVE this book!
July 14, 2017
My son and I read these stories of heroic cats to our very young foster kittens. I hope they were properly inspired. ;)
August 3, 2019
My cat loving 8 year old daughter LOVED having this read to her.
October 8, 2007
This book has great stories but it should have been set up differently. I had trouble keeping focused because where a story started and stopped wasn't clear. I think it would have been easier and more fun to read if it was a glossy, colourful book.
Singer tells the stories of heroic and amazing cats that have rescued owners and other animals, alerted people to medical conditions (such as diabetic shock), caught a large number of mice, helped people emotionally, were in the war and more.
The story that was most amazing to me was the story of Marty who climbed into a hole in the ground while workers were laying down a patio. Not knowing the cat was there, the concrete slab was laid down over top of him. Eleven days later, the cat showed up covered in dirt and with all his claws ripped out. Apparently Marty had dug his way out of the hole. He must have gotten air by following the routes mice use underground.
The story that was the most amusing was the story of Guffey, Colorado and their cat mayors. Yep you read that right. In the mid 1980's, a cat named Paisley was elected as mayor. The town got such publicity that the county took notice and paved some of their roads and built a community center. After Paisley was Smudge LaPlume, then Wiffy LaGone and in 1993, a golden retriever held the position for a short time until the city decided to have a formal election and they elected Monster, a black cat, who beat out two dogs and a cockatiel. In case you are wondering, as of 1993 the population of this city was 26.
If you can get around the bland layout of the text, there are some great stories.
Singer tells the stories of heroic and amazing cats that have rescued owners and other animals, alerted people to medical conditions (such as diabetic shock), caught a large number of mice, helped people emotionally, were in the war and more.
The story that was most amazing to me was the story of Marty who climbed into a hole in the ground while workers were laying down a patio. Not knowing the cat was there, the concrete slab was laid down over top of him. Eleven days later, the cat showed up covered in dirt and with all his claws ripped out. Apparently Marty had dug his way out of the hole. He must have gotten air by following the routes mice use underground.
The story that was the most amusing was the story of Guffey, Colorado and their cat mayors. Yep you read that right. In the mid 1980's, a cat named Paisley was elected as mayor. The town got such publicity that the county took notice and paved some of their roads and built a community center. After Paisley was Smudge LaPlume, then Wiffy LaGone and in 1993, a golden retriever held the position for a short time until the city decided to have a formal election and they elected Monster, a black cat, who beat out two dogs and a cockatiel. In case you are wondering, as of 1993 the population of this city was 26.
If you can get around the bland layout of the text, there are some great stories.
October 29, 2010
This was an interesting collection of cat stories, some real, some from folk tales, and some from legends. I enjoyed the stories at the end more, maybe because of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. This would be a good book for second grade in my school, at least, because they study a unit that includes helper animals.
January 11, 2016
Lots of interesting stories, both real and fictional, as well as legendary. Written for children so not as complete as would be more interesting.
Chapters are: Mighty hunter; War hero; World traveler; Adventurer; Smoke detector; Emergency medical technician; Mother; Bodyguard; Pet protector; Therapist; Muse; God, Goddess, Monarch, Magician; Actor; Jack-of-All-Trades; Survivor; bibliography.
Chapters are: Mighty hunter; War hero; World traveler; Adventurer; Smoke detector; Emergency medical technician; Mother; Bodyguard; Pet protector; Therapist; Muse; God, Goddess, Monarch, Magician; Actor; Jack-of-All-Trades; Survivor; bibliography.
March 2, 2011
Great! The book has a lot of great cat stories.
December 18, 2011
So far so good.
September 2, 2012
This book has information about cats that I did not know. I found it very interesting. My dad still won't let us get a cat, even though I told him all about it.
January 22, 2014
Stay tuned!
May 18, 2015
I liked the heroic stories the best. Seems to have a good bibliography in the back.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews