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Show c () a m ii i; ip i:i ny The truth about cats (and dogs) BY ABBEY THE DOG vu tacimposed tough-lov- e tics to try and reform her feline companion. Leaving home to run errands, she left a long list of chores for the Cat to do and he promised to complete them. Well, now dont believe for a second that any cat's gonna carry out instructions at least not in the way theyre instructed. What the Cat didn't count on was Mother Holly's enchanted household items. So begins a vicious cycle of messing up. clean- ing up, and messing up again. Somehow, the Cal manages to get everything nice and tidy just prior to Mother Holly's return. And when I say just prior, I mean just prior he quickly stuffs a piece of enchanted popcorn into his mouth, hoping to spit it out later. Well, of course Mother Holly praises him, and like every cat know, he sits there, grinning and taking the credit. However, just as Mother Holly is about to reward him with a bowl of cream, that old sneaky Cat gets w hat's due. Now. don't get me wrong. I don't wish any ill will tin cats, but they have a way of squirming out of justice. And Alexander's careful documentation here proves that the purr a mark of distinction in this day and age actually originates from a bit of magic gone awry. Now that the purr has been passed dow n for many generations of cats, Alexander's 1 P Ww U 1 Treatment? They enlist the help of Rover, a talking dog who has made a handsome profit from his affiliation with the Gigglers. If it seems as though I am digressing, I'm not. and neither does Doyle as the narrator gives asides seeming to go nowhere but always adding suspense as Mister Mack meanders closer and closer to his Treatment. Only theres a problem. Mister Mack does not deserve the Treatment. Will the Gigglers, Rover, Mister Mack's children Robbie. Jimmy, and baby Kayla and his wife. Billie Jean Fleetwood-Macwho is well on her way to climbing the highest mountain in every country, be able to stop the Treatment from hap- THE GIGGLER TREATMENT Arthur A levin ISBN Books, $14.95 0439162998 REVIEW BY JAMIE WHITFIELD book underscores that the purr serves as a reminder for cats not to be so and arrogant. Yeah, right like theyre really gonna listen. Well, they dont, at least not at first, and that has been documented by Peter Collington's Clever Cat (Alfred A. Knopf. $15.95. ISBN 0375804773). As a dog, I take issue with Collingtons title, but he objectively illustrates the slippery slope on which pride can carry these creatures. th Collington's case study involves one Tibs Ford, the cat of a self-servi- olUW U By Roddy Doyle When one is struggling to make her mark as a writer even if the writer is a dog one cannot be choosy about ones assignments. And when said doggy writer is asked to write about cats, well, she simply bites the bullet and takes on the task. And I have to say. I'm glad I did. because there are two books released this month that offer straight talk about felines. The first one is How the Cat Swallowed Thunder by Lloyd Alexander (Dutton. $16.99, ISBN 0525464492). Alexanders meticulous research unearths the origin of the purr. Alexanders findings begin with the days when cats had no purr and all they did was get into trouble (and thank you, Mr. Alexander, for pointing W out what rascals these creatures can be!). Apparently, there was an elderly woman named Mother Holly who would not let her Cat out of her sight in an attempt to keep his disasters at bearable levels. But as dear as Mother Holly was, she finally decided enough was enough, and h Q very, very busy family. Tibss downfall began with the best of intentions (well . . . supposedly). Simply put, he was tired of waiting waiting for breakfast, waiting to go outside, waiting to come inside. So Tibs took matters into his own paws and started opening his owm cans of catfood. Soon enough, the Fords gave Tibs his own front door key. It doesnt take long before Tibs is living the high life: going to movies, dining out, having access to Mrs. Ford's ATM card. And all the time, Tibs is wondering, Why dont all cats live this way? But all good things come to an end: Tibs has to pay rent and w hen he is fired from his job, the Fords are less than sympathetic. Was it Shakespeare or Solomon who said pride cometh before the fall? Well, in Tibss case, a little humility brings a lot of w isdom. Just like a cat. however. Tibs lands on his feet, learning w hat it truly means to be a clever cat. Both books present a balanced view of cats. While some of my dearest friends are cats, too often these creatures are held to a standard far different from dogs. And the stuff they get away with is just plain maddening! At long last, both Alexander und Collington expose cats for what they truly are: flawed but lovable, just like the rest of us. V Abbey the Don has lose ties with the assmiate editor of BookPage. She would like to dedicate this piece to the mentors of her best friend. Claude the Cat. Want a book that will have kids, no matter what age, giggling and laughing out loud? Roddy Doyle, author of the New York Times best seller A Star Called Henry, has penned just the book. The Giggler Treatment begins as Mister Mack walks to the train station. A bird sings. A breeze carrying breakfast smells bacon, eggs, frogs legs, and cabbaadds to ge-only Mister Mack's happiness. His childrens kisses fresh on his cheek, hes on his way to a job he loves: biscuit ( cookie to Americans) tester in a biscuit factory, on his favorite day of the year: figroll day. Hes also heading straight for the Giggler Treatment. What is the Giggler Treatment, you ask? Well, its what Gigglers do to adults who are rude, dishonest, or mean to children. The creatures whose Gigglers are baby-size- d fur changes colors to blend with their surroundings. They are always listening, ready at a moment's notice to inflict the Giggler Treatment on any deserving adult, until the adult begins treating children fairly again. How do they go about setting up this pening? As they make their way to Mister Mack and he makes his way to the Treatment, readers will learn the history of the Giggler Treatment, listen g to musings from a learn seagull, why Mister Mack dreads cream cracker nightmares, lose track of chapter numbers (but not titles: one is named after Elvis Presley), and compare American slang to Irish, all while wondering where it's all going to end. Well, I can tell you where it's going to end: in a fit of giggles. ? fish-hatin- Jamie Whitfield has managed to keep the Gigglers at bay, despite having a leaching career that spans 20 years and thousands of children. i (MRimWBlBNSf Two to grow on Why is It that as chAdren, we cant seem to grow fast enough? And when exactly do we get big? Beloved children's author Margaret Park Bridges asks the same question m her latest book. Am IB or Uttle? (Seastar Books, $1545, ISBN 1587170191). A young chid Is trying to understand how she can be big and Bttle at the same time. She asks her mother; who gives her practical answers; for example, she is stifl young enough to ward dessert al day long, but big enough to be willing to wait for it. On and on, Tracy Docfcrays gentle, playful watercolors show the happy bond between parent and cMd as they explore this abstract idea in concrete ways. For parents with BtUe ones growing impatient, this h a wonderful book to share. The central character in another new book is also Impatient about growing, and learns that growing Is not always a physical action. Andrea Shavick's Yout Grow Soon; Ala (Walter A Con $1555, IS8N 0802787383) helps child nen understand that when the spurts aren't showing on the outside, let them shine through from the inside. Alex was fed up with folks patting him on the head and calling him Shorty. He dreamed about growing tail; he tried to eat right, get some exercise, and stretch himself every day. He sought advice from everyone his father; his mother, Ms teacher and finally, his very tafl Uncle Danny. Unde Danny knew that being tafl wasn't always a great thing, either; Cars and doorways simply aren't conducive to the exceptionally tafl (which definitely explains Danny's lumpy forehead). So Uncle Danny decided that Alex should shift his focus a Utile, and concentrate on getting the most from We. Theres no comparing such wonderful experiences as eating a popside in a bubble bath, or telling a good joke, or even smiling. So while Alex remained among he discovered something else about himself Instead. the l, un-taf- Now theres a couple for good measure. $ Abbey AncUude |