To Be a Cat

Brief Description: Twelve-year-old Barney Willow gets his wish to be a cat but soon discovers that not all felines are cute and cuddly--some are downright evil--and his life is in grave danger, but his missing father may be able to help. Biographical Note: Matt Haig's first novel for young readers, "Samuel Blink and the Forbidden Forest," won the UK's Blue Peter Book of the Year Award and the Gold Smarties Award. He is also the author of various adult novels, including "The Labrador Pact" and "The Radleys." Reviewers have called his writing "totally engrossing," "touching, quirky and macabre," and "so surprising and strange it vaults into a realm of his own." His books have been translated into twenty-five languages. He lives in York, England, and assures us he has never, ever been a cat--despite rumors that he was once a rather grumpy ginger tabby named Jeffrey. Stacy Curtis finds it purr-fectly impawsible he's ever been a cat. He is, however, a cartoonist, illustrator, printmaker, and twin who has illustrated more than twenty-five books for children, including the "New York Times "bestseller "The 7 Habits of Happy Kids." He and his wife, Jann, life in the Chicago area and happily share their home with two dogs, Derby and Inky, and no cats. Marc Notes: ; Twelve-year-old Barney Willow gets his wish to be a cat but soon discovers that not all felines are cute and cuddly--some are downright evil--and his life is in grave danger, but his missing father may be able to help.. Publisher Marketing: Barney thinks being a cat would be easier than being a twelve-year-old boy. But when his feline fantasy comes true, the fur starts flying in this darkly hilarious and heartwarming tale. Cats have it made. They laze in sun patches, are showered with affection by loving humans, can cough up hairballs wherever they want, and never have to wonder why their dad disappeared one day and never came back. It's clearly much easier to be a cat than to be a middle school boy. So when Barney Willow wishes he could be a cat, and gets his wish, he should be thrilled. Except he's not. He discovers that not all cats are cute and cuddly, and some of them are downright evil. He discovers that his own mother can't see past the whiskers to recognize her darling son. Worst of all, he discovers that his life is in grave danger...and he doesn't have eight lives to spare. Review Citations:

Kirkus Reviews 04/15/2013 (EAN 9781442454057, Hardcover)

School Library Journal 07/01/2013 pg. 81 (EAN 9781442454057, Hardcover)

Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2013 pg. 78 (EAN 9781442454057, Hardcover)

Contributor Bio:  Haig, Matt Matt Haig is a writer and journalist. He has written Brand Royality and Mobile Marketing, as well as novel, The Labrador Pact. Contributor Bio:  Curtis, Stacy Sean Covey, Executive Vice President of Innovation for FranklinCovey Corp., directed the development project that produced the 4 Disciplines of Execution. He is author of the international bestseller "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, " having sold more than 4 million copies and translated into more than 20 languages. As director of FranklinCovey's education practice, he travels the world teaching transformative strategy and execution to education leaders. An MBA from Harvard, he is the son of Dr. Stephen R. Covey, author of "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. "