Catty Corner Lands on Her Feet

Catty Corner Lands on Her Feet by Julie Murphy (Union Square Kids – New South Books) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN: 9781454956471

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen

“No hissing. No scratching. No biting.” Those are the three key rules Catty Corner must abide by when she is out in public – but it’s sort of hard when you’re a half-cat.

Little Catty is in Year 3, but she’s been homeschooled by her mum – who’s also half-cat – her whole life. She’s quite happy with that arrangement, staying at home away from the judging eyes of other children, particularly the boy across the road. Catty has everything she needs.

Then, Catty’s world is turned upside down when her mother announces she has a new job that means she won’t be at home during the day. What’s more, it also means that Catty is going to have to start going to her local school – from Monday!

Catty worries that the other children won’t accept her. That with her cat ears and furry tail, she’ll be teased for being different. And, that she won’t be able to control her kitty-cat ways and will embarrass herself.

Unfortunately, she has no choice and, somewhat reluctantly, with her ears hidden under a hat and her tail tucked beneath her shirt, Catty boards the school bus. To her surprise, she quickly makes a friend who doesn’t care that she’s half-cat. Her teacher also turns out to be very understanding.

But not everyone is.

And not everything goes the way it should.

Filled with ‘kitty-cat’ puns and a few CAT-astrophes, Catty Corner Lands on Her Feet is a fun read with a quiet message of positivity and self-belief.

Author, Julie Murphy, has created an endearing protagonist in Catty, along with a cast of relatable characters in this character-driven novel for readers aged 6 to 8 years.

If you are a cat person – or even if you’re not – you won’t be able to help yourself from relating to Catty and cheering her on as she navigates her new school and accepting herself for who she is rather than who she thinks she should be.

Catty Corner Pounces into Action

Catty Corner Pounces into Action by Julie Murphy, illustrated by Eve Farb (New South Books) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN 9781454956495

Reviewed by Kylie Buckley

Something terrible is happening at Friends Hollow Elementary School. Food is going missing, and whoever is taking it is leaving quite a mess! First, it is the macaroni sculptures from the preschool room that have been eaten, then it is the students’ food from the snack pantry that has vanished. Third graders Catty (half cat/half girl) and her two besties, Bebe and Jo, are determined to get to the bottom of it. The trio set about finding the culprit before the school’s Meatball Mania fundraising night, and in the process learn some important lessons about friendship.

Catty Corner Pounces into Action is a chapter book suitable for readers aged 6 years and older. The large text is broken up by full-colour illustrations scattered throughout the book. This fun mystery narrative includes themes of friendship, identity, and acceptance.

If readers like this book, they may also enjoy Catty Corner Lands on Her Feet.

Odd Bods: The World's Unusual Animals

Odd Bods: The World's Unusual Animals by Julie Murphy (Millbrook Press, USA) HB RRP $27.99 ISBN 978-1-5415-8502-7

 Reviewed by Dianne Bates

Long snouts, bright-red lips, pointy heads . . . the animal kingdom is full of critters with unique features. Learn about the incredible adaptations that help these creatures—and their odd bods—survive and thrive all around the globe!

The thorn bug shown on the cover lives on prickly plants, so its sharp spike helps it to hide. The red-lipped batfish uses its lips to attract a mate. The naked mole rat uses its long front teeth to dig an underground tunnel. These, and other weird-looking animals, are featured in this fascinating book. The odd bods are all adapted for survival, for eating, for making a home, attracting a mate, for avoiding predators, or for camouflage. The photos show them all in their natural environments, and all are amazing. In the back of the book is six pages of odd facts and a map of the world showing the animals’ distribution.

Julie Murphy is a zoologist who once worked in a zoo where she cared for many odd Australian animals, such as platypuses and stick animals.

This book would be suit children in preschool to grade 3.

 

 

Achievement

Julie Murphy is pleased to announce the release on March 2 of her latest picture book for children aged 4 to 8 years. Odd Bods: The World’s Unusual Animals is a photo picture book published by the Millbrook Press imprint of Lerner Publishing Group in the USA.  

Long snouts, bright-red lips, pointy heads . . . the animal kingdom is full of critters with unique features. Learn about the incredible adaptations that help these creatures—and their odd bods—survive and thrive all around the globe. For more, go to https://lernerbooks.com/shop/show/20520

I’ve Got a Tail! Terrific Tails of the Animal World

Julie Murphy is pleased to announce the release this month of her latest picture book for children aged 4 to 8 years.  I’ve Got a Tail! Terrific Tails of the Animal World is illustrated by UK illustrator Hannah Tolson and published by Amicus Ink in the USA.  

From dolphins with tails that spin to a viper whose tail looks like a spider, animals from around the world describe how their tails help them survive. Covering adaptations to desert, ocean, forest, and arctic habitats, this narrative nonfiction picture book highlights the diversity of the animal world. For more, go to https://www.amicuspublishing.us/books/amicus-ink/ive-got-tail-terrific-tails-animal-world

This book the third in Julie’s I’ve Got… series. 

Julie’s website is www.juliemurphybooks.com