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Hurrah for Essays! All writing lessons should be this much fun.

See the Spanish version.

In this story book, cousins Mellie and Dennis decide to get a cat. They consider carefully what breed would be best for each family. For example, Mellie wants a cat that pounces, but Dennis wants a lazy cat, like his lazy dog, Clark Kent. Mellie wants a lap cat, but Dennis just wants a warm body BESIDE him. They consider different cat personalities, family situations, and personal preferences.

Mellie writes an opinion essay for her teacher, Mr. Eagle. But will her essay convince her parents to get the cat of her dreams?

This story takes a popular subject—kids getting a pet—and adds cats of all sizes and shapes: all writing lessons should be this much fun. In the end, it’s the cousins and the cats that keep a reader turning the page. What kind of cat will Mellie choose? Will Dennis want the same kind of cat?

PRAISE FROM CAT EXPERTS

“This is an absolutely delightful story book...The playful illustrations compliment the humorous and educational quality of the book.”
--Joan Miller, Cahir, CFA Outreach and Education, Cat Fancier’s Association

"...as informative a cat book as any text out there. Each selected breed pinpoints the single most important trait to know about it before choosing a cat ‘purrfect’ for you."
— Alexis Mitchell, Syracoon/Furensics, Maine Coon Cat Breed Council Secretary, Maine Coon Cat breeders of CFA

Choose a Cat Plus Essay Writing

This story book hits many notes:

• A family story book about cousins, Dennis and Mellie
• Scientific information on cat breeds
• Responsible cat ownership
• Mentor-text for teaching writing
• Model opinion essay for elementary students
• Models the writing process, especially the importance of pre-writing or planning before you write
• Completes the writing process by showing the results of Dennis’s essay

Don't know much about Maine Coon cats? You can check Maine Coon Lover which is a website filled with tips for Maine Coon owners.

I WANT A CAT almost makes opinion essays look too easy. For STEM classes, a good study of cat species.

THE READ AND WRITE SERIES

Mims House supports kids reading and writing with THE READ AND WRITE SERIES, which includes four books. It covers opinion, narrative, and informative writing. Click the book covers for more information on the complete series.