The Kids of Cattywampus Street
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
“An extraordinary book.” --Lemony Snicket, author of A Series of Unfortunate Events
Lovers of Roald Dahl and Louis Sachar's Sideways Stories from Wayside School will be captivated by the adventures of this very special group of friends who live on the same street.
In this delightful chapter book filled with black-and-white pictures, you'll meet Jamal, Lindalee, Hans, Matteo, and others--the kids who live on Cattywampus Street, not far from the Waddlebee Toy Store.
Each of the eleven chapters in this magical, mysterious, silly, scary, happy, and sometimes sad chapter book tells an utterly unforgettable tale about one of the kids. Whether it's about Jamal and his magic ball, which knows how to find him after its been stolen away; or Charlotta, who shrinks so small that she can fit inside her dollhouse; or Rodney, whose pet rock becomes the envy of all the kids on Cattywampus Street, here are stories sure to charm, captivate, and engage all readers of chapter books, even the most reluctant.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In the vein of Louis Sachar's Wayside School books, this nonsequential collection of strange and magical adventures devotes a chapter each to a variously inclusive group of 11 children who live on Cattywampus Street. Addressing the reader directly, the narrator tells the stories of "mystery kid" Bob, who lives in a "box on the other side of the tracks" and undergoes a surprising transformation; "downright mean machine" Lindalee, whose friends don't recognize her when her disposition improves; and Charlotta, whose desire for a dollhouse her family can't afford leads to uncanny changes in their domestic arrangements. Links between the chapters are often tenuous, but some connections reveal surprises as they unfold, and the dusty Waddlebee Toy Store, positioned at the end of the street's paved portion, figures prominently as an intriguing nexus of both creepiness and delight. Art by Andrewson (The Nutcracker and the Mouse King), which includes a map of the "twisted and rambling" street, has verve reminiscent of Benjamin Chaud illustrations. Jahn-Clough's (Petal and Poppy) first foray into middle grade, which is sometimes tonally uneven, offers a range of modes—"odd or mysterious, silly or scary, happy or even sad"—to suit any mood. Ages 7–10. Illustrator's agent: Jen Linnan, Linnan Literary.
