Also Love That Book: Hate That Cat

The story of Sharon Creech's Jack from Love That Dog (2001) continues. Early in his school year, Jack reveals to his teacher that 1) he hates cats and 2) his college professor Uncle Bill does not believe that the poems Jack had written in the previous school year are "real" poems because they are short, lack rhyme, a regular meter, symbols, metaphor, onomatopoeia, and alliteration.

Thank goodness Jack has Miss Stretchberry as his teacher again because she tells him that all those elements his uncle mentioned are not requirements. A poet writes according to his own images, rhythms, and sometimes chooses elements like onomatopoeia and alliteration to enrich their poems. And with that, Creech, again, takes us on Jack's journey and growth as a writer and person during this fourth grade school year.

This time around, readers learn a bit more about Jack's home life, why he hates that cat, and how he finally does move on from the loss of his beloved pet, a yellow dog named Sky. Just as before, Jack is inspired by and experiments in the style of the various poets Miss Stretchberry exposes him to, most notably this time, William Carlos Williams.

Jack is an endearing character, full of innocence, sweetness, humor, and wonder. His voice contributes to the charm of Hate That Cat (2008), which, just as its predecessor, is a book about the power of storytelling through poetry. Both books are highly recommended for introducing others to the beauty and power of poetry as a source of joy and means to develop, express, and give power to one's personal voice, style, and experiences.

A CBR9 book review.