During my time at NIU, I used this book in a unit that I planned..... I never read it, I just pretended. With the guilt hanging over my head even now, I decided to tackle this bad boy.It was a pretty good book. My major complaint is that it was verrrrry slow-moving, especially for such a short book. There was a lot of background information about Cat's family, which I felt was pretty boring.However, it did bring up a lot of good things that could definitely be useful in a classroom. For example, it was intended to be a book about the Dust Bowl and the "Okies" that came to California trying to find work. Already having read The Grapes of Wrath, it was just a review for me. What struck me was how easily this book could be used to talk about race relations in the United States - namely, people's reaction towards Latinos in our country. Being prejudiced against them, calling them dirty and lazy, and referring to all Latinos as Mexican (although many Spanish-speaking people come from other countries) - all of those things happened to the "Okies" as well. Even though the main "Okie" family came from Texas, no one cared - just like my dad..... "How's your Mexican friend?" "She is not Mexican, she is Puerto Rican." "Whatever, same thing." Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... okay, I'm getting off-topic...Anyway, a fine book. I'd use parts of it in a classroom but probably not the whole thing.
I picked this book up at the Goodwill, not really knowing what it was about other than running, which I have an interest in. Surprisingly, it was about the Dust Bowl era, my current topic of particular interest! Therefore, I may have liked it more than I would have otherwise. But all in all, it was a very good story, with a nice moral without being preachy about it, or overdoing it. At first I thought the story sounded too much like The Bridge to Terabithia (written 20 years earlier), but was pleased that the author was able to write a similar story without seeming as if she were just copying. Very realistic characters, a lot of personality was given to them with very little descriptions, more with actions and words. Enjoyed this book a great deal.
What do You think about Cat Running (1996)?
Quando l'ho letto per la prima volta, avrò avuto undici o dodici anni al massimo. Nonostante fossi cresciuta a pane a autori americani, non avevo la minima idea di cosa succedesse realmente al di là dell'oceano. Non avevo idea di cosa fossero gli Okies.Poi qualche anno fa guardai "Furore" di John Ford. Sì, lo so è anche un libro ma John Fonda mi ha già assestato un bel pugno sullo stomaco e non ho nessuno voglia di affrontare anche Steinbeck.Comunque. Dopo aver visto "Furore" anche questo libro ha cambiato prospettiva. È forse uno dei miei Gaia preferiti.
—Soobie's heartbroken
gr 4-7 138pgs1930s California. 11 year old Catherine "Cat" doesn't like her stepsiblings or her stepfather or the way her mother never takes her side. The one thing Cat does like is running and exploring in the woods near her house. Cat has always been the fastest runner in her school, but when a new family of "Okies", Dust Bowl "refugees", show up at school, the oldest boy Zane is a runner too and just might be faster than her. When Sammy, another member of Zane's family, discovers Cat's secret cave, Cat is furious. It seems this family is taking away the few special things she has. Cat is determined not to like them.Great story focusing on some of the reactions that Dust Bowl "refugees" faced when they were forced to leave their homes.
—Miss Amanda
