Title: Thomasina: The Cat Who Thought She Was a God
Author: Paul Gallico
Major Themes: Cats, Children, England
Synopsis: When Mary’s beloved cat gets sick and the local vet, Mary’s father, puts the cat down, the consequences are horrifying.
I would not have bought Thomasina, by Paul Gallico, if someone had not recommended it to me. She didn’t have a lot to say about it, but what she did say made me willing to take a chance on this book featuring a cat with glowing eyes. Then, too, I noticed that it was by Paul Gallico, who wrote another book we had on the shelf, which I also have not read, but which came from a curriculum that I know and trust.
Publisher’s description:
Seven-year-old Mary adores her ginger cat, Thomasina, and is crushed when Thomasina falls sick, and Mary’s father, a grim, inflexible man who is the town vet, decrees that the only thing to be done is to put Thomasina down. Mary refuses to speak to her father, and then she herself contracts a life-threatening disease. In the meantime, however, Thomasina has been rescued—by the mysterious Lori, the Red Witch of the glen. Thomasina is now Talitha, the descendant of an Egyptian goddess, and she is coming back to seek revenge!
My thoughts:
Frankly, there are elements in Thomasina that I do not like very well. Overall, though, this is a beautiful story of redemption. The story begins with a man who is angry at the world and does not care about anyone’s feelings. When tragedy strikes the family at his hands, he starts to ask questions. The local pastor points him toward God, but that is not welcomed or accepted until there is no hope for recovery. I love the ending! I also love the portrayal of a cat’s character; so true-to-life!
What I did not like so well was the frequent references to Egyptian gods and goddesses; however, I can imagine a cat thinking she was a goddess. Also, there were several instances of swearing, and some violence—see the warnings. I liked the storyline so well, though, that I decided to keep this book on the shelf, although I will insert my warnings in it. This book is great for a cat-lover; the author has done a good job of getting inside a cat’s mind. I also loved the little girl, and though I was irked with her father, I liked seeing what happened at the end. This would be a lovely story for a family read-aloud, with discussion about some of the harder topics.
WARNING: Chapter 1: A vet kills an animal; its owner “begins to die.” Chapter 6: Another animal dies. Chapter 8: Be damned. Chapter 10: That damned cat. Chapter 11: “I was born and lived a goddess.” Chapter 13: I’m damned. Chapter 14: “I quickly put a spell on the badger.” Chapter 21: Damn it. Chapter 24: Animals mistreated, riot, fire, animals die, men fight, one man is almost killed.
Age levels:
Listening Level—Ages 8 – 12, Family Friendly
Reading Independently—Ages 12 – 15
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
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