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Jennie
This is the story of a young boy called Peter, who is knocked down by a car. To his considerable astonishment, when he recovers, he is not a young boy, but a cat!
Fortunately, he meets Jennie, a cat who had been abandoned by her family when they moved away, who educates him in the wiles of the feline world. Will he stay a cat with Jennie, or return to being a human boy?
Fortunately, he meets Jennie, a cat who had been abandoned by her family when they moved away, who educates him in the wiles of the feline world. Will he stay a cat with Jennie, or return to being a human boy?
235 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1950
About the author
Paul Gallico
191books296followersPaul William Gallico was born in New York City, on 26th July, 1897. His father was an Italian, and his mother came from Austria; they emigrated to New York in 1895.
He went to school in the public schools of New York, and in 1916 went to Columbia University. He graduated in 1921 with a Bachelor of Science degree, having lost a year and a half due to World War I. He then worked for the National Board of Motion Picture Review, and after six months took a job as the motion picture critic for the New York Daily News. He was removed from this job as his "reviews were too Smart Alecky" (according to Confessions of a Story Teller), and took refuge in the sports department.
During his stint there, he was sent to cover the training camp of Jack Dempsey, and decided to ask Dempsey if he could spar with him, to get an idea of what it was like to be hit by the world heavyweight champion. The results were spectacular; Gallico was knocked out within two minutes. But he had his story, and from there his sports-writing career never looked back.
He became Sports Editor of the Daily News in 1923, and was given a daily sports column. He also invented and organised the Golden Gloves amateur boxing competition. During this part of his life, he was one of the most well-known sporting writers in America, and a minor celebrity. But he had always wanted to be a fiction writer, and was writing short stories and sports articles for magazines like Vanity Fair and the Saturday Evening Post. In 1936, he sold a short story to the movies for $5000, which gave him a stake. So he retired from sports writing, and went to live in Europe, to devote himself to writing. His first major book was Farewell to Sport, which as the title indicates, was his farewell to sports writing.
Though his name was well-known in the United States, he was an unknown in the rest of the world. In 1941, the Snow Goose changed all that, and he became, if not a best-selling author by today's standards, a writer who was always in demand. Apart from a short spell as a war correspondent between 1943 and 1946, he was a full-time freelance writer for the rest of his life. He has lived all over the place, including England, Mexico, Lichtenstein and Monaco, and he lived in Antibes for the last years of his life.
He was a first-class fencer, and a keen deep-sea fisherman. He was married four times, and had several children.
He died in Antibes on 15th July, 1976, just short of his 79th birthday.
He went to school in the public schools of New York, and in 1916 went to Columbia University. He graduated in 1921 with a Bachelor of Science degree, having lost a year and a half due to World War I. He then worked for the National Board of Motion Picture Review, and after six months took a job as the motion picture critic for the New York Daily News. He was removed from this job as his "reviews were too Smart Alecky" (according to Confessions of a Story Teller), and took refuge in the sports department.
During his stint there, he was sent to cover the training camp of Jack Dempsey, and decided to ask Dempsey if he could spar with him, to get an idea of what it was like to be hit by the world heavyweight champion. The results were spectacular; Gallico was knocked out within two minutes. But he had his story, and from there his sports-writing career never looked back.
He became Sports Editor of the Daily News in 1923, and was given a daily sports column. He also invented and organised the Golden Gloves amateur boxing competition. During this part of his life, he was one of the most well-known sporting writers in America, and a minor celebrity. But he had always wanted to be a fiction writer, and was writing short stories and sports articles for magazines like Vanity Fair and the Saturday Evening Post. In 1936, he sold a short story to the movies for $5000, which gave him a stake. So he retired from sports writing, and went to live in Europe, to devote himself to writing. His first major book was Farewell to Sport, which as the title indicates, was his farewell to sports writing.
Though his name was well-known in the United States, he was an unknown in the rest of the world. In 1941, the Snow Goose changed all that, and he became, if not a best-selling author by today's standards, a writer who was always in demand. Apart from a short spell as a war correspondent between 1943 and 1946, he was a full-time freelance writer for the rest of his life. He has lived all over the place, including England, Mexico, Lichtenstein and Monaco, and he lived in Antibes for the last years of his life.
He was a first-class fencer, and a keen deep-sea fisherman. He was married four times, and had several children.
He died in Antibes on 15th July, 1976, just short of his 79th birthday.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 288 reviews
October 5, 2010
'Been crying since the third chapter - just one of the most touching nevels I've read. Paul Gallico, being a great cat-lover, has described their habits and behavior so well (except that part of cleaning under the chin:)) that I would feel like being a cat if I wasn't one already:)
Not your average children's book - easy to understand, it is not primitive, and being so saturated with sincere emotion...
Amazing how Gallico shows the world with the eyes of an eight-year boy who turns into a cat, and lives as a cat, and matures as a cat, and fights as a cat and dies as such - to win his life back and become better. To learn pity for those unwanted, for those crying in the cold rain while no one cares for them.
If I ask you - are you a good person, you'll answer - yes. If you read this book and I ask again - I hope you'll answer "I will become one, I promise".
5 out of 5. I love this. Bless Gallico, he made me a better person. He made the cat in me love people.
Not your average children's book - easy to understand, it is not primitive, and being so saturated with sincere emotion...
Amazing how Gallico shows the world with the eyes of an eight-year boy who turns into a cat, and lives as a cat, and matures as a cat, and fights as a cat and dies as such - to win his life back and become better. To learn pity for those unwanted, for those crying in the cold rain while no one cares for them.
If I ask you - are you a good person, you'll answer - yes. If you read this book and I ask again - I hope you'll answer "I will become one, I promise".
5 out of 5. I love this. Bless Gallico, he made me a better person. He made the cat in me love people.
April 2, 2020
There are some stand-out books from my childhood -- you know the ones. You can still remember the plot, the characters are like your best friends or your heroes, even though you're nearly 60. Okay, so maybe you aren't as obsessed with storytelling as I am, and you don't have these experiences. You can stop reading now, because this is one of those books, and you won't understand.
I didn't own this book -- I borrowed it from the library when I was seven or eight years old. Looking back on that, I'm pretty impressed with my reading vocabulary, because this book assumes that children of that age have a very extensive vocabulary. Of course, when this book was written, back in the 1940's, that was probably true.
Peter is a little 8-year-old boy who loves cats. He lives with his mother and father in London. His father is gone a good deal, being in the military, and his mother is lonely and goes out with her friends a lot, leaving Peter with his "Scotch nanny." Peter is lonely, too, but his parents seem unaware. All he wants is a little kitten to have something to love.
Then he runs across the street without looking -- and I won't ruin the rest of this wonderful book for you. As I said, it has stuck with me all these years. I started to look for it in my early 20's, because I wanted to buy it for my children to read. I had a problem -- I couldn't remember the author's name or the title. Only about a month ago, Google solved the problem. I put in a basic of the plot line (I won't put it here because I don't want to give away the plot), and BLING!! up it popped. It's been out of print for years, but my library was able to request it from the Boulder Public Library. I just finished it again last night, cried through long parts of it, and stayed up much too late to get to the end.
Excellent for children, and animal lovers, of all ages.
I didn't own this book -- I borrowed it from the library when I was seven or eight years old. Looking back on that, I'm pretty impressed with my reading vocabulary, because this book assumes that children of that age have a very extensive vocabulary. Of course, when this book was written, back in the 1940's, that was probably true.
Peter is a little 8-year-old boy who loves cats. He lives with his mother and father in London. His father is gone a good deal, being in the military, and his mother is lonely and goes out with her friends a lot, leaving Peter with his "Scotch nanny." Peter is lonely, too, but his parents seem unaware. All he wants is a little kitten to have something to love.
Then he runs across the street without looking -- and I won't ruin the rest of this wonderful book for you. As I said, it has stuck with me all these years. I started to look for it in my early 20's, because I wanted to buy it for my children to read. I had a problem -- I couldn't remember the author's name or the title. Only about a month ago, Google solved the problem. I put in a basic of the plot line (I won't put it here because I don't want to give away the plot), and BLING!! up it popped. It's been out of print for years, but my library was able to request it from the Boulder Public Library. I just finished it again last night, cried through long parts of it, and stayed up much too late to get to the end.
Excellent for children, and animal lovers, of all ages.
March 17, 2010
Would you believe I was named after this book. My mum read it to us as kids when I was small:)
January 2, 2016
This is definitely one of 'THOSE' books. Of course you know what I mean. The special books. The stand-out books. Those that deserve to be read and loved and cherished and sought after both when you're a kid and an adult, in any and every century. Just because they tell the truth. Nowadays, kids don't read as much as I did when I was growing up. Movies, as well as electronic gadgets, have pretty much replaced that incredible joy of just diving deep into the world of a book. I've heard kids say things like 'What's the point of reading anyway? You can still get the story from watching a movie!' and I guess in a way, yeah, you can. But that does not encompass reading. Books are not just 'story holders' or ways you can idle your time away. Books are always there, books are meant to be loved. Books can be friends and counselors, books nourish your soul, books help your 'inner person' grow. They can be evil, but they can also teach you to be better than you could ever imagine possible. Of course I'm speaking of the books like 'Jennie' - books that sustain you and strengthen you, books that teach you how to be human. Simply... human. I'll never forget how I wept and sobbed over this book at 10. I still did at 21. And I am pretty sure that someday I'll do it at 50. It is definitely one of those incredible, somehow saturated books that capture you and inspire you to just get beyond yourself and strive to be better, no matter how hard it might be. Books like this one are not just exciting or page-turners - they help you to see beyond yourself. This is what kids of today need to learn, in order to grow into loyal, accepting adults - to see the world from the perspective of another, to care for the hurting, for the abandoned and the unloved - simply, to love those rejected with all their might!
This book is an excellent friend, lover, counselor and teacher to strick with through all your life. I'll never forget it, and I do not want to.
This book is an excellent friend, lover, counselor and teacher to strick with through all your life. I'll never forget it, and I do not want to.
July 30, 2009
This book made me cry like few others ever have. It's a beautiful story with a bittersweet ending. It speaks to the loneliness, the piteous abuse and abandonment of the forgotten, and the sweetness of home, love, and family.
November 13, 2007
Little did I know when a friend (thanks, Kendall!) loaned me this book, that I already was aware of some of the author's work. Paul Gallico was a well-known sports writer in the 1920s and 1930s, working for the New York Daily News. His sportswriting career took off when he asked to spar with Jack Dempsey (and wrote the account of how it felt to be knocked out by him!). He also wrote about catching Dizzy Dean's fastball and golfing with Bobby Jones. He retired from sports writing after selling a short story to a movie company in 1936 (probably "Wedding Present" ) and devoted himself to fiction writing thereafter. Among his work that you may have heard of:
* The Snow Goose (1941)
* Lou Gehrig, Pride of the Yankees (1942 - contribution to the movie released in the same year)
* The Love of Seven Dolls (1954 - adapted from his short story "The Man Who Hated People" (1950) after the success of the 1953 movie "Lili" adapted from the same story - you might know the song "Hi Lili Hi Lo" from that movie)
* Thomasina (1957 - about a cat, made into a 1964 movie)
* The Poseidon Adventure (1969 - made into a 1972 movie)
"Jennie" (1950) is a tour-de-force of what it's like to be a cat (as best we can imagine). Gallico apparently enjoyed that exercise: he wrote a book in 1964 called "The Silent Miaow" - "translated from the feline" - a cat's guide to how to obtain, captivate and dcminate a human family.
What I found most delightful about "Jennie" is the quality of its work with human feelings. Among the most valuable lessons of childhood are how to navigate our feelings and our relationships. "Jennie" offers memorable characters and situations which can help children name and understand their feelings and reflect on what to do with them in their words, behavior and relationships. (J K Rowling also excels at this; she has said her favorite book growing up was Gallico's "Manxmouse." ) By the same token and means, it invites reflection into adults' inner ecology. If you have any discomfort in your emotional life or relationships with friends or family, "Jennie" will stir it up for you somewhere along the way.
"Jennie" is of its era - the then-recent memory of World War II affects both setting and sentiment (Gallico was a war reporter from 1943-1946), and a few antique notions of masculine and feminine roles surface briefly - but the dated elements are unobtrusive and do not mar the work. They are not blemishes, but character lines.
* The Snow Goose (1941)
* Lou Gehrig, Pride of the Yankees (1942 - contribution to the movie released in the same year)
* The Love of Seven Dolls (1954 - adapted from his short story "The Man Who Hated People" (1950) after the success of the 1953 movie "Lili" adapted from the same story - you might know the song "Hi Lili Hi Lo" from that movie)
* Thomasina (1957 - about a cat, made into a 1964 movie)
* The Poseidon Adventure (1969 - made into a 1972 movie)
"Jennie" (1950) is a tour-de-force of what it's like to be a cat (as best we can imagine). Gallico apparently enjoyed that exercise: he wrote a book in 1964 called "The Silent Miaow" - "translated from the feline" - a cat's guide to how to obtain, captivate and dcminate a human family.
What I found most delightful about "Jennie" is the quality of its work with human feelings. Among the most valuable lessons of childhood are how to navigate our feelings and our relationships. "Jennie" offers memorable characters and situations which can help children name and understand their feelings and reflect on what to do with them in their words, behavior and relationships. (J K Rowling also excels at this; she has said her favorite book growing up was Gallico's "Manxmouse." ) By the same token and means, it invites reflection into adults' inner ecology. If you have any discomfort in your emotional life or relationships with friends or family, "Jennie" will stir it up for you somewhere along the way.
"Jennie" is of its era - the then-recent memory of World War II affects both setting and sentiment (Gallico was a war reporter from 1943-1946), and a few antique notions of masculine and feminine roles surface briefly - but the dated elements are unobtrusive and do not mar the work. They are not blemishes, but character lines.
May 30, 2019
I got Paul Gallico's 'Jennie' a few years back, because the story looked beautiful, but somehow never got around to reading it. I finally decided a couple of days back that I should take it down from the bookshelf and give it the love it deserved.
In Franz Kafka's 'Metamorphosis', a man gets up in the morning and discovers that he has been transformed into a giant bug. What happens to him and how he handles that transformation forms the rest of the story. It is dark and bleak. Kafka seems to have been an intense, serious person, and his imagination seems to have flown into dark alleys. In contrast, Paul Gallico seems to have been a happy person. Paul Gallico wonders what will happen, if instead of something dark and bleak like a giant bug, a human being gets transformed into something adorable, like a cat. What happens then? A beautiful book called 'Jennie' happens.
Peter crosses the road to pick up a beautiful kitten. He gets knocked down by a truck. When he wakes up, he discovers that he has been transformed into a cat. His nanny is shocked when she sees a cat in the bed and she throws him out. Peter suddenly finds himself on the street and he discovers that life on the street, as a cat, is hard. Peter discovers that he can be stepped upon by people on the sidewalk, crushed by vehicles on the road or bullied by other cats and sometimes dogs. He tries to find a place to stay, but a big cat which regards that place as his territory bullies him, attacks him, and injures him. When Peter wakes up, he discovers that he is lying on a cozy bed, but he is still a cat. And someone is peering at him. She is a tabby cat with tiger stripes and she says that her name is Jennie, and she rescued him from the street. Before long, Peter and Jennie become close friends. Jennie asks him to tell her his story. Peter hesitates, but decides to tell the truth, that he is a boy who has been transformed into a cat.
Does Jennie believe Peter's story? What happens to their friendship? What is Jennie's story? What kind of adventures do Peter and Jennie have? How does Peter find his life as a cat? Does he love it more than when he was a person? Does Peter continue to be a cat at the end or does he get transformed back into a human being? If he does get transformed into a human being, does his friendship with Jennie survive this transformation? The answers to these questions form the rest of the story.
I loved 'Jennie'. Peter's story was fascinating. But my favourite character in the book was Jennie. Jennie is one of coolest, most stylish, awesome cats in literature. I loved her. Though I loved the whole book, my favourite part of the book was the middle part which runs to around six chapters in which Jennie and Peter board a ship and go to Glasgow. The ship has got a motley crew who are hilarious and inefficient (the captain hates sailing, one of the sailors writes cowboy stories, another sailor is big and intimidating but he likes doing embroideries), but the crew members are warm, affectionate and beautiful in surprising ways. The way they take in Jennie and Peter and the hilarious, wonderful adventures that happen during the course of the trip is beautiful to read. I also loved the parts where Jennie inducts Peter into the life of a cat and teaches him survival skills. Paul Gallico's descriptions of cats and their lives is quite detailed and it looks like they were based on real observations. He had twenty three cats at home and it looks like that gave him a lot of opportunities to observe cats and their ways. Towards the end of the book, I thought that something heartbreaking would happen - either Peter or Jennie would die, or Peter would become a human being again and that would be the end of their friendship. But the author springs up a third ending which was very surprising. I cried after I read the ending.
'Jennie' is one of my favourite books of the year. I am glad I read my first Paul Gallico book and loved it. I can't wait to read more of his work. If you love books featuring cats or animal characters, or even if you love books featuring beautiful friendships, I will highly recommend 'Jennie'.
I will leave you with one of my favourite passages from the book.
"He had wanted a cat ever since he could remember, which was many years ago at the age of four – when he had gone to stay on a farm near Gerrards Cross, and had been taken into the kitchen and shown a basketful of kittens, orange and white balls of fluff, and the ginger-coloured mother who beamed with pride until her face was quite as broad as it was long, and licked them over with her tongue one after the other. He was allowed to put his hand on her. She was soft and warm, and a queer kind of throbbing was going on inside of her, which later he learned was called purring, and meant that she was comfortable and happy."
Have you read Paul Gallico's 'Jennie'? What do you think about it?
In Franz Kafka's 'Metamorphosis', a man gets up in the morning and discovers that he has been transformed into a giant bug. What happens to him and how he handles that transformation forms the rest of the story. It is dark and bleak. Kafka seems to have been an intense, serious person, and his imagination seems to have flown into dark alleys. In contrast, Paul Gallico seems to have been a happy person. Paul Gallico wonders what will happen, if instead of something dark and bleak like a giant bug, a human being gets transformed into something adorable, like a cat. What happens then? A beautiful book called 'Jennie' happens.
Peter crosses the road to pick up a beautiful kitten. He gets knocked down by a truck. When he wakes up, he discovers that he has been transformed into a cat. His nanny is shocked when she sees a cat in the bed and she throws him out. Peter suddenly finds himself on the street and he discovers that life on the street, as a cat, is hard. Peter discovers that he can be stepped upon by people on the sidewalk, crushed by vehicles on the road or bullied by other cats and sometimes dogs. He tries to find a place to stay, but a big cat which regards that place as his territory bullies him, attacks him, and injures him. When Peter wakes up, he discovers that he is lying on a cozy bed, but he is still a cat. And someone is peering at him. She is a tabby cat with tiger stripes and she says that her name is Jennie, and she rescued him from the street. Before long, Peter and Jennie become close friends. Jennie asks him to tell her his story. Peter hesitates, but decides to tell the truth, that he is a boy who has been transformed into a cat.
Does Jennie believe Peter's story? What happens to their friendship? What is Jennie's story? What kind of adventures do Peter and Jennie have? How does Peter find his life as a cat? Does he love it more than when he was a person? Does Peter continue to be a cat at the end or does he get transformed back into a human being? If he does get transformed into a human being, does his friendship with Jennie survive this transformation? The answers to these questions form the rest of the story.
I loved 'Jennie'. Peter's story was fascinating. But my favourite character in the book was Jennie. Jennie is one of coolest, most stylish, awesome cats in literature. I loved her. Though I loved the whole book, my favourite part of the book was the middle part which runs to around six chapters in which Jennie and Peter board a ship and go to Glasgow. The ship has got a motley crew who are hilarious and inefficient (the captain hates sailing, one of the sailors writes cowboy stories, another sailor is big and intimidating but he likes doing embroideries), but the crew members are warm, affectionate and beautiful in surprising ways. The way they take in Jennie and Peter and the hilarious, wonderful adventures that happen during the course of the trip is beautiful to read. I also loved the parts where Jennie inducts Peter into the life of a cat and teaches him survival skills. Paul Gallico's descriptions of cats and their lives is quite detailed and it looks like they were based on real observations. He had twenty three cats at home and it looks like that gave him a lot of opportunities to observe cats and their ways. Towards the end of the book, I thought that something heartbreaking would happen - either Peter or Jennie would die, or Peter would become a human being again and that would be the end of their friendship. But the author springs up a third ending which was very surprising. I cried after I read the ending.
'Jennie' is one of my favourite books of the year. I am glad I read my first Paul Gallico book and loved it. I can't wait to read more of his work. If you love books featuring cats or animal characters, or even if you love books featuring beautiful friendships, I will highly recommend 'Jennie'.
I will leave you with one of my favourite passages from the book.
"He had wanted a cat ever since he could remember, which was many years ago at the age of four – when he had gone to stay on a farm near Gerrards Cross, and had been taken into the kitchen and shown a basketful of kittens, orange and white balls of fluff, and the ginger-coloured mother who beamed with pride until her face was quite as broad as it was long, and licked them over with her tongue one after the other. He was allowed to put his hand on her. She was soft and warm, and a queer kind of throbbing was going on inside of her, which later he learned was called purring, and meant that she was comfortable and happy."
Have you read Paul Gallico's 'Jennie'? What do you think about it?
February 8, 2017
I kid you not, I was about to give this a 5 stars rating.
This book is has a ton of great things, so let me list all the good:
- This book is about cats
- This book is about a boy who turned to cat (my dream omg)!
- For such an imaginative book this has very realistic characters
- Almost all the facts about cat in this book are true. The writer clearly has done an amazing job on researching cats.
- This book is so relaxing even though the story is action packed. The pace is slow but in a relaxing and refreshing way rather than a boring way.
- Plus the words and junction are so beautiful and almost poetic.
So why did I deduct the star?
I am one of those guys who cannot stand bad ending. And I count the ending of this book as a bad ending because:
- Can we talk about just how abrupt the book ended? It didn't make much sense how suddenly Peter realizes it all. Hell, when I had a vivid dream I usually can't get back to reality until the end of the day. And it was worse when I was a kid.
- I can't stress enough the disappointment of not knowing what will become of Jennie. Ugh honestly the ending is just so unsatisfying.
- I hate sudden appearance of affection rival in book ending.
- And don't tell me it's love rival because the more I thought about it the more I feel sick that the main characters of this book are an 8 yo boy and an adult female cat.
- And no, there is no clear way to say how the female cat see the boy, as the boy as a cat was a big, adult sized cat.
- Also I absolutely hate chapter fishface. I can just kick every boy when they are being boys.
Bottom note: actually I'm very tempted to just give this a 2 stars, but I'm a cat lover. So..
This book is has a ton of great things, so let me list all the good:
- This book is about cats
- This book is about a boy who turned to cat (my dream omg)!
- For such an imaginative book this has very realistic characters
- Almost all the facts about cat in this book are true. The writer clearly has done an amazing job on researching cats.
- This book is so relaxing even though the story is action packed. The pace is slow but in a relaxing and refreshing way rather than a boring way.
- Plus the words and junction are so beautiful and almost poetic.
So why did I deduct the star?
I am one of those guys who cannot stand bad ending. And I count the ending of this book as a bad ending because:
- Can we talk about just how abrupt the book ended? It didn't make much sense how suddenly Peter realizes it all. Hell, when I had a vivid dream I usually can't get back to reality until the end of the day. And it was worse when I was a kid.
- I can't stress enough the disappointment of not knowing what will become of Jennie. Ugh honestly the ending is just so unsatisfying.
- I hate sudden appearance of affection rival in book ending.
- And don't tell me it's love rival because the more I thought about it the more I feel sick that the main characters of this book are an 8 yo boy and an adult female cat.
- And no, there is no clear way to say how the female cat see the boy, as the boy as a cat was a big, adult sized cat.
- Also I absolutely hate chapter fishface. I can just kick every boy when they are being boys.
Bottom note: actually I'm very tempted to just give this a 2 stars, but I'm a cat lover. So..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2012
This is the best book about a cat that I have ever read. It's about a little, lonely English boy named Peter who is 8 years old. He has a Scotch nanny who he dearly loves and a distant socialite mother who pays him no attention. He longs for a cat of his own, but his mother can't be bothered with such things. He's hit by a truck and goes into a coma, though he seems to be conscious of what's going on, almost like his soul is hovering close by, watching. He suddenly finds that he's turned into a white cat and his nanny tosses him out of the house. He runs away terrified and confused. After a run-in with a local tomcat who gives him a severe beating, he's rescued by Jennie, a bone-thin, scrawny but sweet-tempered tabby cat. His adventures begin because he doesn't know the first thing about being a cat and Jennie takes him under her wing, so to speak, to teach him everything that a cat ought to know. The story is by turns funny, sad, poignant, and riveting, as you follow them on their adventures and wonder if Peter will ever make it back home.
April 11, 2013
I never read THE ABANDONED as a child. I'd never even heard of it. But I trust the NYRB to reprint only the best of the best, and that trust paid off. I felt nostalgic as I read THE ABANDONED, because it has that timeless quality of the other great books of children's literature. I knew the rhythm of it. And honestly, I can't wait to read this one to my niece and nephew when they're a year or two older. The text was just begging for me to read it aloud.
THE ABANDONED is the story of Peter, a young boy who wakes up as a cat after being hit by a truck. Thrust into a life on the streets, he survives because he meets Jennie, a street smart cat who may hate humans but is willing to mentor the boy. Peter and Jennie travel from England to Scotland and back, exploring all the options open to cats. I was reminded of the Little Golden Book FOUR LITTLE KITTENS by Kathleen N. Daly. In fact, THE ABANDONED is a great choice for kids who have outgrown FOUR LITTLE KITTENS.
Fortunately, there is nothing saccharine about THE ABANDONED. Paul Gallico truly explores what it would be like to be a cat living in the wild, with no guaranteed source of food or shelter. The fantastic is needed to make the book work, but it's muted. The ending is quite wrenching and bittersweet, perhaps even moreso than THE VELVETEEN RABBIT. But I think all but the most sensitive kids can handle it. And any kid who loves stories about animals will devour THE ABANDONED. Even at twenty three, I loved it.
Amazingly, Gallico was born in America and spent most of his life there. He did travel, and lived outside the US from 1950 until his death in 1976, but still. He's got the Queen's English down pat and his London is authentic enough to fool an Englishman. I assumed he was English until I finished the book and looked up information about its history.
I highly recommend THE ABANDONED to anyone with children or an interest in children's literature. It's a good choice for THE MOUSE AND THE MOTORCYCLE set.
THE ABANDONED is the story of Peter, a young boy who wakes up as a cat after being hit by a truck. Thrust into a life on the streets, he survives because he meets Jennie, a street smart cat who may hate humans but is willing to mentor the boy. Peter and Jennie travel from England to Scotland and back, exploring all the options open to cats. I was reminded of the Little Golden Book FOUR LITTLE KITTENS by Kathleen N. Daly. In fact, THE ABANDONED is a great choice for kids who have outgrown FOUR LITTLE KITTENS.
Fortunately, there is nothing saccharine about THE ABANDONED. Paul Gallico truly explores what it would be like to be a cat living in the wild, with no guaranteed source of food or shelter. The fantastic is needed to make the book work, but it's muted. The ending is quite wrenching and bittersweet, perhaps even moreso than THE VELVETEEN RABBIT. But I think all but the most sensitive kids can handle it. And any kid who loves stories about animals will devour THE ABANDONED. Even at twenty three, I loved it.
Amazingly, Gallico was born in America and spent most of his life there. He did travel, and lived outside the US from 1950 until his death in 1976, but still. He's got the Queen's English down pat and his London is authentic enough to fool an Englishman. I assumed he was English until I finished the book and looked up information about its history.
I highly recommend THE ABANDONED to anyone with children or an interest in children's literature. It's a good choice for THE MOUSE AND THE MOTORCYCLE set.
November 20, 2023
Books about cats; +1. Loved how Jennie explained to Peter how to behave like a cat.
Loved the parts on the boat the most. But I had a hard time picking up the book.
Really disappointed by the ending.
Loved the parts on the boat the most. But I had a hard time picking up the book.
Really disappointed by the ending.
July 14, 2017
Bored one day as a child, my mother recommended that I read this book. Wisely, she didn't tell me what it was about, or I might never have opened it. Instead, she simply gave me the book, and I began to read. What a terrific flight of fancy! In short, a boy who yearns for a pet cat, but is not permitted one, suffers an accident, and wakes up to find himself in a cat's body. His adventures that follow are engrossing, entertaining, and even from time to time, thrilling. Very satisfying ending also.
February 12, 2021
I read this book, and Thomasina, many years ago, but the feeling that I know just what it’s like to be a cat has stayed with me! Marvellous works of the imagination.
November 6, 2015
When reading dated books, sometimes one must look past certain past held beliefs, that today would be seen as completely wrong-headed and disgusting. With some books this is easier to do than with others. Take, for example, Five Children and It, which was published in 1902. Of course it is completely classist, racist and includes many painfully bad caricatures, which might cause modern readers to cringe. However, it is still hilariously funny and well written and an adventure to read. Many classical books contain such ideas that are problematic for modern readers, yet that doesn't mean they are not good books or books that shouldn't be read.
That said, The Abandoned, written in the 1950s, is a book I would never read to any child. Nor would I recommend it to anyone regardless of age or belief. It is simply bad. Sure, at times it was funny, but not in a way that it was meant to be.
The author, Paul Gallico, one can only imagine, had a rather odd relationship to cats. The book is basically about Peter who, in an accident, somehow became a spotlessly white (and therefore somehow better than your average tabby) cat. As a cat he meets with an angry tom who beats him to near death then he is rescued and nursed back to health by Jennie, another cat. Gallico spends endless sentences describing her ministrations to Peter, especially her 'busy tongue' and the 'delicious feelings' it inspired in Peter. There were many such scenes throughout the book as Jennie takes care of Peter and teaches him how to be a cat, since it's obvious that without her Peter would have had a very short life as a cat.
Very quickly Jennie's role as Peter's teacher and protector shifts, until by the end she is completely reliant upon Peter and even goes as far as to say, "it'ssogood to have a male about whoknowswhat to do. "By the end of the book Peter has taken on his role as a cat completely, rarely thinking of his old life as a boy and ready to battle the same cat he met with in the beginning for ownership of Jennie.
Apparently, according to cat law, a female cat must go with a male cat once he has claimed ownership of her. And if she wants to go with another cat, the two 'males' must fight it out to the death. And she can't even witness it, she has to remain hidden until the victor comes to claim her and she must go with that victor.
So, Peter fights the other cat and they basically kill each other and Peter becomes a boy again and gets a new kitten. The end. One was slightly relieved not to find out what might have happened had Peter not died and reverted back to his human self. And luckily soon forgot his time as a cat as some weird dream.
The book is so chock full of this bizarre and frankly not a little creepy imagery involving cats, one of whom we know is actually a little boy. One worried a little bit about any cat put into the care of the author to tell the truth, he seems to have had a slightly... off-putting affection for them.
Of course, it is also racist (the cats sniffle at each others pedigree constantly), sexist and classist. But, unlike Five Children and It, it had no heart to save it from being completely relegated to outdated and no longer relevant children's fiction. In fact, I was surprised to see that it was published as late as the 1950s, it seemed so much older than that, downright Victorian in it's mindset.
Only read if interested in bizarre dated books, certainly not something to bring home for the kids, it will neither amuse nor transport, but only puzzle.
That said, The Abandoned, written in the 1950s, is a book I would never read to any child. Nor would I recommend it to anyone regardless of age or belief. It is simply bad. Sure, at times it was funny, but not in a way that it was meant to be.
The author, Paul Gallico, one can only imagine, had a rather odd relationship to cats. The book is basically about Peter who, in an accident, somehow became a spotlessly white (and therefore somehow better than your average tabby) cat. As a cat he meets with an angry tom who beats him to near death then he is rescued and nursed back to health by Jennie, another cat. Gallico spends endless sentences describing her ministrations to Peter, especially her 'busy tongue' and the 'delicious feelings' it inspired in Peter. There were many such scenes throughout the book as Jennie takes care of Peter and teaches him how to be a cat, since it's obvious that without her Peter would have had a very short life as a cat.
Very quickly Jennie's role as Peter's teacher and protector shifts, until by the end she is completely reliant upon Peter and even goes as far as to say, "it'ssogood to have a male about whoknowswhat to do. "By the end of the book Peter has taken on his role as a cat completely, rarely thinking of his old life as a boy and ready to battle the same cat he met with in the beginning for ownership of Jennie.
Apparently, according to cat law, a female cat must go with a male cat once he has claimed ownership of her. And if she wants to go with another cat, the two 'males' must fight it out to the death. And she can't even witness it, she has to remain hidden until the victor comes to claim her and she must go with that victor.
So, Peter fights the other cat and they basically kill each other and Peter becomes a boy again and gets a new kitten. The end. One was slightly relieved not to find out what might have happened had Peter not died and reverted back to his human self. And luckily soon forgot his time as a cat as some weird dream.
The book is so chock full of this bizarre and frankly not a little creepy imagery involving cats, one of whom we know is actually a little boy. One worried a little bit about any cat put into the care of the author to tell the truth, he seems to have had a slightly... off-putting affection for them.
Of course, it is also racist (the cats sniffle at each others pedigree constantly), sexist and classist. But, unlike Five Children and It, it had no heart to save it from being completely relegated to outdated and no longer relevant children's fiction. In fact, I was surprised to see that it was published as late as the 1950s, it seemed so much older than that, downright Victorian in it's mindset.
Only read if interested in bizarre dated books, certainly not something to bring home for the kids, it will neither amuse nor transport, but only puzzle.
November 26, 2017
I read this book long ago and still think about it. A wonderful book for cat-lovers in particular - and for anyone dealing with feelings of being an outsider, of the loneliness of being different. Highly recommend.
June 19, 2020
This was a strangely amazing book. Being a cat lover, the details were perfect and I couldn’t stop reading.
October 5, 2024
Nette kleine, liebevoll erzählte Geschichte, die mich nicht komplett kalt gelassen, aber auch nicht komplett abgeholt hat
April 21, 2022
This was an enjoyable book. This author has such a vivid imagination. It was interesting to read bout these cats thoughts and wonder if the same is true in real life.
I have read other books by this author and have really enjoyed them.
I have read other books by this author and have really enjoyed them.
November 13, 2016
Lovely, a classic I'd never heard of. Today, we have many examples of children's (see the lately published Animalcolm by David Baddiel) about children turning to animals. This is an excellent example, as it really is carefully thought through, just how a child would experience another animal's world.
Peter is desperate for a pet - his mother is more interested in parties, his father away in the army, but he isn't allowed the cat he craves. After being knocked down by a car, he awakens as - a cat! Not recognised at home, he is soon out on the streets. A kind female comes to his aid and shows him his new world. And capabilities.
Jennie can't believe that Peter is really a human boy at first. WIll Peter learn the ways of cats, stay that way, or somehow manage to return to his old life? Would he want to?
The most impressive thing about this story was the wonderful passages of Peter learning to be a cat - how to lick himself, how to move through the world as a cat, how to fight as one. I loved this, it felt as though the author had done meticulous research!
The story is sweet, as Peter and Jennie loyally band together through adventures around the world, meeting kind and cruel people (and other animals), and working out just where they want to be.
Deserves to be better known, it's a lovely story and well told, not hard to read, needs a contemporary cover and would stand up well against modern animal stories.
One for ages 9 and above.
Peter is desperate for a pet - his mother is more interested in parties, his father away in the army, but he isn't allowed the cat he craves. After being knocked down by a car, he awakens as - a cat! Not recognised at home, he is soon out on the streets. A kind female comes to his aid and shows him his new world. And capabilities.
Jennie can't believe that Peter is really a human boy at first. WIll Peter learn the ways of cats, stay that way, or somehow manage to return to his old life? Would he want to?
The most impressive thing about this story was the wonderful passages of Peter learning to be a cat - how to lick himself, how to move through the world as a cat, how to fight as one. I loved this, it felt as though the author had done meticulous research!
The story is sweet, as Peter and Jennie loyally band together through adventures around the world, meeting kind and cruel people (and other animals), and working out just where they want to be.
Deserves to be better known, it's a lovely story and well told, not hard to read, needs a contemporary cover and would stand up well against modern animal stories.
One for ages 9 and above.
January 22, 2016
Peter loves cats. His dad (a Colonel) says he can have one, but his mum (who is always busy and away from the house every day, says he can’t. She has given strict orders to Nanny to throw out any strays Peter brings home. One day, when out with Nanny, Peter sees a kitten across the road and he steps out in front of a coal lorry without looking. When he wakes, he is a white tom cat. And this is where the real story begins. A small, skinny, tabby cat comes to his rescue and teaches Peter how to think, eat, act and live like a cat.
Wow. I remember loving this book as a young teen and after reading it again, I know why.
Paul Gallico (1897 – 1976) was a lover of cats and wrote other stories and collections of poems about them. His knowledge is poured into this novel, and it will make you look at cats in a whole new way. His observations of how they feel and act in certain situations eg. When in doubt – Wash!’ are spot on. Just read this wonderful story then watch your own cat to see what I mean.
But ‘Jennie’ isn’t just a story about cats. It’s a love story. It’s a tale about Courage, and Adventure and Friendship. Although it was written in the late 1940’s, and the language is old-fashioned and ‘proper’ English, any cat lover will lap this up, and if you’re anything like me, shed a tear or two.
Wow. I remember loving this book as a young teen and after reading it again, I know why.
Paul Gallico (1897 – 1976) was a lover of cats and wrote other stories and collections of poems about them. His knowledge is poured into this novel, and it will make you look at cats in a whole new way. His observations of how they feel and act in certain situations eg. When in doubt – Wash!’ are spot on. Just read this wonderful story then watch your own cat to see what I mean.
But ‘Jennie’ isn’t just a story about cats. It’s a love story. It’s a tale about Courage, and Adventure and Friendship. Although it was written in the late 1940’s, and the language is old-fashioned and ‘proper’ English, any cat lover will lap this up, and if you’re anything like me, shed a tear or two.
December 26, 2012
I almost feel guilty not giving this book four or five stars.
I love cats more than anything. My tortie, Tali, is the light of my life. Books about animals are easy wins with me.
IlikedJennie.I found Jennie the cat delightful and the descriptions and "whys" behind cat behavior whimsical and accurate. The crew aboard the Countess were funny and likable.
There was something deeply lacking, for me at least, in the structure of the book. I'm wondering if the book hasn't held up well over the years; parts are very dated. The book was published more than thirty years before I was born, so it could be that the writing tripped me up. But that's not all.
From a storycrafting point of view, I find that the "flow" of the story was insufficient. There seems to be a disconnect between acts, and I was deeply bothered by the fact that the entire second act was a coma dream. I loved Jennie. Why did she have to just disappear? Also, it's clear that Peter learned a great deal from his dream-ordeal, but I feel like that could have been better handled.
I love cats more than anything. My tortie, Tali, is the light of my life. Books about animals are easy wins with me.
IlikedJennie.I found Jennie the cat delightful and the descriptions and "whys" behind cat behavior whimsical and accurate. The crew aboard the Countess were funny and likable.
There was something deeply lacking, for me at least, in the structure of the book. I'm wondering if the book hasn't held up well over the years; parts are very dated. The book was published more than thirty years before I was born, so it could be that the writing tripped me up. But that's not all.
From a storycrafting point of view, I find that the "flow" of the story was insufficient. There seems to be a disconnect between acts, and I was deeply bothered by the fact that the entire second act was a coma dream. I loved Jennie. Why did she have to just disappear? Also, it's clear that Peter learned a great deal from his dream-ordeal, but I feel like that could have been better handled.
July 31, 2017
I don't remember the last time I was so deeply moved by a book. Tears streaming down my face and all.
This book is such a precious gem. It's a profound, gripping tale about a boy who turns into a cat, and his experience of the world. It's not a simplistic children's novel and it's not just about cats. I won't spoil it by saying any more - other than it's worth every minute of your life that you spent reading and thinking about it.
P.S. The author is American, the book was first published in 1950 and contains a couple of race-related terms which nowadays would be considered inappropriate. I'm sure they were not meant to be offensive here, and I don't think they were offensive at the time.
This book is such a precious gem. It's a profound, gripping tale about a boy who turns into a cat, and his experience of the world. It's not a simplistic children's novel and it's not just about cats. I won't spoil it by saying any more - other than it's worth every minute of your life that you spent reading and thinking about it.
P.S. The author is American, the book was first published in 1950 and contains a couple of race-related terms which nowadays would be considered inappropriate. I'm sure they were not meant to be offensive here, and I don't think they were offensive at the time.
January 13, 2017
Reading this as a 19 year old girl all I can say is that this book is appropriate for all ages. It was wonderful, beautiful and outstanding. I've never read a book as great. Jennie is one of my favorite novels, Paul Gallico being a wonderful author. The ending was by far the most excruciating pain I've ever been in, it was utterly sad and I cannot find a book which can make me weep so much as this one has. I cried for hours and I couldn't sleep as all I wanted to do was kiss Jennie Baldrin and hold Peter in my arms. Thank you Paul Gallico.
February 4, 2011
THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS EVER!! But I must say, it was a little sad at the ending! How could the author do that? Was Jennie that black and white cat? It has to be!!! I miss Jennie so much!!! It is a sweet and touching book that is so wonderfully made. but I don't get why they were all calling each other "dear." That had been alittledefinitely creepy.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes touching, cute literature because it is one of the sweetest!
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes touching, cute literature because it is one of the sweetest!
February 4, 2021
When I read this book as a teenager I was enthralled. I've enjoyed it again as a mature person. Paul Gallico was a gifted author. If you're a Cat Person you'll laugh as you read his descriptions of cat behavior.
November 27, 2017
I really like Paul Gallico’s writing! He tells amazing stories, and I very much enjoyed this one about a little boy who turned into a cat. Sounds strange to describe it that way, but it was a wonderful cat story and will be appreciated by anyone who loves cats!
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May 9, 2023Gallico's best book about cats is stillThe Silent Miaow,but this one I can recommend for the fabulous northbound voyage of the Glasgow Queen, when Peter and Jenny sign on as ship's cats. The descriptions of the unwilling, wholly inept crew are hilarious.
February 5, 2019
One for Team Cats.
January 23, 2022
Relaxing and easy to read. I sometimes forgot the protagonist was supposed to be an eight year old, and sometimes it even seemed like the author forgot as well. There are a lot of cute moments in the book, but the unsatisfactory ending and the fact that Peter seems way too old to be an eight year old is kinda not it for me.
July 11, 2023
Bardzo lubię literaturę dziecięcą, jednak tutaj coś nie zagrało. Mimo wszystko, lektura dobra dla miłośników koteczków! 🐱
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