|
Loading... Time Cat: The Remarkable Journeys of Jason and Garethpor Lloyd Alexander
 Eneles | Nov 7, 2009 | 
All cats can talk if they want, but most cats don't wish to do so. Gareth, however, is unique: he talks to Jason, his boy companion (cats don't have owners), and takes Jason with him on nine adventures, one for each of his nine lives. They start in ancient Egypt, and travel forward through history in leaps and bounds, experiencing some of history's most pivotal ages and meeting some of its most colorful characters. It's a delightful romp through history, and my daughter and I found occasion to pause many times and discuss historical eras and events. But if she were reading it on her own, I'm sure she would have missed many of the historical references -- St. Patrick and the snakes, for example. And I'm not sure the description was sufficiently indelible that she'd be able to recall it when she finally does learn about St. Patrick (in school or elsewhere). Granted, my daughter's only eight, but I think even twelve- or thirteen-year-olds, for whom the book is really written, would miss a lot of the references. I'm sure my sister and I both did, when we read it years ago. The story is no less enjoyable for that, but I do think Alexander could have more fully explained the context of some of the periods into which Gareth and Jason travel. Nevertheless, it's a fun read with some pretty impressive characters and funny moments. Overall, a cute book for younger readers, with something in it for the grown-ups, too... and with some great teaching moments. :) Eneles | Nov 7, 2009 | Cute and fun. The last chapter gets a little annoying, with a heavy-handed 'there was a LESSON in this' message, but overall it's pretty neat. Interesting mix of places/people, with a few where they may have had an important influence on major historical characters, and others where the people they meet are very unlikely to have made any major mark on history, they just make an interesting story. Overall, not bad, not wonderful. (  ) jjmcgaffey | Oct 2, 2009 | If you are either a history or cat fan than I highly recommend this book. Although it does lean towards being a kid's book, you won't walk away from it without learning something new.... (  ) rosedrakon | Feb 23, 2009 | This children's book reads like a kid's-eye-tour of ancient history. Jason and his cat, Gareth, travel through time to nine different historical times/places (everything from ancient Egypt to 1600's Germany) and experience brief adventures in each. The adventures get a little repetitive if you read too much of the story at once, but this would be perfect for reading aloud a chapter at a time and sparking a child's interest in times past. beserene | Jun 17, 2008 | A fine time travel adventure with a cat -- what could be better? ( ) auntieknickers | Jan 9, 2008 | I remembered it from when I was a kid, and hunted it down when I went through a phase where I was rereading children's books that had stuck in my mind. I was pleasantly surprised to find it as charming, and a lot better written than I would have expected. It was only then that I found out Lloyd Alexander is also a fantasy writer of some repute. ( ) arthurfrayn | Sep 8, 2007 | In this story Jason goes back in time with his cat, Gareth. They visit nine times and places and make a difference in a cat's life, a person's life, and history in general. This book is fascinating partially because at the end, Gareth tells Jason that they went on these journeys in order to train Jason as a sort of coming of age thing. This means that students reading this can go back to each section of the book and think about what Jason was meant to learn each time- advanced critical thinking! This is also a book that lends itself to further research (especially since there were some historical inaccuracies), and might be a good basis for a unit on fantasy or historical fiction writing. (  ) t1bclasslibrary | Sep 8, 2007 | What a fun book! I wish I’d read it when I was little; I think I’d have gotten a big kick out of it. Though it’s presented as a novel, the book is really more a series of nine short stories that follow Jason and his cat, Gareth, as they travel through time. They meet an interesting cast of characters along the way, including such real historical figures as Saint Patrick and Leonardo da Vinci. I loved how the book was set up; though Jason and Gareth never spend very long in each place, they’re there long enough to learn some important lessons about life. Alexander resists the temptation to elaborate on these lessons; though there are some obvious points, it’s up to the reader to figure out just what went on. I think that this leaves some interesting possibilities for discussion, making this a good book for parents and younger children to read together. The book was a little more juvenile than I was expecting; the story is presented much more simply than anything else I’ve read by Alexander, and the characters feel more like an excuse for the events rather than compelling people in their own right. Still, it was fun and enjoyable. I’d definitely recommend it for children between five and ten who like cats or history, or anyone looking for a quick, fun children’s read. (  )1  xicanti | Jun 13, 2007 | 3.99  hse | Jun 4, 2007 | ALA notable young adult author, books @ 200+ pages. bookwyrmish | Nov 10, 2006 | "Time Cat" is one of my favorite books by Lloyd Alexander. It's hard to say why, but I enjoyed the story and the writing, and the main subject (time travel) appealed to me immensely. Of course, I also like cats and magic, so what more could I ask for? ( ) Koenix | Apr 28, 2006 | |
|
It's a delightful romp through history, and my daughter and I found occasion to pause many times and discuss historical eras and events. But if she were reading it on her own, I'm sure she would have missed many of the historical references -- St. Patrick and the snakes, for example. And I'm not sure the description was sufficiently indelible that she'd be able to recall it when she finally does learn about St. Patrick (in school or elsewhere). Granted, my daughter's only eight, but I think even twelve- or thirteen-year-olds, for whom the book is really written, would miss a lot of the references. I'm sure my sister and I both did, when we read it years ago.
The story is no less enjoyable for that, but I do think Alexander could have more fully explained the context of some of the periods into which Gareth and Jason travel. Nevertheless, it's a fun read with some pretty impressive characters and funny moments. Overall, a cute book for younger readers, with something in it for the grown-ups, too... and with some great teaching moments. :)