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Kat & Mouse #1
Kat & Mouse 1: Teacher Torture
When Kat's dad gets a job as a science teacher at a posh private school, things seem perfect -- that is, until Kat's rich, popular classmates shove her to the bottom of the social heap just for being smart. And bad turns to worse when an anonymous student blackmails Kat's dad to give the class better grades! Can Kat and her new friend, the rebellious computer nerd Mouse, find the real culprits before Kat's dad loses his job?
Paperback
First published July 11, 2006
3 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Alex de Campi
260 books239 followersAlex de Campi is a New York-based writer with an extensive backlist of critically-acclaimed graphic novels including Eisner-nominated heist noir Bad Girls (Simon & Schuster) and Twisted Romance (Image Comics). Her most recent book was her debut prose novel The Scottish Boy (Unbound). She lives with her daughter, their cat, and a Deafblind pit bull named Tango.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 24 reviews
June 30, 2021
I like the little science experiment in the back - very cute. First in the series about a girl from Iowa coming to a private school with jerky kids that try to force her dad to give them "Cs or better" - I mean if I'm going to try to force the teacher to cheat - at least go for a B. C doesn't seem worth all that hassle to me ;)
June 10, 2025
A bit basic and dated.
November 30, 2020
From Iowa to New Hampshire, but mostly in New Hampshire, this is a story of a kid in a boarding school! Except she doesn't board -- she's a teacher's kid, so there on scholarship. This makes for tension! And then the rich kids threaten her father, and her mother thinks they should just give, but Kat makes a friend and they are sleuthy together!
It's a lot of tropey stuff, but fun. And I could tell Kat and Mouse apart! (all the rest of the kids kind of blurred together, but that's on me.) I may try to dig up the rest -- this was fun.
It's a lot of tropey stuff, but fun. And I could tell Kat and Mouse apart! (all the rest of the kids kind of blurred together, but that's on me.) I may try to dig up the rest -- this was fun.
October 19, 2019
Very nice story; this is my first experience with Mangas although I am an adult reader. I removed the fifth star because I felt that the ending is a little bit disappointing. I needed more details and events at the end. The ending was like it was cut off. All in all, the book is very good, supplying a home experiment at the end. Recommend for mid-graders.
June 26, 2018
Very cute middle grade manga!
December 20, 2020
nice story about sleuthing friends.
February 27, 2024
This first installment of the series offers a very good start to a very enjoyable mystery series. Science experiments discussed near the end of the book are very interesting.
December 20, 2021
It's a wonderful story about friendship and bullying. And about rich kids and poor kids...
On the last pages are always a little experiment to imitate at home. And a hero of Kat and Mouse.
I liked it very much 🤩
On the last pages are always a little experiment to imitate at home. And a hero of Kat and Mouse.
I liked it very much 🤩
February 15, 2017
This volume tells a finished arc. The set-up is a little cliché - another high school mystery story but plucky female underdogs - but within that frame the story works well.
I like that this series tries to get young readers interested in science by highlighting experiments suitable for middle schoolers. In this volume, the reader is taught how to dust for fingerprints. The explanation on how to do it is given after the story, so you don't get pulled out of it either.
Another thing I like is that, after the story, Kat and Mouse highlight two inspirational women from history (Hedy Lamarr and Eileen Collins, in this volume). The girl power theme may seem on-the-nose, but it's only after the story, so again, you don't get pulled out of it; also, this section suits the characters' personalities, and it's not a bad thing for young readers to learn about these ladies.
I like that this series tries to get young readers interested in science by highlighting experiments suitable for middle schoolers. In this volume, the reader is taught how to dust for fingerprints. The explanation on how to do it is given after the story, so you don't get pulled out of it either.
Another thing I like is that, after the story, Kat and Mouse highlight two inspirational women from history (Hedy Lamarr and Eileen Collins, in this volume). The girl power theme may seem on-the-nose, but it's only after the story, so again, you don't get pulled out of it; also, this section suits the characters' personalities, and it's not a bad thing for young readers to learn about these ladies.
March 12, 2011
It’s already two weeks into the school year, but Kat’s family is moving. Across the country – from Iowa to New England. Her father is the new middle school science teacher at a fancy private school, where Kat will attend seventh grade. Her mother is thrilled to be returning to the area where she grew up. But this is a new world for Kat – of school uniforms and established cliques: the Chloettes, the athletes, the peace-heads, the nerds and the in-betweens. One of the few friendly people is Mee-Seen, known as Mouse, who gives Kat the lay of the land.
But soon it is clear that something much darker is going on than the all too usual social concerns of middle school. First, all the microscopes are stolen from her father’s classroom. Then, a threatening note is delivered: “Everybody gets a C or above or the accidents get worse.” Blackmail. But Kat’s father is determined not to give in, even though he might lose his job. So Kat and Mouse cook up a plan to catch who is behind the threats. And it’s a clever plan too . . . read and find out how Kat and Mouse catch the culprit!
This series is an early manga series from one of the most prolific manga publishers, TokyoPop. It reads right to left and is shorter, with age appropriate material for younger readers.
But soon it is clear that something much darker is going on than the all too usual social concerns of middle school. First, all the microscopes are stolen from her father’s classroom. Then, a threatening note is delivered: “Everybody gets a C or above or the accidents get worse.” Blackmail. But Kat’s father is determined not to give in, even though he might lose his job. So Kat and Mouse cook up a plan to catch who is behind the threats. And it’s a clever plan too . . . read and find out how Kat and Mouse catch the culprit!
This series is an early manga series from one of the most prolific manga publishers, TokyoPop. It reads right to left and is shorter, with age appropriate material for younger readers.
August 30, 2013
This series was a recommendation from one of my younger teen patrons. She really enjoyed the series and I can see why. I would recommend this series to tweens maybe even a bit younger. Kat moves to New Hampshire from Iowa to attend a prestigious school where her father gets a job teaching science. Kat hopes to make friends but finds herself on the outs with the popular girls and ends up becoming friends with Mouse, the smartest girl in her class. Kat and Mouse become embroiled in a blackmail scheme against her father from the "cool" kids as well as investigating a thief who has been stealing from the school for awhile. The two leads are engaging but the plot was a bit predictable. Nice look at early teenage issues with a bit of mystery thrown in for fun.
March 28, 2011
this book was great a very cool . in this story Katherine (Kat) moves to a new place . she enter this new great school . her father is the science teacher . her friend is mouse a Asian girl name Mee-seen but every one calls her mouse . its so good book and interesting . the problem is that her father get black mail if the whole class doesn't get a good grade. well her father does the right thing and give everyone a fair grade . well the night the telescopes are stolen . the other day they magically ape red . kat and mouse find the people the stole it and they got prove i can't wait to read the 2nd part .
August 14, 2008
Two geeks at a school, one a long-standing member of the community, and one a newcomer, must team up to save the latter girl's father from being blackmailed by the school's bratty girl contingent. This was geared too young for me to want to continue, but for a young audience I'm sure it would have been just fine. Very standard American manga art, and the two main characters are done well enough that you do care what happens to them. (Library, 07/06?)
Trebby's Take: Best for kids.
Trebby's Take: Best for kids.
May 4, 2012
Kat's father takes a job as a science teacher at a wealthy prep school in New Hampshire. The family is broke and Kat is nervous about not fitting in at Dover Academy. She quickly becomes friends with Mee-Seen (Mouse) and the two try to solve some mysterious crimes taking place around campus. Someone is trying to blackmail Kat's father into giving good grades, so it seems that the culprit must be in 7th grade.
October 15, 2016
The magnifying glass on the front communicates "this is a mystery!" but nothing mysterious happens until almost halfway through the book and pretty much all the detective work happens in the last 20 pages. I'm willing to give leeway for character and setting introduction but I really hope the next couple volumes have more mystery in them throughout!
December 27, 2023
While this was an ok book, I think this was just intended for a younger audience than myself which is why I didn’t enjoy it as much. I wanted more from the story. I did appreciate being able to see some of the emotions of various characters, both the obvious ones and the ones they hide from others.
October 1, 2008
Cute with potential. I'd be interested in seeing if it's developed better in the next book.
October 20, 2008
Fun graphic mystery. A few cliches (smart girl sleuths beat out the mean girl clique) but satisfying nonetheless. Series.
November 5, 2008
I enjoyed this graphic novel. It reminded me of another graphic novel that I really liked, the Plain Janes.
July 14, 2010
interesting intro story about 2 cool nerd friends who fight evil popular kids; 1st in series
November 16, 2011
Cute comic for kids about school dramas and detective work involving science. It even ends with a DIY home experiment and some great role models for smart girls.
September 7, 2016
I really like that mystery was covered in this graphic novel, but I felt as though it can be written better.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 24 reviews