What do you think?
Rate this book
The Crossbreed
His mother was a housecat gone wild-a huge, tiger-striped cat who survived almost certain death at the hands of a man intent upon destroying her and her family. His father was a bobcat-a proud, cunning creature of the Wisconsin countryside, whose tumultuous courtship with her resulted ultimately in his own violent death. The Crossbreed himself was their largest offspring-the only one that strange litter the feral housecat bore to resemble his sire, even though his markings were those of his mother. His intelligence and ability and the combination of the better attributes of both breeds enabled him to survive in a world of enemies and t undergo an incredible odyssey of over two thousand miles in four years. The Crossbreed is a swiftly paced, sometimes brutal sometimes sad, always compelling novel of an indomitable spirit; of the perfection that is nature and of the cruel and sometimes wonderfully tender moments between men and animals.
256 pages, Paperback
First published June 16, 1968
120 people want to read
About the author
Allan W. Eckert
80 books294 followersAllan W. Eckert was an American historian, historical novelist, and naturalist.
Eckert was born in Buffalo, New York, and raised in the Chicago, Illinois area, but had been a long-time resident of Bellefontaine, Ohio, near where he attended college. As a young man, he hitch-hiked around the United States, living off the land and learning about wildlife. He began writing about nature and American history at the age of thirteen, eventually becoming an author of numerous books for children and adults. His children's novel, Incident at Hawk's Hill, was a runner-up for the Newbery Medal in 1972. One of his novels tells how the great auk went extinct.
In addition to his novels, he also wrote several unproduced screenplays and more than 225 Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom television shows for which he received an Emmy Award.
In a 1999 poll conducted by the Ohioana Library Association, jointly with Toni Morrison, Allan W. Eckert was voted "Favorite Ohio Writer of All Time."
Eckert died in his sleep on July 7, 2011, in Corona, California, at the age of 80.
Eckert was born in Buffalo, New York, and raised in the Chicago, Illinois area, but had been a long-time resident of Bellefontaine, Ohio, near where he attended college. As a young man, he hitch-hiked around the United States, living off the land and learning about wildlife. He began writing about nature and American history at the age of thirteen, eventually becoming an author of numerous books for children and adults. His children's novel, Incident at Hawk's Hill, was a runner-up for the Newbery Medal in 1972. One of his novels tells how the great auk went extinct.
In addition to his novels, he also wrote several unproduced screenplays and more than 225 Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom television shows for which he received an Emmy Award.
In a 1999 poll conducted by the Ohioana Library Association, jointly with Toni Morrison, Allan W. Eckert was voted "Favorite Ohio Writer of All Time."
Eckert died in his sleep on July 7, 2011, in Corona, California, at the age of 80.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 1, 2020
“Not once did he stop and in his curious manner raise his nose to sniff and listen and look for something beyond his ken. In fact, he never did it again.”
The Crossbreed is a short but memorable story completely from the perspective of a cat; a wild cat, but a cat nonetheless. The cat is torn between the instincts of its sire and the memories of a boy who saved his life. Rich in nature lore, the story follows the adventures of a courageous animal.
Courageous, I've written. If I think about it, when it comes down to survival and self-preservation, every animal can be hailed as courageous. Still the story of this sly crossbreed is unique in itself. The number of stories I've read where the narration is completely from an animal's point of view can be counted in one hand. Even just then, I have a reason to believe that penning a story in such a way is harder than capturing one from a child's perception. Considering that, this little tale of a wild cat is written remarkably well. I did wonder if the author had any expert or professional experience related to nature and animals in general. I found it to be true after I read the author's note given in the book. After reading that, I could see he would have some real things to say about survival and self-preservation.
From the curious nature of a kitten to the rough life of an adult wild cat– everything was very fascinating to read. The terrifying situations such as drowning, humans hunting, bigger and more vicious prey— all made me realize how much the phrase “survival of the fittest” is true in the animal kingdom. Animals learn endurance in just three to four years that a human couldn't attain even after twenty of their years or never in some cases. To embed such a level of expertise and instinct in a person demands extreme circumstances similar to that of the struggle of the wild cat; a fate that I hardly think any man would subject himself to willingly.
It was like reading a hybrid– a story and a documentary put together (pun intended). It was both informative and thrilling. By the end, I could discern that the peculiar feeling the crossbreed had had was loneliness and seemed to be missing Todd. Though I have to say I did not expect the ending, even if it was reasonable. I was leaning on for more of a cliché happy ending, I guess. In such a short story, there were little twists and turns too. I felt like I was reading about some crazy, daring adventures of a determined boy on a quest, overcoming obstacles after obstacles; each one more dangerous than the last. It's always very disconcerting to read about the cruelty of a man– always leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Well, at least I can console myself that Todd, being smart and compassionate, played a positive role in the life of Yowler.
The Crossbreed is a short but memorable story completely from the perspective of a cat; a wild cat, but a cat nonetheless. The cat is torn between the instincts of its sire and the memories of a boy who saved his life. Rich in nature lore, the story follows the adventures of a courageous animal.
Courageous, I've written. If I think about it, when it comes down to survival and self-preservation, every animal can be hailed as courageous. Still the story of this sly crossbreed is unique in itself. The number of stories I've read where the narration is completely from an animal's point of view can be counted in one hand. Even just then, I have a reason to believe that penning a story in such a way is harder than capturing one from a child's perception. Considering that, this little tale of a wild cat is written remarkably well. I did wonder if the author had any expert or professional experience related to nature and animals in general. I found it to be true after I read the author's note given in the book. After reading that, I could see he would have some real things to say about survival and self-preservation.
From the curious nature of a kitten to the rough life of an adult wild cat– everything was very fascinating to read. The terrifying situations such as drowning, humans hunting, bigger and more vicious prey— all made me realize how much the phrase “survival of the fittest” is true in the animal kingdom. Animals learn endurance in just three to four years that a human couldn't attain even after twenty of their years or never in some cases. To embed such a level of expertise and instinct in a person demands extreme circumstances similar to that of the struggle of the wild cat; a fate that I hardly think any man would subject himself to willingly.
It was like reading a hybrid– a story and a documentary put together (pun intended). It was both informative and thrilling. By the end, I could discern that the peculiar feeling the crossbreed had had was loneliness and seemed to be missing Todd. Though I have to say I did not expect the ending, even if it was reasonable. I was leaning on for more of a cliché happy ending, I guess. In such a short story, there were little twists and turns too. I felt like I was reading about some crazy, daring adventures of a determined boy on a quest, overcoming obstacles after obstacles; each one more dangerous than the last. It's always very disconcerting to read about the cruelty of a man– always leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Well, at least I can console myself that Todd, being smart and compassionate, played a positive role in the life of Yowler.
December 14, 2021
The biology seems decidedly suspect (a bobcat mating with a house cat and producing offspring*?), but it creates an excellent adventure of a briefly tamed but mostly wild creature, living his solitary life with not-infrequent threats to his survival. Lots of death and sadness, as there usually is in wildlife stories, but I was touched by the idea of his incessant journey back to his original home.
*edit: perhaps not, according to the lovely commenter below!
*edit: perhaps not, according to the lovely commenter below!
August 5, 2019
Found in our inherited library, a quick read, ideally for teens.
Have to say I was impressed with the storytelling, caught my interest throughout the novel. Told from the perspective of a feral, crossbred cat, the story led me to have empathy for what an animal faces in the varied interactions with humans.
Have to say I was impressed with the storytelling, caught my interest throughout the novel. Told from the perspective of a feral, crossbred cat, the story led me to have empathy for what an animal faces in the varied interactions with humans.
May 20, 2020
Rating: 5 stars!! (Wish i could rate it 10 stars!!)
Review:
This was a sweet story about a little boy who cared for a wild bobcat despite his parents wishes!!
The plot storyline and characters were easy to get into from Page 1!! Definately a must read if you love books about Nature and Wild Animals!!
Can't wait to read more books by this author!!
Review:
This was a sweet story about a little boy who cared for a wild bobcat despite his parents wishes!!
The plot storyline and characters were easy to get into from Page 1!! Definately a must read if you love books about Nature and Wild Animals!!
Can't wait to read more books by this author!!
May 12, 2025
Brutality real. Allen Eckert always writes a great accurate story. It pushed on my cat lover nerve a little to hard. Im glad i read it cannot be classified as escapism. The Crossbreed hero has an interesting life. He's smart and resilient but i wish Disney put a little sparkle on it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2011
Read in JR High, but remember it being one of the first Novels that I picked to read myself, not some assignment form a class. It kept my attention all the way through.
November 19, 2014
The story started off o.k. but reading about dog / cat fights isn't my idea of entertainment. Read the first half and skimmed the second half. Even the ending was a disappointment.
November 6, 2024
I marked this as realistic fiction but it was a bit of a stretch.
allan eckert wrote song of the wild, which was probably my favorite book I read as a kid, at least out of books I only read once and not multiple times. I also read incident at hawks hill, based on a true story (?) about a toddler who got lost and was raised for a bit by a badger, if I recall correctly. when starling was in elementary school, she had to do an author study where she read multiple books by the same author, wrote a little mini biography, that sort of thing, and I think I influenced her to do allan eckert. I don't remember what she read, but I bought a few of his books online and this is one of them. I hope she didn't read it, because she would have hated it due to the numerous animal deaths.
I thought of eckert as a children's book writer but reading this, I'm no longer so sure about that. I wouldn't consider this a children's book. it's kind of in the vein of old yeller - it references/pays homage to old yeller - but it's more of a naturalist take on following a wild animal around as it hunts, mates, etc. eckert dedicates the book to his friend, who he calls an outdoorsman, and it's that kind of nature book - extremely brutal, with little emotion, very red in tooth and claw and with this kind of viewpoint that everyone's hunting, animals, men, and that's just how it is.
where it is unrealistic is in the adventures of the titular crossbreed (half housecat, half bobcat). he literally travels down the mississippi like some feline huck finn and rides the rails like a hobo. like I said, the book is brutal. the cat is always getting injured, though the injuries don't seem to phase him for long and heal up fine with no lasting damage. but he goes through a lot, and witnesses even more - he gets shot at multiple times, chased by dogs, caught in a noose and used in a fighting ring, caught in a trap. he sees his companions get killed by a car, a snake, and gunfire. whenever he is frightened or moved, eckert talks about some weird noise he makes, and it's like this very masculine viewpoint on emotion, just let out some howl and then forget about your pain and get on with your life impassively.
the writing is a little stiff, for sure. eckert doesn't stint on talking about animals relieving themselves, mating, fighting, killing and eating other animals. he does refer to rabbits as rodents several times, which is incorrect and which I found kind of annoying in a book that otherwise was showing off natural knowledge. a big part of the book is the crossbreed's homing drive, and eckert gives the geography of towns and rivers and creeks as if we all grew up there (the book ranges from wisconsin, to minnesota, to missouri, arkansas, louisiana) which is also weird. he's good at describing natural features of landscapes.
the best part was the end where the crossbreed and a boy who saved him and lived with him for a few months as a kitten had the potential to reunite. it wasn't as expected, and I appreciated that. but yeah, the rest of it seemed overly formal, like natural history combined with an adventure story, and above all brutal. I didn't enjoy it very much.
allan eckert wrote song of the wild, which was probably my favorite book I read as a kid, at least out of books I only read once and not multiple times. I also read incident at hawks hill, based on a true story (?) about a toddler who got lost and was raised for a bit by a badger, if I recall correctly. when starling was in elementary school, she had to do an author study where she read multiple books by the same author, wrote a little mini biography, that sort of thing, and I think I influenced her to do allan eckert. I don't remember what she read, but I bought a few of his books online and this is one of them. I hope she didn't read it, because she would have hated it due to the numerous animal deaths.
I thought of eckert as a children's book writer but reading this, I'm no longer so sure about that. I wouldn't consider this a children's book. it's kind of in the vein of old yeller - it references/pays homage to old yeller - but it's more of a naturalist take on following a wild animal around as it hunts, mates, etc. eckert dedicates the book to his friend, who he calls an outdoorsman, and it's that kind of nature book - extremely brutal, with little emotion, very red in tooth and claw and with this kind of viewpoint that everyone's hunting, animals, men, and that's just how it is.
where it is unrealistic is in the adventures of the titular crossbreed (half housecat, half bobcat). he literally travels down the mississippi like some feline huck finn and rides the rails like a hobo. like I said, the book is brutal. the cat is always getting injured, though the injuries don't seem to phase him for long and heal up fine with no lasting damage. but he goes through a lot, and witnesses even more - he gets shot at multiple times, chased by dogs, caught in a noose and used in a fighting ring, caught in a trap. he sees his companions get killed by a car, a snake, and gunfire. whenever he is frightened or moved, eckert talks about some weird noise he makes, and it's like this very masculine viewpoint on emotion, just let out some howl and then forget about your pain and get on with your life impassively.
the writing is a little stiff, for sure. eckert doesn't stint on talking about animals relieving themselves, mating, fighting, killing and eating other animals. he does refer to rabbits as rodents several times, which is incorrect and which I found kind of annoying in a book that otherwise was showing off natural knowledge. a big part of the book is the crossbreed's homing drive, and eckert gives the geography of towns and rivers and creeks as if we all grew up there (the book ranges from wisconsin, to minnesota, to missouri, arkansas, louisiana) which is also weird. he's good at describing natural features of landscapes.
the best part was the end where the crossbreed and a boy who saved him and lived with him for a few months as a kitten had the potential to reunite. it wasn't as expected, and I appreciated that. but yeah, the rest of it seemed overly formal, like natural history combined with an adventure story, and above all brutal. I didn't enjoy it very much.
November 14, 2019
The Crossbred
by Allan W. Eckert
1968
4.0/5.0
Whoa!
Beautiful but brutal, this was a difficult book.
A young boy shows his father a litter of kittens he found in their farm. The father puts them in a bag, ties it to a rock and throws it in the deep end of a river. Only the mother survives. She is followed and eventually forced to mate with a wild bobcat. The bobcat helps her by hunting and leaving food near the area she has her kittens. The bobcat is hunted and killed, the mother is on her own. She learns to fight for her existence, hunt and kill for food and where to hide when in danger. This is her story.
It is a true representation of the life of a wild cat, told in detail. The animal/animal fighting is difficult, but a necessary act in the wild.
Still, it was hard to read, esp. in such detail.
The prevalence of human violence and animal mauling each other for food were a detailed and recurring theme in this book.
It is very well written, but very brutal, esp for a middle grade novel.
Thanks to Jackie, for this book!
by Allan W. Eckert
1968
4.0/5.0
Whoa!
Beautiful but brutal, this was a difficult book.
A young boy shows his father a litter of kittens he found in their farm. The father puts them in a bag, ties it to a rock and throws it in the deep end of a river. Only the mother survives. She is followed and eventually forced to mate with a wild bobcat. The bobcat helps her by hunting and leaving food near the area she has her kittens. The bobcat is hunted and killed, the mother is on her own. She learns to fight for her existence, hunt and kill for food and where to hide when in danger. This is her story.
It is a true representation of the life of a wild cat, told in detail. The animal/animal fighting is difficult, but a necessary act in the wild.
Still, it was hard to read, esp. in such detail.
The prevalence of human violence and animal mauling each other for food were a detailed and recurring theme in this book.
It is very well written, but very brutal, esp for a middle grade novel.
Thanks to Jackie, for this book!
December 16, 2025
Is a sad book with a few sweet moments, really, this book is heartbreaking. Is the story about a beautiful, smart and so special cat that traveled thousands of miles motivated by the desire to find the feeling of love that he once had. This longing and nostalgia is always in the heart of the cat that it saddened me.
November 13, 2017
Parts of this are delightful, but others not so much. On the whole, I liked the first part the best and found the rest rather disappointing.
Read
December 2, 2021Good read
January 14, 2024
🖋️ Clever, clever, clever!
📙Published in 1968.
📖 Book version.
●▬●🔷●🔷●▬●
📙Published in 1968.
📖 Book version.
●▬●🔷●🔷●▬●
November 15, 2008
A really excellent book.
April 16, 2015
This animal story is one of the few about a cat. I remember loving it.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews