Is That a Sick Cat in Your Backpack?

Tardy Boys #2

by Todd Strasser

An hilarious sequel to the middle grade novel IS THAT A DEAD DOG IN YOUR LOCKER? Perfect for boy readers from popular author Todd Strasser.

After the Tardy Boys find out that their parents have been kidnapped by space aliens, they also discover that they have a cat. When paying for the undernourished kitty starts to impede their ability to feed themselves, the Tardy Boys enter Skinny Kitty in a contest to win a year's worth of food. Also entered in the contest is Cat Spy Scratchy from the Planet Hiss in the Feline Galaxy, who has begun to use Alien Space Mind Control to take over people's minds. Leyton Tardy is immune to the mind control, and he uses Barton Slugg's gym sock toe-cheese to save all of mankind.

Genres: Childrens, Science Fiction

208 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2007

About the author

Todd Strasser is an American author of more than 130 novels for adults, young-adults, and middle graders.

His most recent novel is Summer of '69

Booklist review: "Drugs, sex, and rock 'n' roll, those hallmarks of the summer of 1969, are all here, but there's so much more. In this loosely autobiographical novel, Strasser introduces 18-year-old Lucas, who is bright and sensitive but also a screw up…. The picture painted of the Woodstock music festival shows the dark side of peace and love, and the prevalence of drugs is on almost every page…The best part of the book, however, is the one that transcends eras: Lucas' introspection as he contemplates his place in the world."

Kirkus review: "Strasser perfectly captures the golden haze of youth and life on the cusp of adulthood. Readers fascinated with this time period will find much to enjoy... Vietnam, Woodstock, road trips, and acid trips: a sweetly bittersweet, surprising, even melancholy bildungsroman set against a world in flux. Groovy, man."

His most recent young adult novel is Price of Duty:
2018 New York Public Library Best Book for Teens
“Compact and suspenseful, the novel raises important questions about war.” – Kirkus 
“This thought-provoking book is both welcome and imperative.” – Booklist * (starred review).
"Rather than attempting to sway the reader, it offers awareness." - VOYA 
“Tightly wound and compelling ... appropriate for an older middle school and high school audience. VERDICT: Highly recommended.” – School Library Journal 

Bio: Todd was born in New York City. When he was young his parents moved to Roslyn Heights, New York (Long Island). Todd went to the I.U. Willets Elementary school and then attended the Wheatley School for junior high and high school. His best subjects were math and science. He also liked to read, but he had trouble with spelling and grammar, and didn't do well in English. His favorite sports were tennis, skiing and fishing. Todd went to college at New York University for a few years, and then dropped out. He lived on a commune, then lived in Europe where he was a street musician.

All the while, Todd wrote songs and poems and lots of letters to his friends back home. Finally he decided to try being a writer. He returned to the United States and went to Beloit College where he studied literature and writing.

After college, Todd worked at the Middletown Times Herald-Record newspaper in Middletown, New York, and later at Compton Advertising in New York City. In 1978, Todd sold his first novel, Angel Dust Blues. He used the money to start the Dr. Wing Tip Shoo fortune cookie company. For the next 12 years, Todd sold more fortune cookies than books.

Todd now divides his time between writing books and speaking at schools and conferences. When he's at home, he likes to spend time with his children and dog, Cooper. He still likes to play tennis and ski, but his favorite new sport is surfing.

Reviews

[Bernie4444 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let’s face it the author has a fur-tile mind.

This series of books has shades of Lemony Snicket. While we are being treated to the shortcomings of the English language and some extremely awful euphemisms, the author gets his point across.

In the meantime, we enjoy the mystery of the sick cat in the backpack.

I don’t want to go too much into detail because I don’t want to spoil the surprise in the second book of the Tardy Boys Tales.

As in Harry Potter novels, everybody has a last name with meaning. The only difference is that it is definitely not a hidden meaning.

There is nothing really special about this series but it’s fun to peruse through four gems of wisdom such as “… Cats have nine lives, while frogs croak every night,”
Three stars

[Twyla · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite part was when the alien cats were sent back home since the people found a resistance to the mind control. My leastf aovrite part was when the cats were mind controlling the people and making them act difefrent than normal

[Eastonreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good humour. The characters are always in some kind of problem.

[Margaret Mwale · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's a great funny book!

[Christina ♡]

if i have to sit throught two months of reading this to my students it's gonna count to my damn reading goal.

[Rusty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another tale with the Tardy twins, their friends and others that I found fun. This one concerns alien cats that are identified by the nerd friend, Al-lan, who believes in the possibility of invasion by aliens. And, yes, an alien mind controlling cat is spying on the humans in the No Name School and the community. Alien cats from a far away planet plan to inthe vade earth and control the humans who live here. It's up to the Tardy twins to find a way to thwart the invasion and mind controlling powers of the alien cats. It's funny, strange and enjoyable. It's a good series for children to read.

[Angelica Shanice Reyes · Rating 3 out of 5]

hahaha!!! this one's funny! I learned that if you are just a kid or a dumplin' like kid who believed that his/her parents were captured by some alienatic cats(whom i believe that is not cute!) somewhere in the... okay, my mind is still not working, and maybe I need the monkeys inside my brain to swing faster.. whatever..

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very silly book about two kids who own a cat. The cat is different from most cats because an alien. They have to find a way to stop the alien cat invasion. This is a good comedy book for 5th graders. It uses the smart and dumb main characters cliche like in Of Mice And Men.

[Edwin]

boring boOk peolEZ

[Blake Laughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was pretty good 2 read i think some people should read this its pretty funny if u read it!

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very Funny!

[Indah Threez Lestari · Rating 3 out of 5]

204 - 2012

[Mr. Coomey teacher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was inspired to read this book because its really funny with the kid eating cat food soy sauce and mustard.The main part is when he saves the earth from mind control cats with toe cheese ?

[Jamie Leeper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. It was a fuuny story and I liked the way the author wrote it.Even his acknowledgement page was funny!

[Deborah Harris]

AR Quiz No. 114459 EN Fiction
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: MG - BL: 4.4 - AR Pts: 3.0
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP

[Dakota Stein · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good.I liked that they used cats that enslaved the human race that made it insteresting to read.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

That was the weirdest ( and probably the only ) alian book I have ever read!

[Hunter Gibbons · Rating 3 out of 5]

the book had some weird parts in it but it was a really good book.

[Emerson H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about three kids named Tj, Wade, and Leyton who have a cat they didn't know about and some alien cats are planning on attacking earth.