The Killer Cat Strikes Back

The Killer Cat #3

by Anne Fine

'Okay, okay. So stick my head in a holly bush.'

Tuffy knows what he likes. And he doesn't like the 'art' that Ellie's mum brings home from her new classes. So what's a cat to do?
A few scratches here just happen to shred a painting. A nudge there somehow slips a vase off a shelf. Dad hope a horribly lumpy clay pot will be next, but Tuffy's having none of it. The killer cat will go his own sweet way!

Genres: Childrens, Humor, Cats

96 pages, Paperback

First published April 30, 2005

About the author

Though readers often find themselves inadvertently laughing aloud as they read Anne Fine's novels, as she herself admits, "a lot of my work, even for fairly young readers, raises serious social issues. Growing up is a long and confusing business. I try to show that the battle through the chaos is worthwhile and can, at times, be seen as very funny." In 1994, this unique combination of humour and realism inspired the hit movie MRS. DOUBTFIRE, based on Anne's novel MADAME DOUBTFIRE and starring the late comedic genius Robin Williams.

Anne is best known in her home country, England, as a writer principally for children, but over the years she has also written eight novels for adult readers. Seven of these she describes as black - or sour - comedies, and the first, THE KILLJOY, simply as "dead black". These novels have proved great favourites with reading groups, causing readers to squirm with mingled horror and delight as she peels away the layers in all too familiar family relationships, exposing the tangled threads and conflicts beneath. (It's perhaps not surprising that Anne has openly expressed astonishment at the fact that murder in the domestic setting is not even more common.)

Anne has written more than sixty books for children and young people. Amongst numerous other awards, she is twice winner of both the Carnegie Medal, Britain's most prestigious children's book award, and the Whitbread Award. Twice chosen as Children's Author of the Year in the British Book Awards, Anne Fine was also the first novelist to be honoured as Children's Laureate in the United Kingdom. In 2003, Anne became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and was awarded an OBE. Her work has been translated into forty five languages.

Anne Fine lives in the north of England and has two grown up daughters.

Reviews

[Amina (ⴰⵎⵉⵏⴰ) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cats... born to act like Gods, and get away with it..

[Biblioteken i Örnsköldsvik · Rating 5 out of 5]

En bok som både vuxna och barn kan uppskatta, perfekt för högläsning. Katten Tuffy är så fruktansvärt rolig.

Tuffa Katten Tuffy gillar INTE konst. Det är hans värsta fiende. Ellies mamma har börjat gå en kurs i hur man gör konst och allt hon gör är så FULT. Gränsen går när Ellies mamma målar en osmickrande bild på Tuffy. Något måste göras! Tuffy förstör tavlor och vaser och lotter, rättvisa ska skipas!

[osoi · Rating 4 out of 5]

И вдруг он сменил тактику.
- Ну же, - вкрадчиво заворковал он. – Разбей ее, сделай мне приятное. Пожалуйста. Милый котик. Милый, милый котик.
Да как он посмел! Нет, вы представьте! Пять лет мы прожили с ним под одной крышей, и после всего он называет меня «милым».
Это оскорбление.

Котик снова в ударе!
Первая книга была посвящена в основном маньячным наклонностям котика Таффи, таскавшего кролика через кошачью дверцу. Во второй кота берут на принцип и тот закатывает вечеринку.
Недооценил папа умственные способности Таффи, назвав его «хорошим котиком»? Этот пушистый монстр после подобного и лапой не двинет, чтобы помочь. Предпочел забыть про день рождения своего любимца? Получи привидений в шкафу, неудобную постель и фееричное шоу, распугавшее гостей! А там, где не действует тонкий механизм манипулирования хозяевами, сойдет и простой вандализм.
Папе в этих случаях досталась львиная доля внимания и заботы Таффи

Миссис Умелые Ручки вернулась домой с тремя уродливыми, бесформенными комками сухой грязи.
(Я не шучу. Комья высохшей грязи, полые внутри. Цвета детской неожиданности).

А вот мама подалась в искусство, где без пушистого компаньона не обойтись.
Нарисовала портрет милого котика – его коготки совершенно случайно зацепились за эту непотребщину.
Разложила краски и кисти, подготовила холст – кошачий авангардизм еще никто не отменял!
Слепила вазы, совсем не радующие глаз – найти их осколки можно на полу.
И ведь не объяснишь этой милейшей женщине, что сердитая кошачья морда, вдохновившая ее на творчество, относилась непосредственно к территориально-диванной ошибке. Коты не забывают, кто и когда занял их место на солнышке.

Книжка небольшая, в ней всего две коротких повести, что только в плюс. С юмором о шаловливом котике в сопровождении чудесных иллюстраций. Обложка – необработанный картон; некоторое недоумение вызвал рисунок на ней, в котором я, невнимательная, не сразу разглядела шедевр Таффи. Надеюсь, меня все же не постигнет суровая кошачья кара.
Всем рекомендую!

P.S. В самом конце деньрожденной книги этот котище осознал, как широко раскинулась его власть. Боюсь подумать, о чем будет следующая книга

annikeh.net

[Sidra · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of many in the series of 'The Killer Cat' I think this is a great read for lower key stage 2, as it contains a range of vocabulary, so that children can start replacing common every day words. There is also varied use of punctuation that children in Year 3 and Year 4 should become a lot more familiar with. The sentence structure is quite detailed, but also simple in the sense that it is easy to rephrase. It contains short chapters which demonstrates some development of a story and also consists of colourless illustrations.

The book is written from the view of a cat, Tuffy, who is often quite sarcastic and negative towards his family. The fictional element of a talking cat definitely allows readers to broaden their imagination for times when they need to write a creative piece of fiction. When his owner, Ellie's mother, joins a class, Tuffy is set out to destroy everything she creates or intends to create, whether art, pottery or garden sculptures. Both Tuffy and Ellie's father hoped she join a class where she would learn how to fix their car, until the neighbour sells Ellie's father a raffle ticket for which the prize is a brand new car. All the cats in neighbouring houses discuss how a new car would make all their lives better, but Tuffy feels uneasy when he discovers he might be the reason his family cannot claim their prize...

[Ramona Cantaragiu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to adress a pet peeve of mine. I am utterly confused in regard to the gender of the cat. Is Tuffy supposed to be female or male? The Romanian translation is not very helpful since they use the word "pisica" which refers both to the species as a whole and to the female cat and then talks about the character referring to it as "he", which would suggest that he is a male cat (for which we have the word 'motan' in Romanian). Anyway, gender issues aside, I feel like the series is drifting a bit from the initial quality. It's not that the stories are poorly written, it's that I find myself enjoying them less and less. There is a fine balance between being mean and being funny mean, and in this one Tuffy leans more towards the former. Also, the plot twist is not as funny as in the first book. I hope this series gets better.

[Izabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

SÅ. HIMLA. BRA. En bok som både vuxna och barn kan uppskatta, perfekt för högläsning. Katten Tuffy är så fruktansvärt rolig på ett sarkastiskt och ironiskt sätt vilket kanske kommer gå barnen över huvudena. MEN den vuxna som läser kommer säkert skratta till rätt ofta.

Tuffa Katten Tuffy gillar INTE konst. Det är hans värsta fiende. Ellies mamma har börjat gå en kurs i hur man gör konst och allt hon gör är så FULT. Gränsen går när Ellies mamma målar en osmickrande bild på Tuffy. Något måste göras! Tuffy förstör tavlor och vaser och lotter, rättvisa ska skipas!

[Sean Harding · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is book three of the series but the first one I have read, and it is not really necessary to read them in order, even if it is what i would normally do - anyway this is quite hilarious and a fun filled book about the title character the killer cat - a great read with just the right amount of silliness.

[Angeli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is perfect for cat owners and cat lovers alike. It's short, sweet, and simple -- and ends on a happy note for everyone in the house.

[Shahrun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious third instalment in the Killer Cat Series. This time Tuffy almost outdoes himself with his attitude and naughty ways. It all comes good in the end though. Love the illustrations.

[Cora Lang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rigolo!

[baz cutting · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't really like it but I recommend for people who are a low level at reading.

[Alice Kuzzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another cheeky short in this series, with continued sass from Tuffy

[Mark Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not too bad 3/4 out of 5. Funny story about a painting and a cat!

[sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast easy French reading.

[Bouilloire · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5/5

[Marie Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Livre très drôle, facile à lire ...

[Évelyne G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ce livre la est parfait pour quelqun qui commence à lire des romans

[Hermione Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. Absolutely brilliant. Family fav. I would really recommed it for familys who aren't afraid of laughing their heads of.

[Majeda]

The book is written from the view of a cat, Tuffy, who is often quite sarcastic and negative towards his family. The fictional element of a talking cat definitely allows readers to broaden their imagination. When his owner, Ellie's mother, joins a class, Tuffy is set out to destroy everything she creates or intends to create, whether art, pottery or garden sculptures. Both Tuffy and Ellie's father hoped she join a class where she would learn how to fix their car, until the neighbour sells Ellie's father a raffle ticket for which the prize is a brand new car. All the cats in neighbouring houses discuss how a new car would make all their lives better, but Tuffy feels uneasy when he discovers he might be the reason his family cannot claim their prize…

'The Killer Cat Strikes Back' is a great read for capable KS1 readers and lower KS2 readers. There is a varied use of punctuation and the sentence structure is quite detailed, but also simple in the sense that it is easy to rephrase. It contains short chapters which demonstrates some development of a story and also consists of colourless illustrations.

[Stephan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tuffy är tillbaka!
Igen!
Och man börjar tyvärr tröttna... Varken karaktärer, språk eller miljöer varieras tillräckligt mycket. Tuffys allt annat än trevliga sätt att uttrycka sig börjar kännas repetitivt och trist. Den första boken var lite av en frisk fläkt men nu... nja.
Men å andra sidan kan jag lätt tänka mig att barnen som fastnat för världens bästa mördarkatt kan komma att uppskatta även denna berättelse.
Gillar ni katter? Då kan ni tycka om den här boken. Tycker ni katter är elaka och själviska små monster med allt för mycket attityd? Läs den här boken och bekräfta era åsikter!

[Tailsmo · Rating 3 out of 5]

My child read this to me today in one sitting and laughed all the way through. This story must be modelled on our cat! Wonderful fun!

[Erin Seyer]

Lu en français

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even funnier than the last one, I believe.

[Suzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 9 year son thought this book was funny and thoroughly enjoyed reading it.