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Animal Ark Pets (UK Order) #19
Cat Crazy
Book by Baglio, Ben M.
128 pages, Paperback
First published June 17, 1998
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126 people want to read
About the author
Ben M. Baglio
217 books149 followersBen M. Baglio created the brief for two series of children's books - Dolphin Diaries and Animal Ark. Dolphin Diaries features a girl and her family from Florida, who travel around the world as marine biologists and study dolphins. Animal Ark features two children who work together to help animals and solve animal-related mysteries. The books were written by commissioned writers in the UK under Baglio's instruction using the pseudonym Lucy Daniels. Each ghostwriter is named with a 'Special Thanks' on the copyright page.
Using his real name he also wrote the book series The Pet Finders Club, featuring a group of three children who search for peoples lost pets.
Using his real name he also wrote the book series The Pet Finders Club, featuring a group of three children who search for peoples lost pets.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 11, 2021
Cat Crazy has a nice, positive feel. Ben M. Baglio's style is somewhat reminiscent of the beloved Clyde Robert Bulla; both of them tell simple stories featuring warm, likable characters the reader will enjoy meeting. I hope to read more of this series.
September 19, 2024
This is a review of the UK Hodder edition. In America, this would be published by Scholastic. Despite what the author's name is on the cover, the real author was Narinder Dhami, a frequent ghostwriter for the Animal Ark Universe. It's rare for any book in the Animal Ark Universe to have dedications, but Narinder often dedicated her books. This one is dedicated to "Billy, a very special kitten, much missed."
I wonder what Billy's story was. I've got a feeling it was better (although probably sadder) than this.
This is a slightly a-typical Animal Ark Pets book, since it focuses on just one plot, instead of bouncing between at least two plots. This had more of a flavor of an Animal Ark book, aimed at 12 year olds. Dhami wrote several Animal Ark books, so this isn't entirely surprising.
The plot is to keep a barge (houseboat) moored in it's home canal. The owner, a single mother, just happens to have 18 cats. A local resident hates cats, so is trying to get the barge moved on by the local council.
This is a very British book, so I'm surprised Scholastic didn't pass on it. They passed on a dozen Animal Ark Pets books, but not this one. There just aren't barges and councils in America (not that I'm aware of.) There are cat haters, of course. They're in every country that has cats. England might promote itself as "a nation of animal lovers" but quite a large percentage get a kick out of killing animals -- especially pets. We only get the briefest of glimpses of that hate here. It is a book for 9 year olds, after all.
There was one part in the beginning which surprised me. The Hopes are on a Cotswolds holiday in this book -- with James and Blackie, of course. The text notes "it was difficult for Mr and Mrs Hope to take a holiday" since their veterinary practice was so busy.
Whoa -- a touch of reality here? In Animal Ark and Animal Ark Hauntings, the Hopes are CONSTANTLY away from Welford, whether on holiday or a "veterinary exchange program" or some other such nonsense.
However, this is the first book in this series where the Hopes go away from Welford. I don't think there are any holidays in Little Animal Ark, which is set a couple of years before the Animal Ark Pets series, which is set three years before Animal Ark proper. So, chronologically, yeah ... this actually might be the Hopes first recorded holiday.
The things I ponder while reading this, since it's not really gripping.
I wonder what Billy's story was. I've got a feeling it was better (although probably sadder) than this.
This is a slightly a-typical Animal Ark Pets book, since it focuses on just one plot, instead of bouncing between at least two plots. This had more of a flavor of an Animal Ark book, aimed at 12 year olds. Dhami wrote several Animal Ark books, so this isn't entirely surprising.
The plot is to keep a barge (houseboat) moored in it's home canal. The owner, a single mother, just happens to have 18 cats. A local resident hates cats, so is trying to get the barge moved on by the local council.
This is a very British book, so I'm surprised Scholastic didn't pass on it. They passed on a dozen Animal Ark Pets books, but not this one. There just aren't barges and councils in America (not that I'm aware of.) There are cat haters, of course. They're in every country that has cats. England might promote itself as "a nation of animal lovers" but quite a large percentage get a kick out of killing animals -- especially pets. We only get the briefest of glimpses of that hate here. It is a book for 9 year olds, after all.
There was one part in the beginning which surprised me. The Hopes are on a Cotswolds holiday in this book -- with James and Blackie, of course. The text notes "it was difficult for Mr and Mrs Hope to take a holiday" since their veterinary practice was so busy.
Whoa -- a touch of reality here? In Animal Ark and Animal Ark Hauntings, the Hopes are CONSTANTLY away from Welford, whether on holiday or a "veterinary exchange program" or some other such nonsense.
However, this is the first book in this series where the Hopes go away from Welford. I don't think there are any holidays in Little Animal Ark, which is set a couple of years before the Animal Ark Pets series, which is set three years before Animal Ark proper. So, chronologically, yeah ... this actually might be the Hopes first recorded holiday.
The things I ponder while reading this, since it's not really gripping.
October 10, 2019
Love animals
October 14, 2009
Mandy, her parents, James, and Blacky are off vacationing when Blacky (the dog) leads them to a boat called the Puss-In-Boats. There are 18 cats aboard!!! Mandy and James also meet Martin and his mother,who run the place. But not everyone is thrilled that the cat boat is so near the village. One of the villagers absolutely hates the cats. He starts a petition to get them to go. But the boat has broken down. If they are forced to move, they would have to go to an apartment and get rid of the cats. How can Mandy and James help? Will the cats have to go?
July 27, 2011
At the insistence of my son, this is THE one of the Animal Ark series that I read. Formulaic, but hey, kids need formulaic sometimes. I don't, so I won't read the rest. Now he's pressuring me to read the Warriors series, but they keep coming and coming....
October 8, 2013
my favorite part was when puss-in-boats got to stay where they were.the worst part was when the boat just about had to leave.the best character was mandy because she helped the boat stay.the worst character was the man that wanted the boat to leave
April 30, 2007
I read this book in fourth grade and I thought it was a pretty good book
November 20, 2009
good book
April 30, 2009
It was my favorite book i read.I had fun to read the book.It was about a gailwho wants her own pet.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews