HIGHWAY CATS by Janet Taylor Lisle

I had HIGHWAY CATS on my list of books I had hoped to read before the Newbery announcement. I finished it today and it was a great read. I love lots about the book. It is the story of cats--stray cats who live near a highway and some new kittens who give them all hope. A very sweet story with great characters. I am not one to love books where animals are the characters and they talk to each other and things. But, I liked this book and believed in these characters. My thinking during reading the book was that it would make a great read aloud for 3rd and 4th grades. The kids would like the plot-the cats are trying to protect the land where they live. But they'd also be able to talk about the characters and themes. So much about being true to who you are. The book is short--just over 100 pages which I think makes for a great length read aloud. It is also a great length for kids who are working to build stamina to read longer books. Definitely a great book for anyone who loves a good animal story. This book is being talked about on lots of Mock Newbery sites. Jean Taylor Lisle shares some insights in an interview on her site. I will definitely be adding it to the school library.