It's Like This, Cat

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It's Like This, Cat
Author	Emily Cheney Neville
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre(s)	Children's novel
Publisher	Harper & Row
Publication date	1963
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages	181 pp
ISBN	NA

It's Like This, Cat is a novel written by Emily Cheney Neville that won the Newbery Medal for excellence in American children's literature in 1964.

[edit] Plot summary

The protagonist is Dave Mitchell, a 14-year-old who is growing up in mid-20th century New York City. His mother is asthmatic, her attacks worsened by the stress she feels when Dave and his father have their frequent arguments. Dave's refuge after a clash with his father is with Kate, an elderly neighbor whose apartment is filled with the stray cats she loves. Dave adopts one of the cats, names it "Cat", and takes it home.

Cat's presence brings Dave into contact with several new people, including Tom, a troubled college-aged boy, and Mary, his first girlfriend. While documenting Tom's growing maturity, the book also provides glimpses of several of New York's neighborhoods and attractions, from the Fulton Fish Market to the Bronx Zoo and Coney Island.