Preview
Copywork
About This Passage
Notice how Rylant builds the picture in three short pieces — belly, legs, fur — and then ends with a comparison no one would expect. This is how a good writer makes a reader actually see something.
Sitting on the steps was the shabbiest cat Henry had ever seen. It had a saggy belly, skinny legs, and fur that looked like mashed prunes.
Full copywork activity with handwriting lines available in the complete study guide.
Discussion Questions
Narration Prompt
In your own words, tell the story of this chapter. What were the most important moments? What made them important — and how do you know?
Discussion Questions
- Henry's father calls the cat 'a disaster' but immediately carries it into the house and watches it drink three bowls of milk. What does this contradiction between his words and his actions tell you about him? Which one — the words or the actions — should we trust more?
- Henry says, 'It has to be a stray. It has to be.' He says this twice. What does Henry want, and why does he need the cat to be a stray for him to have it? Does Henry know what he wants the answer to be before he asks?
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Vocabulary Builder
Item 1
the most worn out, raggedy, and uncared-for of all
Item 2
hanging or drooping loosely instead of being firm and tight
Item 3
an animal that has no home and wanders on its own
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Critical Thinking
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