Paulsen, G. (2016). Six kids and a stuffed cat. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Six Kids and a Stuffed Cat is a fun read about six students stuck in a bathroom during a storm.  Paulsen is a legendary author who has writes a simple story of the connection between these boys followed up with a one-act play at the end of the book.  Most of the characters know each other from school but there is a new comer who has slept away his first day backstage and carries a stuffed cat in his backpack for comfort. Jordan, the connecting character and narrator of the book has his own set of problems to work out. As the boys learn more about the new kid, they discover more about each other and themselves.  The book follows their natural conversation and shows insights into each of the character as they share with one another.

This a good book to show different perspectives, dialogue, and including the play in the back is an interesting concept that is hopefully repeated by other authors.  Students can perform reader’s theater with ease and a familiar story.  Excellent use of combining the story and the play, composing a story that students will like, identify, and want to act out.  Having a play with context is much more meaningful than a random piece of reader’s theater employed in many classrooms.  Along with the innovative ideas and format of the book written in easy language, there are issues that reflect contemporary society.  The boys all come with different hang-ups and complexity that mirror students today but they are able to explore themselves and each other during the confines of the storm. Jordan’s determination to include the new and slightly weird new student are contemporary values that we stress to our students.  In addition, we want our students to see beyond themselves and see what similar aspects of others while valuing individuality.  Paulsen uses these values and issues, as each character is multifaceted and identifiable among each reader.