Parents' Guide to

The Kids of Cattywampus Street

By Carrie Kingsley, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Sweet, offbeat short stories filled with fun absurdities.

Book Lisa Jahn-Clough Fantasy 2021
The Kids of Cattywampus Street Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 7+

Based on 1 parent review

Leelee01
Leelee01 Adult
October 14, 2021
age 7+

Love this book!

This book is so funny, so strange, so bizarre, and so wonderful. It's reminiscent of some early 20th century British humor--warped, a little dark and scary, perfect for young kids who love to laugh. While some adults might think it's "too weird" for kids, don't forget kids can handle much more than most adults think they can. And this book is written FOR kids not for adults! I would have loved this when I was a kid! The seemingly randomness and wonky magical happenings in each story is almost as if a kid thought them up and the narrator's voice speaks directly to the young reader. The kids are all from a range of diverse socio economic backgrounds and different family arrangements, gender stereotypes are non-existent. Get this book into the hands of your kids! Let their imaginations run wild! There is a lot to take away from this book--if you are a teacher, have kids tell or write their own strange stories!
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

THE KIDS OF CATTYWAMPUS STREET are a wildly different group of friends whose lives are woven together in a series of short stories filled with magic and adventure. Rodney's pet rock is a street favorite; Carlotta shrinks to fit into a dollhouse; Ameera gets all the animals around her to sing; Bob jumps off into nature to become a tiny frog, and everything mysterious and strange and wonderful seems to center around the odd Waddlebee Toy Store.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Author Lisa Jahn-Clough has woven together these smart, fun, fantasy stories in a way destined to captivate and challenge young readers. The Kids of Cattywampus Street has just the right level of whimsy to be silly and enjoyable while also getting kids to think about what might be possible if they were able to weave like spiders or shrink down to doll size or chase a monkey or defeat a ghost. The characters are simple and funny, and the differences in family styles is a nice turn away from stereotypes in this lovely collection of short stories.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how coincidences shaped Jamal's view of his magic ball in The Kids of Cattywampus Street. Have you ever thought something had special powers because of coincidences like that? Do you believe in magic?

  • If you could shrink down and live in a small dollhouse, what would yours be like?

  • What other fantasy books have you read? What are some of your favorites?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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