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Overview
What kind of a name is Mewkiss? The kitten loves his person, Jessica, but he had hoped for a name like Fearless or Ratkiller. It's hard to be brave with such a totally disgusting name. Even Barkus, a know-nothing puppy, calls Mewkiss a coward.
Mewkiss has to be brave, because a family of rats has taken up residence in the basement where Jessica and her brother have a playhouse. And they're planning to attack Jessica! How is a cat named Mewkiss going to find the courage to protect the person he loves?
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781416958055 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Aladdin |
| Publication date: | 01/08/2008 |
| Edition description: | Reissue |
| Pages: | 144 |
| Sales rank: | 1,144,711 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.12(w) x 7.62(h) x 0.40(d) |
| Lexile: | 560L (what's this?) |
| Age Range: | 8 - 12 Years |
About the Author
Although there was no "monster" in Lake Lawtonka, one night there was a "sneak attack" by a rather large catfish tail. Checking the bank poles was not nearly as fun or "free" after that point, but it was the inspiration for this story. Bill Wallace has won nineteen children's state awards and been awarded the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award for Children's Literature from the Oklahoma Center for the Book.
Read an Excerpt
Totally Disgusting!
By Bill Wallace Holiday House
Copyright © 1991 Bill Wallace
All right reserved.
ISBN: 9780823408733
Chapter 1
The smell of fear and the feel of my brothers and sisters crying woke me from a peaceful sleep.
"Mama? Mama!" they meowed. "We're hungry. Please feed us our breakfast. Mama? Mama, where are you?"
I rolled over on my tummy and stretched. It felt good to arch my back and stick my claws out. "What's wrong?" I said with a yawn. "Where's Mama?"
"We don't know," one of my brothers answered. "When we woke up she was gone. One of our brothers is missing, too."
Then we started to cry all at once and as loud as we could.
"Mama! Mama," we meowed. "Mama, please come back!!!"
"Hush, my children."
Mama's voice was far away but very stern and gruff. We got quiet.
We could feel the vibration of her paws walking on the cement floor. "Don't make so much racket," she scolded. "I'm here."
"Where have you been?" we mewed softly. "We were scared."
Mama stepped into the box of old rags that was our bed. "I told you that I was going to move you upstairs to my home with Mrs. Herst. She is my special person," Mama said. "She cares for me and I care for her. But she is quite old and doesn't see very well. If I had moved you earlier, she might have stepped on one of you. That is why I waited until your eyes opened and your ears could hear. I have taken your brother already. I can only carry you one at a time." She calmed us down by cleaning uswith her tongue. "While I am away, there is no one here to protect you. So be very still."
One at a time, Mama carried my brothers and sisters upstairs. While she was gone, the rest of us stayed very quiet.
Finally, there were only three of us left -- my sister, my brother, and me. Suddenly, we heard a strange scratching sound.
"Shhh," my brother said. "Remember, Mama told us not to make noise."
"It wasn't me," my sister said.
"I haven't moved," I told him.
The scratching sound came again. It was coming toward the box of rags where we lived. But when Mama came back to the basement, the sound stopped. She picked up my brother and scurried off.
As soon as she was gone, the scratching sound got louder. Then I smelled something that made the hair along my back stand straight up. My tail puffed out.
I didn't know what the smell was, but something down deep inside me made me scared and angry -- both at the same time.
"Kittens," a sneaky, hushed voice snarled.
"Yes," another voice squeaked, "fat, juicy, kittens."
My claws sprang out. Every muscle tensed. I pushed against the side of the box and nestled down into the old rags.
"They'll make a good meal," the sneaky voice rasped. "They must be in that box."
I flattened my ears. Suddenly, my sister screamed. It was a loud, sharp scream. A scream of pain and terror. I turned to see what had happened, but there was nothing there except a scaly, long tail that disappeared over the top of the box.
Then there was nothing but silence.
"I'll take this one back to our rat hole," a muffled voice said from someplace outside the box. "You get the other one."
I couldn't see. There was nothing but the edge of the box. Still, I knew something was there. I could feel a presence a sinister evil that drew closer and closer.
Crouched in the old rags, there was no way I could see what was about to attack me or where the attack was coming from. Trembling, I flipped over on my back at the edge of the box. I stuck all four legs up with my claws out.
I couldn't bear to look. My eyes scrunched shut. I held my breath. Waited.
There was the sound of breathing. Then, sniffing. The evil thing was trying to find me by my smell. I heard claws scratching against the side of my box and felt hot breath touch my face and whiskers.
I lashed out with my claws. I used my front paws to scratch at the darkness. I kicked with my hind feet.
The first claw of my right paw touched something. I lashed out again.
There was a shrill squeak that shook the air in tiny waves. "Ouch! My nose..." Then the raspy, evil smell that said, "I'll show you. I'll..." The scent drew closer, but I never heard the rest of the threat.
KERWHOMP!!!
Something big and heavy and hard glanced against the side of my box. It sent it sliding across the floor. My eyes flashed open. The rat squealed. A loud, shrill squeal of pain. The smell of its fear faded as it flew across the room, away from me.
"Stinking rat." A man's scent filled the air.
I could hear small, skinny feet scurrying toward the thing they'd called a rat hole, where the other "rat" had taken my sister. Then, there was a loud, metal CLUNK.
"No, you don't," the man growled. "You're not sneaking through that hole. I've got you this time."
"Help! Help," the rat squeaked.
I could feel the man stomping at the floor. I could sense the rat scurrying and running here and there. Then another smell came to my nose. It was the odor of my mama's fear and anger.
"My babies! My babies," she cried.
She leaped into the box. After one quick sniff of me, to make sure I was all right, she leaped out again. I tried to see where she had gone, but the edge of the box was too high.
"Thatagirl," the man urged. "Get him. Good cat..."
The man kept stomping his big foot. Mama screamed her rage. The rat threatened, then cried and ran.
It was a terrible fight. It raged to the far side of the basement, back toward me, then away again. Boxes tumbled. Mama snarled and leaped. The rat hissed and snapped.
Finally, it was over.
"Good girl," the man said. "You're a good cat. That stinking rat won't be bothering us anymore, will he, girl?"
Mama rushed to me. I was still on my back. My claws were still out. My heart pounded in my ears harder than I thought was possible.
Mama licked me with her tongue. "You're all right," she told me with a soft caress. "I'm so glad you're safe. Lie here quietly. I'll be right back."
She rushed to the hole where the other rat had taken my sister. "Oh, my poor baby," I heard her moan in a soft, sad tone. "My poor, poor baby."
I had rolled to my side in the soft rags. I lay very still, panting and trying to stop my shaking.
"No wonder you fought so hard." The sound of the man's voice boomed above me. It was very close and very loud.
I flipped to my back and stuck my claws out again. "No wonder you fought so hard," he repeated. "You've got a baby in here. I bet that stinking rat was after your kitten."
Mama came back and jumped into the box beside me. "Be calm, my baby," she soothed. "The man is nice. Don't use your claws. He means you no harm."
I saw the man lean close. His huge paw picked me up. Another paw petted my head and smoothed down my fur. Then the man put me back in my bed.
Mama cleaned me. She calmed me with her tongue and her soft words as she kept assuring me I was safe.
"You take care of your baby," the man said from the far side of the basement. "I'll take this stinking rat to the trash."
"My sister..." I pleaded. "Mama, what happened to my sister?"
Mama's tongue was gentle against my closed eyes. "She's gone, I'm afraid. The hole was too small for me to enter, but I could smell death. Your sister is gone." She picked me up in her mouth. "I must take you to your brothers and sisters," she said. "You'll be safe with them and Mrs. Herst."
At the doorway of the basement, we paused. With me dangling from her mouth, Mama turned to look back.
She said nothing, but I could almost feel what she was thinking. The rats would pay for the death of my sister. Mama would be back.
Copyright © 1991 by Bill Wallace
Continues...
Excerpted from Totally Disgusting! by Bill Wallace Copyright © 1991 by Bill Wallace. Excerpted by permission.
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