Ava and Taco Cat by Carol Weston (Realistic Fiction)

Ava and Taco Cat” is a sequel to Carol Weston’s “Ava and Pip,” a book that centers around 11-year-old Ava’s experiences with her sister, school, and with her new cat, through diary languages. When Ava hears her veterinarian mother mention a yellow cat brought into her office in critical condition, Ava can’t help but want to adopt the cat. Unfortunately, her parents are completely against Ava adopting the cat (who she has named the palindromic T-A-C-O-C-A-T). To make matters worse, Ava’s best friend, Maybelle, begins hanging out with the new kid Zara instead of her, Ava feels left behind. When Ava finally convinces her parents to let her adopt Taco Cat, Ava’s problems don’t all resolve themselves. Ava, an eager author, and her shy, artistic, 14-year-old sister, Pip, create a picture book, Alphabet Fish, that isn’t an immediate hit. Meanwhile, Taco Cat is still incredibly shy, and when he finally does bond with Ava and Pip, a variety of circumstances, including his health and previous owners, prevent him from living peacefully in his forever home. However, Ava’s commitment to her pursuits in writing and the happiness of Taco Cat lead to her ultimate success.

The first time I read this book I was probably ten or 11 years old; I still come back to it today as a comforting book that never grows old. The book reads more like an interesting period of Ava’s relatable, everyday life than a book with a rigid plot. I appreciate that the book is written in diary-entry form, as it lets you experience Ava’s love of words through the influence of her “word nerd” family. I would not know half of the palindromes I do without this book (words or phrases that are spelled the same backward and forwards), including step-on-no-pets, lion-in-oil, and reward-drawer, to name a few. The book is incredibly well-written and thoughtful in its wordplay; it’s full of poems, alliteration, rhymes, palindromes, and word games. Overall, the simple yet clear writing style has led me to return to it year after year - it never has read as a “kids book”. The characters are all believable and entertaining: Shy, slightly sarcastic Pip, energetic, spunky Ava, sciencey and thoughtful Maybelle, good-hearted prankster Chuck, and others. I felt the ups and downs with Ava, and this book was nostalgic in a variety of ways due to its accurate depiction of middle school. I’d highly recommend this book to any middle schooler, or a high schooler looking for a comforting read. Particularly, for those interested in cats, fun wordplay, and reading, I would suggest that they give this book a try.

Laurel A. Grade 10