The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook

By Joanne Rocklin

A sick cat's past lives reveal family secrets and new beginnings.

3.8/5 Goodreads · 1,736 ratings

240 pages· 41,130 words· Est. 5.5 hour read

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Bookroo's summary

Oona and Fred hatch a plan to rescue their beloved cat, Zook, from the vet, believing he can only heal at home. As Oona recounts Zook's past lives, she navigates her own family's changes, including her mother's new relationship with Dylan, whom she dubs 'the villain.' With Zook's health and family dynamics at stake, Oona must confront truths that could change everything. Will Zook's stories guide her through this transition?

"The Cats-Have-Nine-Lives Theory is what people call 'an old wives' tale." It's a theory that's been around since olden times. Everyone who knows cats knows how often they do dumb, death-defying stunts that would kill other living things. How many cats have you noticed snoozing peacefully under a car? Ever seen a dog do that? I rest my case."

— from the book

From the publisher

In this warmhearted middle-grade novel, Oona and her brother, Fred, love their cat Zook (short for Zucchini), but Zook is sick. As they conspire to break him out of the vet’s office, convinced he can only get better at home with them, Oona tells Fred the story of Zook’s previous lives, ranging in style from fairy tale to grand epic to slice of life. Each of Zook’s lives has echoes in Oona’s own family life, which is going through a transition she’s not yet ready to face. Her father died two years ago, and her mother has started a relationship with a man named Dylanùwhom Oona secretly calls ôthe villain.ö The truth about Dylan, and about Zook’s medical condition, drives the drama in this loving family story.

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 240
Words: 41,130
Reading age: 8–12
Audience: Middle Grade
Lexile: 760L

Themes & topics

Books about siblings Books about death, grief, and bereavement Books about cats Books about family Books about death

After the last page

Talk about it together

*The Five Lives of our Cat Zook* centers around themes of loss and change. What does Zook symbolize for Oona and her family? What connection does Zook have with the death of Oona’s father?

*The Five Lives of our Cat Zook* is chock full of a variety of characters ranging from senior citizens to children from several different religious and cultural backgrounds. With which character did you most identify? Why?

Do books—and life—end with one grand happy ending, or are there a series of “happy-ending times” as Oona’s theory suggests? Did the story end the way you expected? What was your emotional response to the conclusion of *The Five Lives of our Cat Zook*?

Inside the book

A peek between the covers

MITZIE, my Mews and Inspiration for ZOOK. She prefers to remain in-cat-nito, because of her celebrity.

Good to know

Stories behind the story

What part/character/event are you most excited/proud about In The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook?

"I am excited about the stories Oona and Fred tell during the course of the novel. My book is mainly about storytelling, and how important that is for everyone—the teller and the reader or listener. Stories help us make sense of this crazy world we live in. Stories help us connect with those around us."

What readers & critics say

Reviews

“The only imperfection in this novel is that it ends. Fortunately, an appendix provides us with Oona’s eight-step theory for storymaking, including, “A story doesn’t have to be true, but it does have to be real.”

Booklist

Critic

For readers who can't stop at one