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Having attended a local primary school weekly and listened to children aged 7 and 8 year olds, I realised that there was a huge range of reading ability, and also understanding and empathy.
The first poem in "Jacob's Cats" is short, repetitive and easy to say aloud. It's a rhyme that adults and children can say together.
"Larry", "Poison" and "Thor" are rhymes suitable for those that can realise that some cats have lives that are difficult and harsh.
Each cat has at least one photograph attached to their story and, with encouragement, children have the chance to increase and use new vocabulary.
"Jacob's Cats" was started during the pandemic lockdown. Jacob is my youngest grandchild, and he lived with his Mum who worked at home. School lessons were sent through computers or mobile phones. Jacob couldn't visit his other relations, aunts and cousins, and he couldn't pop round to his other grandparents or his Dad, and I lived a distance away. His friends were stuck in their own homes for a while, and there were no games of football played on the school field.
So Jacob had to amuse himself most of the time. I also had to find different things to do. I decided to take some photos of local cats, and then I wondered if I could write rhymes to tell their stories. I realised that I could post the first poem and picture so that Jacob could receive the unexpected surprise. Looking back I started with "Anton's Crunchy Biscuits", followed by "Poison" and then "Belle."
As time crawled onwards, I contacted my friends by email and asked if pictures of their cats could be sent to me. People I knew were pleased to assist me, and cat owners that I didn't know sent many photos, so more rhymes and illustrations went onto the pages of "Jacob's Cats".
Eventually, the lockdown lifted and Jacob (by now he was nearly 12) visited his friend's houses and took pictures with his mobile phone, then he emailed the pictures to me.
Gradually the book took shape and eventually, there were 20 poems, all splendidly different because the cats were all different. Even if they looked the same their personalities were unique.
Everyone who looks through the book always chooses the cat they like the most. I too have a favourite, but I don't tell, just in case the other cats get "stroppy".
