SuitabookBig Cat
Jess Racklyeft
- Reading
- Read it slowly enough to explore the illustrations and revisit the city details. Pause over unfamiliar vocabulary, then use the end-paper glossary, facts and locations to invent a nearby observation or treasure hunt.
- Themes
- Difference and change: Catherine is orderly, whereas Big Cat is wild, chaotic and lawless; their meeting leads to shared adventure and a discovery of common ground. The contrast is treated positively: the friendship is said to help the characters grow through different experiences and to celebrate change and being different.
- Curiosity and familiar places: Catherine investigates rumours and travels through Melbourne with Big Cat, while the artwork includes recognisable city artworks, facts and locations. Curiosity and looking at everyday surroundings in new ways are presented as rewarding parts of the adventure.
- Worth knowing
- The Big Cat is presented as mysterious, chaotic and lawless, while the story also includes rumours of sightings and an adventure through the city. The extracts do not establish frightening scenes, violence or harm.