Lois Reads: The Killer Cat's Birthday Bash - Part 6

1 Feb 2021 · 3 min

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2:43

In this narrated excerpt, Lois Letchford reads Chapter 6 (“Not Long Now”) of Anne Fine’s children’s book The Killer Cat’s Birthday Bash. The passage follows the preparations for the birthday party in a barn setting, introducing a cast of animal characters—Misty, Muff, Puff, Pudge the Terrier, Fluffball, Georgie, and Snowball—who discuss invitations, party rules, decorations, and food. Georgie decorates the hayloft with earthy‑tone festoons, while Snowball showcases a hay‑bale spread of cleared‑out treats from Kinkost, including a questionable pâté. The reading captures the whimsical, slightly chaotic tone of the story, highlighting themes of friendship, celebration, and the quirky personalities of the animal characters as they anticipate the upcoming party.

Chapters

Hello, I'm Lois Letchford, author of the book Reversed: A Memoir and literacy problem solver, and reading The Killer Cats Birthday Bash, Chapter 6. This is written by Anne Fine. 6. Not Long Now. I didn't forget to invite Misty. Yay! Dude! She out at the party! Excellent! That rocks! Then I remembered Muff and Puff. Why bother to call it a party? they asked me when I told them. Isn't that what we do all the time? Stay out all night and make a noise? You're not invited, I reminded Pudge the Terrier. No dogs at this party! Oh, bullwolfin' hoo! he jeered. Will there be games? asked Fluffball. Only the usual set. Hide in the hay bale, shred the Cry mouse! Ewww! And we'll probably have races around the rafters. Together we strolled along to the barn. Up in the hayloft, Georgie was ignoring the spiders' grumbling as he scooped up the cobwebs and draped them around the rafters in attractive festoons. I'm going for a natural, no-frills look, he explained to us. Folksy. Naive. And I'm tending to stick with the earth tones. Do you mean brown? asked Fluffball. Georgie gave her a stern look. Come on, she scowled. Look around. We're a style rainbow here. Khaki and chestnut, oatmeal, mushrooms, toast, mushrooms, and rust. Biscuits, bran, and tobacco leaf? Coffee and fawn! We left him reeling off the precious shades of muddy brown and went to look at the food. Snowball was standing proudly in front of a hay bale spread with precious goodies. Most of it comes from Kinkost, he explained. Today is their clear-out day, and I have laid my paws on some excellent pâté. Only a day past its date stamp. I peered into one of the tubs. Well, whisk my whiskers, is this double cream? Nothing's too good for your birthday boy. I peered over the edge. Below, the horses were shifting from hoof to hoof. Getting excited, guys and gals? I asked them. Well, it's not long now.