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Alice the Cat Paperback – May 23, 2023

by Tim Cummings (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 33 ratings
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A heartbreaking and hilarious tale of one girl's quest to save her suicidal cat, the loyal friends who help her, the first love she accidentally falls into, and the angry ghost she encounters along the way.  TW: Death of a parent, body talk, mental health, death of a pet, cancer. 
- American Books Awards: 'Best Book' Finalist 2023
- Feathered Quill Book Awards: Bronze Medal 2024
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Previous page
  1. Reading age
    11+ years, from customers
  2. Print length
    186 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    6 - 7
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches
  6. Publisher
    Fitzroy Books
  7. Publication date
    May 23, 2023
  8. ISBN-10
    1646033523
  9. ISBN-13
    978-1646033522
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Tim Cummings manages to couple the writing of an angel with the imagination of the devil. Alice the Cat slinked inside me, furtively, magnificently. My heart ached for Tess—so much loss. My heart thundered for her too—so much sass and courage. My skin crawled with hers. Sometimes I wanted to run screaming. I could not stop reading. This book is nothing short of bliss. Meow!"
—Caroline Thompson, writer of The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Edward Scissorhands

"On the cusp of thirteen, Tess's fierce spinout into grief grips the reader from the very first sentence of a cat in mourning determined to end it all. Told with fury, pathos, and hilarity, Tim Cummings has created a masterful rendering of Tess and her beloved cat, Alice, as Tess must navigate the landscape of loss through a cast of layered and beautiful characters, that will linger and resonate long after the book is finished. Alice the Cat is a love story, brimming with hope, that reminds young readers they get to be and feel everything that happens to them for however long it takes after unspeakable losses."
—Kerry Madden, author of Ernestine's Milky Way and The Maggie Valley Trilogy

"Tim Cummings' book is transcendent. Filled with ghosts, haunted places, and tormented souls, this book follows the adventures of Tess as she becomes obsessed with saving her cat. Beautiful, tender, and powerful, Alice the Cat will grip you with its unexpected splendor."
—Mireya S. Vela, author of Vestiges of Courage

"Alice the Cat masterfully unites elements of ghost stories, haunted houses, lost cats, Wonderland, psychic mediums, the spirit of Halloween, Ouija boards, the occult, and a girl's journey into the twilight of adulthood while grieving the death of her mother. Cummings has created a wonder of a book with breakout doses of heart and humor, destined to be a contemporary classic."
—Nathan Elias, author of The Reincarnations and Coil Quake Rift

"Tim Cummings is a magician. He's spun the most delicious spell with Alice the Cat—this book thrums with anger and grief, yet is ultimately one of the most charming, hilarious, heart-filled, life-giving novels I've ever read. Tess is a narrator for the ages—I adore her playful use of language and her fierce, loving spirit. I love everything about this book—all its sentences, all its characters—with every last inch of my heart."
—Gayle Brandeis, author of My Life with the Lincolns and The Art of Misdiagnosis

​

"Alice the Cat is a vibrant, emotional tale filled with love, friendship, and mysteries. A triumphant story of survival in the face of grief and loss."
- Jeff Zentner, award-winning author of The Serpent King and In The Wild Light.

​"With a wonderfully eccentric cast of characters, a dash of the paranormal, snappy dialogue, and a sparkling main character, Alice the Cat is a heartfelt romp that will enchant readers both young and old. I couldn't put it down. The well-wrought emotional twists and turns had me laughing and sniffling in perfect proportions. Tim Cummings boldly serves up the complexities of being a tween, the challenges of grief, and the wonders of friendship in an outrageously original tale."
- Todd Mitchell, award-winning author of The Namer of Spirits and The Last Panther

2023 Best Book Awards Finalist - Children's Fiction

2024 Feathered Quill Book Award Winner - Bronze Medal - Juvenile Fiction

From the Back Cover

On the verge of her thirteenth birthday, Tess's life is falling apart. Her mother is dead. Her father is like a zombie. And now her beloved cat, Alice, has started rushing into the street when cars go by, trying to get run over. The only thing Tess can think of that might help? Running away. As she ventures from home, Tess stumbles upon a crew of manga-loving goth kids hiding out in the local haunted house performing séances. There, she discovers that the house's ghostly entity desperately wants a cat to care for in the afterlife, and it has its sights set on Alice. With the help of an unexpected friend and the brilliant, adorkable kid who has a huge crush on her, Tess will do whatever it takes to save Alice the cat, help the ghost, heal her dad, and survive the summer in one piece.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Fitzroy Books (May 23, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 186 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1646033523
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1646033522
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 11+ years, from customers
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 6 - 7
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 33 ratings

About the author

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Tim Cummings

Tim Cummings

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Author of the best-selling coming-of-age novel, Alice the Cat, published by Fitzroy Books/Regal House. It was chosen as an American Books Awards 'Best Book' Finalist for 2023, and received a Bronze Medal in the 2024 Feathered Quill Book Awards.

He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University Los Angeles and a BFA from NYU/Tisch School of the Arts. Since 1984 he has appeared in over 200 projects across theatre, film, television, voice-over, and new media. Recent publications of short fiction, essays, and poetry include F(r)iction, Scare Street, Lunch Ticket, MeowMeow PowPow, From Whispers to Roars, Drunk Monkeys, Hare's Paw, Lit Angels, and Critical Read/RAFT, for which he won the ‘Origins’ contest for his essay, "You Have Changed Me Forever."

He teaches writing for UCLA Extension Writers' Program, runs private workshops, and coaches authors.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
33 global ratings
A Delightful Middle Grade Read with Great Heart and Big Feelings!
5 Stars
A Delightful Middle Grade Read with Great Heart and Big Feelings!
Alice the Cat perfectly captures the messiness and magic of surviving tweendom while navigating loss. Tess is the protagonist I needed at almost fourteen. She is brave, and curious, and open. Her singular voice and devotion to Alice kept me rooting for her all the way to the end. Cumming's knack for combining vibrancy with great heart is admirable. His scenes leap off the page! I was smitten with Cotter's imagination and sweet persistence. I was moved by the compassion and acceptance shown to Eddy. I was wowed by Dami and Lunar and the Shirley Jackson nod to the haunted house that gathered them all, helping Tess finally address her grief. The final moments highlighting the importance of the parent child relationship totally captured my heart. Alice the Cat is full of wonder, just like the childhood that lives inside us forever.
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Top reviews from the United States

Kami
5.0 out of 5 stars This one will stay with me!
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2023
Verified Purchase
This powerful novel explores deep topics like grief, family, friendship, and more with empathy and humor. It touches on many different themes, all expertly woven throughout the story. The main character, Tess, is experiencing overwhelming grief and loss. You would think this is a heavy book, but it isn’t! Though this moving novel delves into loss in many forms, and through the lives of a range of interesting characters, it also explores themes like resilience, hope, and redemption. The characters’ parents, a ghost haunted by her demise, and even the title character, a cat named Alice, are a part of this journey. There are so many stories to capture a reader’s heart! I hope to see more books from Tim Cummings in the future!
One person found this helpful
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Leigh S.
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing story for all ages, loved it!
Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2023
Verified Purchase
I just finished reading Alice the Cat and I'm a little speechless. The author (Tim Cummings) created a world and characters that you quickly grow to love, see, feel, and hear....you join their world and experience the journey with them. It's such a beautifully written and wonderfully creative adventure! This story is heartfelt, magical, and joyful, I think everyone can find a piece of themself in it. I'll definitely read it again, loved it. Highly recommend!
One person found this helpful
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Karen
5.0 out of 5 stars Just gorgeous
Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2023
Verified Purchase
I loved this story. I haven’t read a book in a long time that I’ve connected to emotionally as I have with this book. Tess is a character who is so real that my heart ached for her. Her life, her friends, her CAT…I wanted to reach into the story and them all hugs. It is a beautiful story about love and loss and letting go. It doesn’t have a fairy tale ending, but it is an ending that echos really real life. Bravo, Mr. Cummings. So proud!!!
One person found this helpful
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Mariana Souza
5.0 out of 5 stars Spooky and sweet
Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2023
Verified Purchase
Loved following this spunky crew through universal human experiences - loss, abandonment, new friendship, in/out groups, and desperately clinging to solving that *one problem* to distract from our feelings. Loved it and hope there’s more to come!
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Doug Green
5.0 out of 5 stars Alice grabbed me from the start!
Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2023
Verified Purchase
I laughed out loud. I cried. I tried to keep it to myself in public but I may or may not have embarrassed myself! Tim Cummings' tale of love, loss, friendship, and resilience warmed me to the marrow. I can hardly wait to see what Cummings writes next.
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MoEye
5.0 out of 5 stars An adventure for all ages
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2023
Verified Purchase
This book has a realism that can transport you back to your youth, melded with fantasy that makes you wish you had more adventure in your life. It beautifully illustrates how teenage angst, fear, loneliness can lead to friendship and acceptance in the most unexpected ways. Simply enjoyable from beginning to end.
One person found this helpful
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MKS
5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for Young Adult readers
Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2023
Verified Purchase
Alice the Cat is deep, sweet, funny, and full of twists and turns. I am not the target audience, but I loved it. The story and the writing kept me engaged through the final page. I highly recommend.
One person found this helpful
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D-Chuck
5.0 out of 5 stars A Delightful Middle Grade Read with Great Heart and Big Feelings!
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2024
Alice the Cat perfectly captures the messiness and magic of surviving tweendom while navigating loss. Tess is the protagonist I needed at almost fourteen. She is brave, and curious, and open. Her singular voice and devotion to Alice kept me rooting for her all the way to the end. Cumming's knack for combining vibrancy with great heart is admirable. His scenes leap off the page! I was smitten with Cotter's imagination and sweet persistence. I was moved by the compassion and acceptance shown to Eddy. I was wowed by Dami and Lunar and the Shirley Jackson nod to the haunted house that gathered them all, helping Tess finally address her grief. The final moments highlighting the importance of the parent child relationship totally captured my heart. Alice the Cat is full of wonder, just like the childhood that lives inside us forever.
Customer image
D-Chuck
5.0 out of 5 stars A Delightful Middle Grade Read with Great Heart and Big Feelings!
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2024
Alice the Cat perfectly captures the messiness and magic of surviving tweendom while navigating loss. Tess is the protagonist I needed at almost fourteen. She is brave, and curious, and open. Her singular voice and devotion to Alice kept me rooting for her all the way to the end. Cumming's knack for combining vibrancy with great heart is admirable. His scenes leap off the page! I was smitten with Cotter's imagination and sweet persistence. I was moved by the compassion and acceptance shown to Eddy. I was wowed by Dami and Lunar and the Shirley Jackson nod to the haunted house that gathered them all, helping Tess finally address her grief. The final moments highlighting the importance of the parent child relationship totally captured my heart. Alice the Cat is full of wonder, just like the childhood that lives inside us forever.
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One person found this helpful
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