ABCD Books: Cat with Too Many Names

The Cat with Too Many Names
The Story of Hodgie Burr (continued)

One of them picked me up and rubbed my ears. That felt sooo good, I almost forgave her for calling me Fluffy. Then she set me down and the three of them talked.

"He's a beautiful cat. And old enough to be settled and not too playful." "Yes," said another, "and we could always change his name!" That did it! I wanted these ladies to take me. I wasn't sure what a bookstore was, but I liked these people because they liked me.

So they took me in a carrier to a big old house full of books and chairs here and there with cushions in them, and lots of playthings. They had erasers, and pencils, and vases to turn over, and shelves to climb up. And best of all, they had a dish just like I'd had at Baxters', and they had my favorite kind of food in it. I couldn't think of anything else I needed except my name back. I acted as dignified as I could, and it worked. They all agreed the Fluffy was a silly name, and I deserved something better.

There were other people who worked at the bookstore, and everyone tried to think of a new name for me. They'd try them and see if I would answer. They had some awful names!

Someone wanted to call me Hodge, because that was Samuel Johnson's cat. I liked the sound of Hodge, but I didn't know who Mr. Johnson was, and I didn't want to go live with someone else different. Then they called me Furbur, but that didn't quite work. Still, I was getting very fond of these people. I began to let them pet me, and brush me, and even rub my ears. Then I began to wrap myself around their legs.

One lady said, "This cat sticks to me like a burr! Say, that's a good name! How about Burr?" It sounded a little short to me. I stretched myself out as far as I could so they'd see I needed a longer name - like Aloysius.

Then Melissa, the one who fed me and brushed me every day, said that Burr was really too short, but Hodgie Burr would be just right ! I liked it. It had a nice ring to it. It wasn't Aloysius, but I really wasn't Aloysius anymore, either.

Alley had been a kitten with other kittens. But I was a cat - the only cat in the bookstore. Everyone who came in admired me, and several people offered to take me home. By now I knew that Samuel Johnson wrote VERY good books, and it was an honor to be named for his cat. So I'm going to stay Hodgie Burr.

I have the ladies trained so they throw me a ball every time I wave my paw at one of them. One brings me new toys and comes to visit me when the bookstore is closed. I have so many new friends, I don't even miss my brothers and sisters. And even though customers in the bookstore want to pet me and sometimes ask if I'm for sale, I've decided my name is Hodgie Burr and I'm here to stay at ABCD Books!

About the Illustrators
KATE DEAN Kate is an 8th grader at Thomas Johnson Middle School. She loves to hang out with her friends and read. She has high aspirations of becoming a psychologist with a writing career on the side. Her favorite books are the Left Behind series by Time Lahaye and Jerry B. Jenkins.	ABBY DEAN Abby is in 7th grade at Thomas Johnson Middle School. She plays the piano and has been a cheerleader for a local youth football league. She enjoys school and has a lively group of friends.	HENRY DEAN Henry is an active boy with lots of friends. He enjoys tossing a football with his dad and playing Nintendo with his brother. In the spring he plays on the Yellow Springs baseball team and in the summer he swims for the Whittier Riptides. He likes to read and his current favorites are the four Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling.	JOHN DEAN John is seven years old and lives in Frederick, Maryland with his family. He loves to read and color pictures. He likes to sing. He has many friends that live nearby and goes to play with them often. His favorite activity is playing Pokémon or Nintendo.