"My father is always talking about how a dog can be very educational for a boy. This is one reason I got a cat."
Dave Mitchell and his father yell at each other a lot, and whenever the fighting starts, Dave's mother gets an asthma attack. That's when Dave storms out of the house. Then Dave finds Cat, a stray, and adopts him. On his outings with Cat, Dave meets new friends and learns a lot about himself and his father. Winner of the 1964 Newbery Medal.