Homer the Roamer

By Tom Mach

This is a delightful children's chapter book about a cat named Homer, and it's based partly on a true story. Homer is bored silly because his owners won't let him leave the house. One day he crawls inside a moving van parked outside, goes to sleep, and awakens to an adventure because the van drove across the country. Now he misses the kids. Will he ever find his way back home?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tom Mach
• Release date: Jul 23, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465849403

Tom Mach

Tom Mach wrote three successful historical novels, Sissy!, All Parts Together, and Angels at Sunset. The first two were listed among the 150 best Kansas books in 2011. Sissy! won the J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award while All Parts Together was a viable entrant for the 2007 Pulitzer Prize Award. Angels at Sunset was a Finalist for the International Book Award. Tom's latest collection of poetry is The Museum Muse and his previous poetry collection won the 2008 Nelson Poetry Book Award. He also wrote a collection of short stories entitled Stories To Enjoy which received positive reviews. In addition to winning poetry awards from Kansas Authors Club, Tom was a finalist in a nationwide Writer’s Digest Awards competition He coaches writing for 4th and 5th graders in his spare time.

Book preview

Inspired by a True Story

Tom Mach, the author of Homer the Roamer originally conceived of this story based on an account of a cat who strayed onto a moving van and was later recovered by his owners. But Tom was inspired again when he read an account of another cat who did a similar thing. This cat’s name is Beans and her true story is exciting as the fictional story of Homer.

Photo by Kevin Anderson

Lawrence Journal-World

It appears that the Sotomayors of Lawrence, Kansas were on a trip to St. Louis while Beans was headed for San Diego by way of truck. When the Sotomayors returned, Beans was missing. Fortunately, their neighbor mentioned that his wife, who had driven to California with their household goods, discovered Beans in the truck. She brought Beans back with her to Kansas via a Continental flight. The Sotomayors and their four chldren were as excited to see Beans again as the Penchleys were to see Homer.

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Homer the Roamer

by Tom Mach

Copyright 2011 Tom Mach

Smashwords Edition

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Homer the Roamer

Table of Contents

Chapter 1…….Homer’s Boring Old Home

Chapter 2……The Moving Van

Chapter 3……The Inflatable Raft

Chapter 4…...The Bicycle

Chapter 5…...The Bus

Chapter 6…...The Tractor

Chapter 7…...The Train

Chapter 8…...The Police Car

Chapter 9…...The Airplane

Chapter 10….Homer’s New Home

Chapter One

~ Homer’s Boring Old Home ~

Homer, you bad cat! little Jimmy Penchley said, using his sneaker to tap his three-year-old mixed-breed cat away from the rear door of the house. Every time we want to come in, you want to go out.

Yeah, Nancy said, but I can’t blame him. He probably wants to watch us play catch.

I guess so, Jimmy said, tossing his baseball mitt at the wicker chair in the corner. Sometimes I wonder why Mom and Dad never let him out of the house.

Homer meowed. Lately he had been thinking about it too.

Maybe, Nancy said, they want Homer to be a house pet. Like a goldfish or something.

Homer raised his head in disbelief. A goldfish? How dare they say this! He meowed in protest and went to his food dish. His empty food dish.

Well, he wasn’t hungry anyway. Maybe this is what happens when you’re in prison. Homer the Prison Cat. Ughh! How awful!

Homer had to stay in the house, even though other pets in the neighborhood were free to go outside. Not fair. The tabby next door could chase squirrels and the cocker spaniel across the street had