The Critter Crew: The Story Begins

By Ryan Gibson, Sarah Gibson and Jane Richardson

The Critter Crew is a loving family of misfits. Proving that differences in appearance, backgrounds, and personalities do not separate them from one another, they form a family of love, understanding and acceptance. In the brilliant words of Catlett, that is the “coolest of the cool”. They have given permission to tell you their stories, and it all begins with Crook, the King of All Cats.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Mar 11, 2016
• ISBN: 9781483565507

Ryan Gibson

ryan gibson is Assistant Professor, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Saint Mary’s University, Canada.

Book preview

Chapter 1 - Crook

How in the world, Crook thinks to himself, did I end up here?

He had gone to sleep in one spot for a little nap as kittens often do, but he awakened in a completely different spot.

Everything is different and strange. There are new smells and new sounds and new people and… he pauses to look around.

He sees birds flying above the trees, squirrels jumping branch to branch, chipmunks darting in and out of holes around the porch where he lays. He will one day grow to be the King of All Cats, but at the moment, he is a frightened little kitten. In fact, Crook is not even really Crook yet.

Then he sees her…the pretty girl on a bike. He had seen her before, riding her bike through town. Seeing her riding toward him with the wind in her hair and sun shining on her face, he is not quite so scared. She is smiling as if she knows a wonderful secret that she is just bursting to share.

She rides up and parks her bike next to the porch, and immediately sees this little puff of black fur staring up at her. She bends down to pet him, hearing him purr sweetly, and notices his tail is somewhat crooked about halfway down.

You know, the pretty girl says, your tail has the most amazing little crook in it I’ve ever seen. It is very handsome, and I’ll bet it helps you run quite fast.

When the pretty girl first mentions his crooked tail, Crook hangs his head low because he has always been embarrassed about his tail being crooked. But, when he hears the pretty girl begin to describe how handsome it looks, he perks up, puffs out his chest, and holds his head high. When the pretty girl sees his reaction, she knows that this proud, handsome kitten will forever be known as Crook.

From this first moment together, they share a special bond. The pretty girl on a bike becomes Mom.

As the weeks go by, Crook learns to climb trees, chase chipmunks, jump from the floor to Mom’s shoulders in one bound, and wrap his body around her neck like a scarf.

Every time Crook introduces himself, critters big and small ask, Why is your name Crook? Did you steal something?

Crook simply gives them his Batman glare, and says, Certainly not. My Mom named me Crook because my tail is bent for a purpose—it helps me run faster.

All other critters know there is just something different about Crook. He has confidence, courage, loyalty, and above all, love. Even as a kitten, one could tell that Crook was destined for greatness. But it is a fateful spring day that makes Crook a legend.

It’s finally the first Saturday of spring, and Mom is ever so excited because she is going to begin planting her garden. This is Crook’s very first spring, so he is excited, too; although he does not really know what gardening is yet.

They step outside, and it is a glorious sunny morning. Mom and Crook walk across the yard to the garden shed to gather all the tools she will need for the day.

As Crook basks in the warmth of the sunshine, Mom steps inside the shed to gather her things. Suddenly, Crook hears shrieking…not a surprised yelp, but a terribly frightened scream!

Crook leaps into action, running like a shot toward the shed. When he arrives, he wishes he could scream too. During the winter, a nest of snakes had made the gardening shed their home, and Mom has accidentally walked in on all of them.

They are slithering toward Mom, preparing to strike, and she has no escape. As Crook looks on, he realizes that running into the shed to help Mom will almost certainly mean he will not make it out. No cat has ever survived a bite from one snake, let alone ten. But when Crook looks up at Mom, he knows what he must do.

In one lightning fast move, Crook leaps into the fray, distracting the snakes long enough for Mom to escape and run for help. Then, as one snake strikes, Crook shoots straight up into the air, grabs another snake with his claws, ties both in a knot and tosses them out of the shed. He grabs another one in his mouth, one in his claws, and kicks yet another! He leaps, flips, and claws his way to victory!

Moments later, Mom runs back to the shed with help, and she sees