A Cat Named Fish and a Fish Named Cat  (1st edition copyright 2006; Author H. Wayne Thornton)  Words & Values ... A Guide to the Words and Values in the Story of A Cat Named Fish and   a Fish Named Cat.  For children, parents, and teachers to share: Children's Questions for the Author: Are there any different or neat words in this story? Yes, there are fun words like roiled, burbly, aplenty, slither, cottonmouths, Percherons, cattails, clacking, crawdads, caterwaul, and whiskers. What does roiled mean?  Is it different from boiled? Yes, it is different from the word boiled.  Boiled has to do with water heated so hot it bubbles.  Roiled on the other hand, as used in this story, has to do with water that is turbulent or stirred up by the catfish's powerful, physical movements. What is a Percheron? It's a horse of a quite particular kind used in agriculture.  It's a huge, wonderfully powerful, rugged, draft horse originally from the Perch area of northern France.  They can weigh up to around 2000 pounds! What are cottonmouths? A cottonmouth is a species of poisonous snake that lives in moist and wet areas in certain regions of the United States. They warn you away by opening their mouth wide.  Their mouth is all white on the inside like cotton, and it makes them more visible to help you avoid them. What is a caterwaul? Well, cats of all kinds, including mountain lions and panthers, sometimes make a sound called caterwaul.  People caterwaul, too. Do you know how to caterwaul like a cat? Yes, I do.  Do you?  Let's hear you do it right now! What is burbly? Well, in this story one of the characters does talk in a burbly fashion, at least in a somewhat loose use of the term.  Read the story to see for yourself. Is the Maine Coon Cat breed really that unique? Yes, you can find out more about them in other books, magazines, or on the internet. Why do you say whiskers is an interesting word? Well, we know that men have whiskers.  Yet, people also commonly refer to a cat's whiskers and a catfish's whiskers.       Yet, a catfish actually has barbels, not whiskers.  Let me ask you, what do people mean when they say things like, "Well like the old saying goes, a cat can't change his whiskers."  Or, like I say, "A catfish can't change his whiskers."         If you think it refers to a person who just can't seem to change something about themselves, even if they should, then I think you are right. Do cats and catfish use their whiskers for anything? Yes! They use them to feel and sense their way around in the dark. Why do you say the word cattail is interesting? Because this special word refers to a quite different type of plant that lives in certain wet areas.  The plant is called "cattail."  When you read the story you will see two blackbirds shown in a drawing sitting on a cattail plant warning other creatures of danger.  Here's a tip.  If you need to survive off the land, then you can use cattails to help you.  Their leaves can be woven into containers, a head covering, and to help make a raft.  The part just between the leaves and the root is called a rhizome which is edible.  And, the brown cattail seed head can be broken open into thousands of cottony seeds that can be used for insulation to keep you warm. Why does clacking seem so interesting? Because its sound is unique by itself.  But part of the story mentions catfish skeletons hanging in the trees and "clacking" in the wind. Have you ever seen catfish skeletons hanging in trees and clacking in the wind? Yes, of course, in the backwoods. Why were they hanging in the trees? Because they were not allowed to be hung in the house. What do you mean about this story having values? It has solid principles and lessons in life that are important to anyone who believes that a person's character and decisions count for something.  Like my family and I do. Can you name one principle in the story? Yes -- learn the right thing, then do the right thing.  There is a big difference between the two. Are there others? Yes, many others.  Why don't you read the story and see which others you can come up with after you read it?  Here are some hints to begin with:   Respect others;   Listen to the wise ones in our lives;   Persevere in difficult times -- don't give up;   Experience can be a tough teacher;   Overcoming a difficult past can be done, if we stay open to life's experiences; and,   Life is worth living.