Day 190: Splat the Cat

We recently discovered Splat the Cat on the shelf of new arrivals at our local library. I instantly recognized the artistic style of author and illustrator Rob Scotton, and the silly title in itself made my kids want to bring it home.  We did, and we've been reading it just about every day since.  My daughter is particularly enamored by Splat, and it never fails to make her and my son laugh with delight.  

It is Splat's first day of Cat School, and he is nervous. He can't stop his tail from wiggling wildly with worry.  He tries every excuse he can think of to put off going until tomorrow, but to no avail.  "If I hide from the day, maybe it'll go away, he thought.  It didn't."  He doesn't have any clean socks (even though he doesn't wear socks), he's having a bad hair day, the front door won't let him out, the gate won't let go of his fingers... even the lamppost won't get out of his way.  (That page always evokes the most giggles.)  Knowing he'll need a friend, he packs his pet mouse Seymour into his lunchbox and heads reluctantly to school.  His classmates and teacher are more than welcoming, and after a silly series of events, Splat returns home at the end of the day excited and eager to go back.  While there are a few quick jumps from one thing to another in the story, my kids never question them.  The story itself is cute and a great back-to-school read, but the illustrations are really what make it for me.  Scotton has such a unique style, and I love all of the little things in his illustrations that really bring a clever humor to the book:  Splat's mouse slippers, the books on his shelf (such as Dogs are from Mars, Cats are from Venus), his alarm clock that points to "too early," Seymour's eyes peeking out of Splat's lunch bag.  Splat the Cat was first published in 2008, and now there are several sequels in the Splat series.  We'll definitely be looking for them at our next library visit!

Day 169: Hondo & Fabian

Hondo & Fabian was a gift from the ever-generous Uncle Jeff, whom we have to thank for many of the favorites that make up our home library.  He also got us the equally wonderful sequel, Fabian Escapes, at the same time, so I figured it made sense to recommend both in the same post.  I was immediately struck by the books' beautiful illustrations, and knew that both my son and daughter would love reading about these adorable, soft, portly pets.  The story in Hondo & Fabian is sweet and simple:  Hondo, the dog, goes on an adventure to the beach with his friend, while Fabian, the cat, stays home.  In Fabian Escapes, the roles are reversed and Fabian spends the day exploring his neighborhood while Hondo relaxes at home.  In both stories, we also meet the baby of the household, who loves to play dress up with the pets (much to their dismay) and feed crackers to Hondo from her high chair.

I've actually been having a hard time figuring out just how to describe these books and why we enjoy them so much, since the stories are so simple in and of themselves.  There is no fancy language or descriptive details; just a gently playful story with gorgeous illustrations.  The illustrations are really what make the book for me.  I have no idea how Peter McCarty manages to create such a soft, beautiful effect using only colored pencils on watercolor paper, but his artwork is amazing.  (Definitely Caldecott-honor-worthy, if you ask me.)

The other thing I love most about this story is the way it portrays the charming antics of those cute, carefree pets.  I had a cat and a dog growing up, and I can't help but think of them every time I read these stories.  My dog, also a retriever, loved playing in the waves and stealing butter off the counter like Hondo.  My cat loved exploring the outdoors and getting into mischief like Fabian.  I think my kids love these stories mostly because they love animals, especially dogs and cats, but also because they find the simple pleasures Hondo and Fabian enjoy throughout the book to be rather silly.  My son loves how Fabian lies on the windowsill, and how he stops to smell the flowers in the garden... and eats them.   Perhaps this is really why I love these books. Their plots are based around the little things in life -- playing in the waves, exploring the backyard, unrolling a roll of toilet paper -- in which children (and pets) find so much joy.

These books are probably best suited to toddlers and preschoolers, but emerging readers might enjoy reading them on their own, as well.  I also think these stories would be great in board book form for the littlest of readers.  We love curling up to read Hondo & Fabian and Fabian Escapes before bed, and hope that you will, too.

Day 84: Where's the Cat?

Every once in a while we come across a new book that I just know I'm going to have to share on here right away.  Where's the Cat? is one such book.  It's been ridiculously sticky and hot here this week, so we've made several trips to the library in our effort to beat the heat.  My son was looking through the shelves of board books to find a cute story for his little sister when I noticed one that was a Barefoot Book.  Having loved every Barefoot Book we've ever read and wanting to discover more of their fabulous titles, I picked it up and handed it to him.  "What about Where's the Cat?" I suggested.  "There's a silly cat on there!" he said.  "Let's go read it!"  My daughter continued to play while he climbed into my lap with a big smile on his face, eager to begin the story.  The pictures are bold, and the short, rhyming text is silly, simple, and repetitive, making this a perfect book for infants and emerging readers, alike.  Each pair of pages begins, "Where's the Cat?" and features a bright, cheerfully colored illustration of a cat hiding somewhere in the scene.  With only his ears, nose, or the tip of his tail visible, that pesky cat can be hard to find!  Once you think you've found him, turn the page to see if you're right.  "Where's the cat?  Up the tree.  Where's the cat?  By the sea."  Debbie Harter's illustrations are wonderful (I just love the cat's playful expressions!) and to me, are what really make the book fun.  Our favorite picture is of the cat "up the stair," as he hangs mischieviously off the step.  The first time we read it, my son was incredibly focused on finding the cat in each picture.  Once we had finished the story, he immediately asked to read it again.  This time, he was in a fit of giggles by page two ("up the stair") that lasted throughout the end of the book.  After reading it five times in a row right there in the library, I suggested we take it home with us.  We've since read it at least twenty times, and while I thought finding the cat might get old once my son knew where it was on each page, he continues to laugh his way through the book each time we read it.  He loves to read it by himself and to his sister now, too, which is always fun to see.  I find this story to be brilliant in both its appeal and accessibility.  With only three words per page and bright, bold pictures, it is perfect for babies.  Yet it's equally perfect for preschoolers, who will love looking for the cat and remembering the rhymes.  And hey, maybe they'll even learn some prepositions while they're at it!  I have no doubt this story will be a welcomed addition to our home library someday.