The Cat Sat on the Mat - Hardcover

Born and educated in England, Carol Jones now lives in Australia. She is a full-time author and illusrutor who has given new life to many old favorites.

PreSchool-Grade 2-Lively pen-and-watercolor illustrations portray the antics of a family cat as it makes its way through the house, plopping down on whatever is nearby, starting with the outside mat and moving on to the acceptable couch and lap to the not-so-acceptable groceries, kitchen counter, building-block castle, and bed. Finally, the feline is put out for the night and returns to the doormat. In each scene, the animal is shadowed by a mouse who is careful to keep a safe distance. As in Jones's Old Macdonald Had a Farm (1989) and This Old Man (both Houghton, 1990), center-cut peekholes give readers visual hints as to what will happen next. Children will enjoy the guessing-game element, and cat lovers will recognize the all-too-familiar situation of an independent pet taking over the house. The large, bold print; simple, repetitive sentences; and the use of one highlighted word on each verso make this an effective beginning reader. Despite the clever premise, however, the book is somewhat uneven in quality. Some of the visual clues are obvious; others are not. Words introduced vary in difficulty, ranging from "mat" and "lap" to "counter" and "piano." Not an essential purchase, but certainly an entertaining one.
Heide Piehler, Shorewood Public Library, WI
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.