Jan Marie Hennke
Introduction
Children
of all ages enjoy cats and that is the reason I chose cats for my topic.
The books I selected are appropriate for children in elementary school
because they are appealing and beautifilly illustrated.
Picture Books
Gag, Wanda. Millions of Cats. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1956.
This is the story of an old couple who was lonely and they really wanted a cat. So the old man went for a walk and found a hill covered with cats. There were hundreds and thousands and millions of cats. He chose a pretty white cat, but then he noticed more cats that he liked, so he decided to take them all home with him. When he got home, his wife told him they could not possibly keep them all. The cats fought about who got to stay, and the couple was left with a scrawny little kitten. With love, it became the most beautiful cat in the world. This book is a classic.
Kerr, Judith. Mog the Forgetful Cat. Trafalgar Square, 2000.
Mog is a cat who lives with the Thomas family. Her absentminded ways always get her into trouble. She forgets she's already eaten supper, she forgets she has a cat door. But one night, she helps to catch a burglar and she becomes a hero.
Meggs, Libby Phillips. Go Home! The True Story of James the Cat. Morton Grove, Illinois: Albert Whitman & Company, 2000.
A homeless cat spends several seasons trying to survive outdoors. Because he has a collar on, everyone assumes he has a home. Finally, a suburban family adopts him after he is attacked and badly hurt by a dog. This is a heartwarming story filled with compassion.
Barber, Antonia. The Mousehole Cat. New York: MacMillan Publishing Company, 1990.
This story is told from the cat's point of view. Mowzer is the village cat who saves the village from starvation at Christimas. The Great Storm-Cat rages outside the snug little village. No boats can leave, so Mowzer accompanies her own pet, the human fisherman, as he goes on his fishing venture. Mowzer sings like a siren, joining her call with the cry of the Great Storm-Cat. Soothed by the sweetness of Mowzer's serenade, the Great Storm-Cat pauses in his prowling and pulls back his giant cat's paw long enough so the boat could leave. This allows the fisherman to fish and bring back enough food for the village so everyone could eat.
Calhoun, Mary. Henry the Sailor Cat. New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1994.
The Man and his Kid cast off for a glorious day of sailing on their boat named the Yow-meow. Their cat Henry sneaks aboard. The Man is upset when he discovers Henry, but when The Man falls overboard and a storm suddenly springs up, it is Henry's 'sure-pawed seamanship' that saves The Man and the day.
Classics
Dr. Seuss. The Cat in the Hat. New York: Random House, 1985.
One wet, rainy day, a little boy and girl are very bored as they sit in their chairs and the rain beats against the window. While their mother is out, a large cat wearing a tall striped hat suddenly bursts in. He brings with him Thing One and Thing Two and creates all kinds of mischief. But he manages to have it all cleaned up before their mother comes back home.
Novels
Le Guin, Ursula. Catwings. New York: Orchard Books, 1988.
Four young cats with wings by the names of Thelma, Roger, James and Harriet, leave the city slums searching for a place to live that is safe. In the process, they meet two children, Hank and Susan, who let them live in their old barn.
Le Guin, Ursula. Catwings Return. New York: Orchard Books, 1989.
Two winged cats decide to leave their new home to return to the city to pay their mother a visit. Instead of finding their mother, they find Jane, a kitten with wings like their own, in a building about to be demolished.
Le Guin, Ursula. Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings. New York: Orchard Books, 1994.
After being rescued by a flying cat, Alexander the cat decides to make good on a promise to do wonderful things. Alexander thinks he's a wonderful cat, but then he gets lost and is rescued by Jane, a cat with wings. Then he tries to do something nice for her. She brings him back to where she lives and he meets other cats with wings.
Le Guin, Ursula. Jane on Her Own. New York: Orchard Books, 1999.
When Jane, a cat with wings, decides to leave her farm and explore the world, she falls into the hands of a man who imprisons her and exploits her for money.
Gibbons, Gail. Cats. New York: Holiday House, 1996.
Watercolor illustrations are used to introduce a number of breeds of cats including domestic cats and the differences between purebreds and mixed breeds. The author provides basic information about their behavior, characteristics and ways of communicating.
Le Guin, Ursula. Catwings. New York: Orchard Books, 1988.
Four young cats with wings by the names of Thelma, Roger, James and Harriet, leave the city slums searching for a place to live that is safe. In the process, they meet two children, Hank and Susan, who let them live in their old barn.
Le Guin, Ursula. Catwings Return. New York: Orchard Books, 1989.
Two winged cats decide to leave their new home to return to the city to pay their mother a visit. Instead of finding their mother, they find Jane, a kitten with wings like their own, in a building about to be demolished.
Le Guin, Ursula. Wonderful Alexander and the Catwings. New York: Orchard Books, 1994.
After being rescued by a flying cat, Alexander the cat decides to make good on a promise to do wonderful things. Alexander thinks he's a wonderful cat, but then he gets lost and is rescued by Jane, a cat with wings. Then he tries to do something nice for her. She brings him back to where she lives and he meets other cats with wings.
Le Guin, Ursula. Jane on Her Own. New York: Orchard Books, 1999.
When Jane, a cat with wings, decides to leave her farm and explore the world, she falls into the hands of a man who imprisons her and exploits her for money.
Informational Books
Bare, Colleen. Toby the Tabby Kitten.
New York: Cobblehill Books, 1995.
This book follows a cat named Toby, a tailless tabby cat, as he grows from a kitten to a grown-up cat. Because Toby is a Manx breed of cat, Toby was born without a tail. Basic facts about cats are revealed in this photoessay about Toby as well as his likes, dislikes, and playful habits.
This book follows a cat named Toby, a tailless tabby cat, as he grows from a kitten to a grown-up cat. Because Toby is a Manx breed of cat, Toby was born without a tail. Basic facts about cats are revealed in this photoessay about Toby as well as his likes, dislikes, and playful habits.
Gibbons, Gail. Cats. New York: Holiday House, 1996.
Watercolor illustrations are used to introduce a number of breeds of cats including domestic cats and the differences between purebreds and mixed breeds. The author provides basic information about their behavior, characteristics and ways of communicating.
Biography
Levine, Stuart P. The Importance of Dr.
Seuss. San Diego: Lucent Books, Inc., 2001.
This is the story of the life of Theodor Seuss Geisel, who became known to the world as Dr. Seuss. He had an amazing string of successes from his first attempt, And to Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street, to such classics as Horton Hears a Who! and If I Ran the Zoo. Dr. Seuss gained praise from his peers, critics and the general public. In 1957, he created his most famous book, The Cat in the Hat.
This is the story of the life of Theodor Seuss Geisel, who became known to the world as Dr. Seuss. He had an amazing string of successes from his first attempt, And to Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street, to such classics as Horton Hears a Who! and If I Ran the Zoo. Dr. Seuss gained praise from his peers, critics and the general public. In 1957, he created his most famous book, The Cat in the Hat.