The Cat Barked? [Hardcover]

Lydia Monks (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up

In this lighthearted tale of wishes and consequences, an endearing feline imagines what life would be like if she were a dog. But who really has the upper paw? Will the confused kitty find that it really is a dog's life -- or will the cat have the last meow?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Envy may be one of the seven deadly sins, but first-timer Monks offers a funny, pointed and visually sublime exegesis on the subject. "I wish I were a dog," grumbles an almost fluorescent marmalade cat who grudgingly shares a home with a Scottie. "Dogs have all the fun." Cats, after all, don't get to romp in the park with their owners and they can't bark; dogs, meanwhile, "guard the house,/ They can catch crooks,/ And they're always the heroes/ in movies and books." But the cat's owner, a bright-eyed girl with orange pigtails that radiate from her full-moon head, counters with some powerful arguments: What self-respecting cat would want to fetch? And who naps or cuddles in a lap more expertly than a feline? Self-acceptance prevailsAfor the cat at least; as the book closes, the Scottie finds himself so persuaded by the girl's reasoning that he now wishes he were a cat. Monks matches the snappiness of her rhyming text with zippy, full-bleed art. Witty soup?ons of paper, photo and cloth collage enhance the strong shapes and saturated colors of her endearingly goofy characterizations; the zaniness is lightly but expertly controlled, and the pictures pop off the page. Pure fun all the way. Ages 3-7.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1-A bright-orange tabby feels that dogs have all the fun and yearns to be one (especially, it seems, a small black terrier). A wide-eyed, red-haired girl reminds her pet that dogs have to do all sorts of silly stunts such as roll over and fetch sticks, while cats do wonderful things like nap and climb trees. A simple message of self-acceptance is subtly presented in the short, rhymed narrative. Early readers will be able to manage most of the easy text, and will also be challenged by some new words. Monks brings humor and character to the animals in her stylish paint-and-collage illustrations. The pictures utilize lively and saturated colors, with vibrant backgrounds of green, pink, yellow, and lilac. Some of the illustrations are full of details, while others feature large, double-page close-ups of the characters. The endpapers are decorated with different dog breeds in the front and a variety of cats in the back. A pedigree choice for animal lovers and for storytime sharing.
Angela J. Reynolds, West Slope Community Library, Portland, OR
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dial; 1st edition (April 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803723385
• ISBN-13: 978-0803723382
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,435,103 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Monk's cool collages are a stand-out, April 28, 2000

By 

Nancy Parry McCluer - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cat Barked? (Hardcover)

Have you ever wished you were something you're not? You know, wished for curly hair when yours is straight, or visa versa--the old "the grass is always greener" problem. That's the situation that a little orange striped cat finds herself in "The Cat Barked."

"Dogs have all the fun!" proclaims the envious puss, as she details the reasons why: dogs go to the park, dogs catch crooks and they're always the heroes in movies and books.

"Silly old cat," exclaims the mop-headed little girl who owns her, as she points out that there is a downside to dogs and an upside to cats.

The rhyming text does a good job of capturing the futility and folly of coveting your neighbor's bark. But what really stand out are the cool collages by Monks, a fine arts major at England's Kingston University. She uses a combination of paint, pencil, fabric and photos from magazines to concoct her personable canines and felines. Another unique artistic style that budding artists will be itching to emulate.

5.0 out of 5 stars dogs and cats both are good, August 18, 2005

By 

Heather Wunderlich "art mom" (SLC UT) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Cat Barked (Paperback)

I really liked this book because it shows children the many dimensions of their pets, be it cats or dogs. The illustrations are great and the quality of rhyming verse is wonderful to read allowed. These animals have personality! The book is charming and funny.

4.0 out of 5 stars The Cat Barked?, May 28, 2002

By 

Kelly Richbourg (Clemson, S.C) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cat Barked? (Hardcover)

At some point in our lives, we all wish to be someone else. The Cat Barked? is a wonderful book of a loving cat that desperately wants to be a dog. Throughout the book, readers learn how much fun it is to be a dog. When the cats owner informs her that dogs have to do endless tricks, stay on leashes, and many more unpleasant things, she begins to think twice. In the end, she decides that being a cat might not be too bad.