Customer Reviews

The Cat in the Hat Beginner Book Dictionary (Beginner Books(R))

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This was my absolute favourite book as a wee one. My parents told me I stole the book off my brother even before I was able to read and refused to give it back even as a teenager. I had the English-French Edition. I am ashamed to admit it but my french appears to be limited to what was available in the book some 35 years later despite 4 years of public school French.

I have recently bought every child I know the English-Spanish version. And I found some English-French ones for my nephews in Canada. THis book is worth every penny.

This Dr. Seuss and P.D. Eastman dictionary was one of my favorite books as a child and it is now a favorite of my two-year-old son. Unlike the static illustrations of many other children's dictionaries, Eastman's colorful drawings are lively and always suggest a story. Sometimes my son and I will read portions of the dictionary straight-through, and other times we will randomly browse the book, discussing various pictures as they catch our eyes. Many of the entries actually tie together into humorous narratives. There are also a number of recurring characters, such as the bad baby who manages to spill his food, spill his drink, draw on the wall, paint on the wall, and float away in a boat, Aaron the Alligator and his unfortunate airplane, and oddballs Aunt Ada and Uncle Uriah. However, the four look-alike boys (Jerry, Joe, Jack, and James) who make their appearances in numerous entries were my personal favorites when I was a kid. Of course, Dr. Seuss injects his usual silliness into the text (e.g., "In our backyard we have a hippopotamus" and "A nest full of zyxuxpf birds" are, likely, his touches), but Eastman's drawings keep the book reasonably well-anchored in the known universe.

As other reviewers have noted, the book's illustrations and text have generally aged well, though some of the references may perplex young readers: home movie projectors, milkmen, phonographs, typewriters, and popguns. Also, there are references to "American Indians" and "Eskimos" that no longer sit with us as well they once did. Finally, some potential buyers might be misled by the title, as the Cat in the Hat character does not actually appear anywhere within the book. Rather, the illustrations are entirely from the hand of P.D. Eastman.

A fine gift for a toddler or preschooler, this big book is fun to explore and is an excellent tool in language development. No preschool or kindergarten class should be without a copy or two of this classic.

In any format this is a great book, but it's not the one I had as a kid. I do have an older edition for comparison, and it's fun to guess which of the politically questionable pictures have been replaced in this slightly revised version. No more Native American or Eskimos caricatures, weapons or fighting. Christmas changed to Hanukkah for the "Holiday" entry. Now that I have a young daughter I can appreciate the reasons for these changes, but it's nice to have the "classic" for nostalgia reasons.

This book has beautiful Dr. Seuss pictures to clearly illustrate simple words for beginning readers. The only thing I don't like about the book is that it doesn't have written definitions as well.

This book is effectively an ABC for kids. Published in the 1960s it still provides a valuable teaching aid to get young children learning their alphabet. Each letter has anassociated series of words and story attached to it. With characters such as "Aaron" the alligator, and Abigail a girl, simple sentences are conveyed with quirky illustrations to help children learn various concepts. From "Abigail crosses the road" to "Aunt Ada likes Lions" the book leads the young reader from A through to Z where we learn that "Zero is very cold for zebras". A fun way for any child to learn to read.

While all of the books with the Dr. Seuss label can be considered essential reading for children, this one is more essential than most of the others. In terms of books used to help children learn to read, I found it to be unequaled in value. I still have the copy my daughter read and it is worn to the point where the spine is falling apart. Not through misuse, but from being opened and the pages flipped over and over again.
In the beginning, I read it to her, but it did not take long until she was sitting by herself looking through the pages and saying the words. Each word is accompanied by an illustration and in most cases a brief sentence where the word is used. Many of the illustrations incorporate the usual Seuss silliness, such as the green alligator carrying a sign stating, "I am a horse." All of which is designed to give the meaning of the word "true."
One of the best books I have ever seen to help children learn to read, I cannot include enough superlatives to express my opinion of it.

I had this book when I was a child, and I absolutely LOVED it! (I'm 34, now). I referred to it over and over throughout primary school. I really enjoyed the pictures, and I think it helped me with my vocabulary in school. (My reading level was always at least 4-5 grade levels above the grade I was currently in). I am purchasing this book for my baby, so he will have it to use when he needs it. (I wore the other one out long ago).

We used this book when my child was one to help him learn how to talk; now that he is four we are using it again to help him learn how to read. I can't recommend this book highly enough. The illustrations are clever, inventive and amusing and it has a sly sense of humor throughout. A true classic; may it never go out of print.

books amazing my kid loves them and so do I
love Dr. S and if you do this is a great collection to have

We have gone through this dictionary with our young son numerous times. It is a great way to encourage reading. Funny illustrations help explain each word. We highly recommend this book!