The Cat on the Mat Is Flat [Hardcover]

Andy Griffiths (Author), Terry Denton (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 21, 2007 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Muck?! Uck! YUCK!
 
Is it just bad luck
when the truck of a duck
gets stuck in the muck?
 
Nine silly rhymes,
and a pig that slimes,
from a writer voted BEST
by The New York Times!
 
WARNING:  This book may self-destruct if used to teach a lesson.

 

“…The rat chased the cat.
The rat chased the cat with the baseball bat.
Around
and around
and around the mat
the rat chased the cat with the baseball bat, until…
KERSPLAT!
Never again did that cat chase the rat—
the cat was much too flat for that.”

 

 

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for The Cat on the Mat is Flat:

“Imagine the outcome if Dr. Seuss, Dav Pilkey, and Lane Smith were locked in a room until they came up with a book for beginning or reluctant readers. These nine rhyming stories have action galore, plenty of dialogue, and ample pen-and-ink illustrations, all wrapped up in humor . . . Even young people who are struggling to get the hang of reading may happily handle all 176 crazy pages.” —School Library Journal

“Griffiths’s innovative book for beginning readers collects nine short, intentionally silly snippets propelled by kid-pleasing, tongue-tripping verse . . . Denton’s edgy, stick-figure-filled sketches enhance the zaniness factor and the offbeat, ironic humor.” —Publishers Weekly

“Take one part Dr. Seuss, one part Edward Lear, place in a blender with a dash of Dav Pilkey and a bit of Cartoon Network juice . . . meant to be read as pure joy. It's a piece of candy eaten in secret between meals.” —The Excelsior File (blog)

“Definitely not your parents’ easy reader, but perfect for fans of Lane Smith’s Happy Hockey Family.” —Kirkus Reviews

“This collection of stories is fun albeit with a touch of mayhem . . . This is a good book for beginning readers, in the same vein as The Cat in the Hat and The Cat in the Hat Comes Back. It will likely spark a new rhyming nation of happy youngsters, some of whom will grow up to write their generation’s outrageously funny advertising jingles . . . Any beginning reader will find it charmingly slapstick and fun.” —Armchair Interviews

About the Author

Andy Griffiths is the New York Times bestselling author of The Day My Butt Went Psycho!, Zombie Butts from Uranus!, Butt Wars! The Final Conflict, and The Big Fat Cow That Goes Kapow. In 2007, he became the first Australian author to win six children’s choice awards in one year for Just Shocking! He is passionate about inspiring a love of books in his young readers, and works as an ambassador for the Indigenous Literacy Project, which provides books and literacy resources to remote indigenous communities around Australia. Andy is a big fan of Dr. Seuss and of cauliflower. He lives in Melbourne, Australia, and is Australia’s most popular children’s writer.

Terry Denton is known for his humorous illustration style and has worked with Andy on the Just! books, among others.  He lives by the sea in Australia with his wife, three kids, and a pop-up toaster that only toasts on one side.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Feiwel & Friends; 1st edition (August 21, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312367872
• ISBN-13: 978-0312367879
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #811,359 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Andy Griffiths is an internationally successful children's author and the award-winning writer of the JUST series and the BUM trilogy. His books have been bestsellers in both his native Australia and the USA. Andy thrives on having an audience; he has been a teacher, the lead singer in a rock band and a stand-up comedian. He lives in Smellbourne, I mean Melbourne, Australia, with his partner and two daughters. Other books by Andy Griffiths to look out for: THE DAY MY BUM WENT PSYCHO, ZOMBIE BUMS FROM URANUS, BUMAGEDDON, JUST ANNOYING, JUST CRAZY, JUST DISGUSTING, JUST KIDDING, JUST STUPID. Terry Denton is well-known for his work with Andy Griffiths on several titles, including the JUST books. He is also an author and illustrator in his own right and extremely popular with audiences in Australia and the US.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Modern Dr. Suess, June 13, 2010

By 

K. B. Rodriguez "MN Teacher" (St. Paul, MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Cat on the Mat Is Flat (Hardcover)

As a teacher of struggling readers,this book has been a big hit. It looks and feels like a bigger chapter book, but is fun and easy to read. The students really enjoy it and are willing to read it over and over again, which is just what they need. The illustrations are simple and funny. Even my third graders and other fluent readers have fun with the rhymes and silly stories.

4.0 out of 5 stars Where was this book when I needed it?, July 7, 2011

By 

M. Biery "Martha Biery, "Words Aren't Fa... (Philadelphia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Cat on the Mat Is Flat (Hardcover)

Love the book! And for the best reasons! I teach kids with dyslexia and finding good books that follow a basic pattern that helps develop decoding skills is very hard to do. This book is just perfect. Not only that, the book reinforces my concept book about why words aren't fair. This is a refrain that I hear constantly and thus, I was compelled to write my book "Words Aren't Fair" to encourage struggling readers. When words aren't fair, kids get discouraged. But when the words ARE fair, which is 70% of the time, then kids can read books like this book. I am going to recommend it to all my kids and their parents.
Thanks from the kids and the teachers!

5.0 out of 5 stars My reluctant reader loves it!, June 16, 2011

By 

between these days - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cat on the Mat Is Flat (Paperback)

Next to the Bob Books, this is my 6yo son's new favorite. I love that it is a bit bigger (and far more difficult to lose) than the Bob Books and my son is more than willing to read from it. He even sits on his own to read it, something I discover because I can hear him laughing from the other room.