Cat Up a Tree [Hardcover]

Ann Hassett (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Worried when she spots a cat up a tree, Nana Quimby frantically rings the firehouse for help, only to discover that the firemen no longer rescue cats in trees. What is she to do? She looks out the window again to discover five cats up the tree. And the cats keep coming - too many to count - in all sorts of zany colors, shapes, and sizes. Frantic, Nana Quimby calls the police station, the pet shop, the zoo, and even city hall, but no one will respond to her plea. Children will love counting all the irresistible cats in John Hassett's lively artwork, as the town that refuses to help finds itself caught in a hilarious quandary and finally learns the importance of lending a hand.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this stylized primer, characterized by an old-fashioned coziness, the Hassetts (Charles of the Wild) tally no fewer than 40 felines and sum up with a gentle sting. The kitty quantifying begins when elderly Nana Quimby spies a single black-and-white cat atop a leafy, lichen-green tree. Nana calls the firehouse for assistance, but the dispatcher informs her, "Sorry... we do not catch cats up a tree anymore. Call back if that cat starts playing with matches." Dismayed, she looks out the window again and sees five cats, then 10, up the tree. Yet she can't rouse a rescuer from the police ("Call back if the cats rob a bank") or city hall ("Call back if you need a sign that says Danger! Look up for Falling Cats"). But Nana gets her chance for a subtle rebuke when the town is overrun with mice, and the purring denizens stay at her side. The husband-and-wife team enumerate the crowd of cats while poking fun at public affairs. The authors' feather-light felines could prove difficult to differentiate for beginning readers. They stand in tight formation, as slender and ethereal as mayflies (each is about two inches long, including a long, curlicue tail) and they're painted in dreamy shades of gray-green, pale blue, creamy yellow and white. Nevertheless, the Hassetts' gentle humor and equally light brushwork possess a delicate charm, and the careful Nana ensures that every cat leaves its lofty perch. Ages 3-8.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1-One day Nana Quimby looks out of her apartment building window and sees a cat in a tree. When she calls the fire department, they tell her that they no longer rescue animals. Progressing by increments of five, more and more felines appear and none of the agencies or organizations she calls can offer any assistance. When the cat count is 35 and city hall has turned her down, Nana throws her telephone out the window. The animals make their way across the phone line and into her open arms. Soon the town becomes overrun by mice and when city hall calls Nana, she says "Sorry, the cats do not catch mice anymore." The last page shows "too many cats to count" napping in the woman's kitchen. The illustrations, primarily in pastels, depict small stylized animals that are not easily identifiable. This is a light and rather silly cumulative tale but children may wonder about the lack of cooperation and the particularly unhelpful nature of these community helpers.
Kathy M. Newby, Russiaville Branch Library, IN
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (September 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395884152
• ISBN-13: 978-0395884157
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,210,072 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Five stars from my kids, July 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Cat Up a Tree (Hardcover)

This is a very funny, witty book that both kids and parents will appreciate. My kids thought it was wonderful and had the whole thing memorized after two or three readings. This is a first-rate book for any age.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It was really funny!, October 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Cat Up a Tree (Hardcover)

I liked the part when the cats got stuck in the tree. I liked the part when Nana Quimbe called the town hall. It is fun to wonder what will happen at the end when mice flood the town.

5.0 out of 5 stars I Love Nana Quimby!, November 26, 2010

By 

Kim - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cat Up a Tree (Paperback)

Nana Quimby is delightful, and I was impressed with my daughter's desire and ability to count all of the cats in the tree. It's a sweet story - and we've all felt the frustration that Nana Quimby must have felt when she couldn't get help for her problem! In the end she settled the matter well in an unexpected and charming way.