Catfish Kate and the Sweet Swamp Band [Hardcover]

Sarah Weeks (Author), Elwood H. Smith (Illustrator)

Book Description

Catfish Kate and her all-girl band liven up the bayou with their rockin’ tunes, but the Skunktail Boys are demanding a little peace and quiet. The boys want to read. The girls want to play. And the swamp’s not big enough for the both of them! Or is it? A rhythmic read-aloud about the power of compromise from bestselling author Sarah Weeks. Catfish Kate is a pure swampy delight, full of sass appeal for crooners, rockers, and readers alike.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3—"Hum strum/rattle-rattle/tootle-ootle croon./Sweet swamp music underneath the moon." Catfish Kate is playing her banjo with her friends Snake, Newt, and Skeeter, but Skink and his Skunktail Boys complain. They have come to the swamp to read and they want QUIET! When the two arguing groups reach an impasse, Kate calls her girl band away to search for a compromise. The Skunktail Boys think they've won but wait! Kate has an ace up her sleeve, and all ends well: "Happily ever after/underneath the moon." The text is short and rhythmic with many noisy sounds, and the colorful cartoon illustrations burst with lively motion. Although there are various other "band" picture books, some also with onomatopoeic sounds, this rhyming romp emphasizes the importance of compromise. It would be a good jumping-off point for a discussion on conflict resolution as well as just a fun read-aloud.—Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA
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About the Author

Sarah Weeks has written many books for children, including If I Were a Lion, Paper Parade, Angel Face, So B. It, and Two eggs, please. She lives in New York City. When Sarah can't get to sleep, she goes through the alphabet in her head, trying to think of people she knew in elementary school whose names begin with each letter.

Elwood Smith's illustrations have appeared regularly in the New York Times, Time, Newsweek, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated, and more. He has illustrated numerous books for children, including The Truth about Poo and Gee Whiz: It’s all About Pee by Susan E. Goodman. He lives in Rhinebeck, New York.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (May 19, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141694026X
• ISBN-13: 978-1416940265
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,591,892 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sarah Weeks is the author of Oggie Cooder, So B. It, Jumping the Scratch, and the Guy series. She lives in New York City, where she practices charving at least once a fortnight.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars compromise, and non-stereotypical gender roles, April 17, 2010

By 

cambridge reader "cambridgearea" (cambridge, ma United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Catfish Kate and the Sweet Swamp Band (Hardcover)

the boys love to read, the girls are in a rowdy band. girls are problem-solvers, they come up with a compromise to solve a conflict. Great rhyming lyrics, dynamic illustrations. my 4-y.o Daughter loves that one of the skunks is reading a book called "stinker belle"

5.0 out of 5 stars Get ready to discuss!!!, April 1, 2010

By 

Savvy Sal (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Catfish Kate and the Sweet Swamp Band (Hardcover)

I read this book out loud to a Kindergarten class last week and you wouldn't believe the discussion we had about compromise. We stopped midway through the story to discuss various solutions to Catfish Kate's dilemma (the girls want to play music and the boys want to read) and the kids came up with all kinds of good ideas. Build a wall - take turns - set the words of the books to music (!!!!!). The rhymes are perfect every time - no cheaty near-rhymes, a pet peeve of mine - and the story is guaranteed to please on all levels. I LOVE that the boys are the readers in this story --that's a refreshing change of pace! Loved it.

5.0 out of 5 stars In this old swamp there isn't enough room for the Catfish Kate and her Sweet Swamp Band and the boys who want a bit of quiet!, October 2, 2009

By 

D. Fowler "Dragonfly77" (Vermont) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Catfish Kate and the Sweet Swamp Band (Hardcover)

Catfish Kate broke into a wide grin as she strummed on her banjo. She made up a tune and was singing in the light of the moon while a couple of beetles put their noses up on the dock and watched her attentively. The notes rang through the night and "Along came a new tootle-ootling a flute. Together they began to hum and strum and tootle-oot." The beetles began to dance and this looked like it was going to be a fun, musical night. A snake slithered onto the scene and began to rattle to the beat. ZZZZZZ! A gator soon joined in with his sax and the Sweet Swamp Band was complete once "Skeeter buzzed in with a jazz violin. Spider sat beside her and the joint began to spin."

Things were really hopping and jumping BUT . . . Skin and his Skunktail Boys were also in the swamp. They were sitting on a couple of couches relaxing with their books and paper and needed a bit of quiet to read. Goodness only knows that if you are reading "Stinker Belle," you just don't need a lot of NOISE. Quiet please! Skink and one of the boys just about jumped out of their skins when the band was in full swing. The other two were startled and their eyes were as big as the moon. Skink and the Skunktail boys were very upset and told the Sweet Swamp Band that "This is our swamp and we want QUIET!" There was going to be a lot of trouble if they couldn't compromise!

This is a very comical tale that is a lot of fun. The two conflicting groups both think they own the swamp and are perfectly happy until they realize they are not the only ones living there and need to compromise in order to keep the peace. This is an excellent story for little ones to learn about sharing and compromise in an easy way. The active, cartoon-like artwork was a perfect compliment to this tale. This would be an excellent read and discuss story for circle or storytime. "Psst, what's a compromise? I don't know, do you?"