So, What's It Like to Be a Cat? [Hardcover]

Karla Kuskin (Author), Betsy Lewin (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 31, 2005 | Age Level: 3 and up

So, what's it like to be a cat?

I'm very glad you asked me that.

Are cats afraid of the dark? Where do they prefer to sleep? What time do cats eat their breakfast? And what do they really think of dogs (and people!)? The award-winning team of Karla Kuskin and Betsy Lewin explore the secret inner lives of felines in this beguiling question-and-answer interview between an intrepid child and a very clever cat.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 3–Two award winners team up to explore playfully the essence of being a cat. The framework of an interview between a boy and a feline allows for a series of skillfully constructed calls and responses. For example, the youngster asks, Do you have a kitty bed/with your picture at the head? and his subject replies, I do not have a kitty bed/to rest my kitty tail and head./I'd rather/sleep most anywhere/that's warm and soft:/a couch,/a chair,/a sleeping loft;/I'll curl up there. Within strong black lines, the loosely composed watercolor cartoons perfectly capture the range of expressions, postures, and mischievous ways of cats. The illustrations are set against crisp white backgrounds and each page offers a diverse layout that enhances the cadence of the poem. This inextricable interplay of art and text works harmoniously to provide a delightful portrait of the capricious nature of felines. A great choice for reading aloud.–Caroline Ward, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. Pencil in hand, a boy interviews his gray cat, beginning with the question in the title. Seated in a director's chair, the rangy feline answers with the easy, false modesty of a celebrity: "Cats are private creatures / who are happier when left alone. Of course I trust / and also wish / no one forgets to fill my dish / (a bit of fish might be delish)." The cat proudly acknowledges that although humans have a few things going for them ("They balance nicely on their feet"), they don't "nap or leap or lie / as gracefully or well / as I." Lewin's charming, uncluttered watercolors extend the spare poetry's precise wit with swooping bold lines that beautifully capture both characters' movements and moods. Children will easily recognize the pet's wildly joyful leaps and bounds and his wary backward gaze as he slinks away from a grasping toddler. Pair this with Dave Crawley's Cat Poems (2005) for more lighthearted verse about the secret lives of cats. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (May 31, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689847335
• ISBN-13: 978-0689847332
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 9.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 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: #1,268,603 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book for toddlers, March 9, 2006

By 

T. Fitzgerald (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: So, What's It Like to Be a Cat? (Hardcover)

My 5 year old really loves this book. We have two cats and there are very few books with cats as real characters that kids can relate to. I also like that the cat relates to a boy, since many of the images in our society often show cats or kittens with little girls. If you have a son and cats or kittens please purchase this book for him.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Stuff, September 19, 2009

By 

Sargon (Albuquerque, NM) - See all my reviews

This review is from: So, What's It Like to Be a Cat? (Paperback)

A friend had this book on her kitchen table and I read thru it while waiting for her. It's on par with Dr. Seuss as far as quality. Very nice poetry and excellent illustrations--perfect for young children. Any cat owner would appreciate this book--yes, even adults. ha ha

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Too cute!, March 17, 2010

By 

K. Welsh (Madison WI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: So, What's It Like to Be a Cat? (Paperback)

Our family has 2 cats and a dog--one kitty which is very haughty and naughty. The rhymes in this book are fabulous and perfectly describe our kitty, giving our little one some very cute and funny insight into why the cats are the way they are. It's a fun book to read; there are a lot of cats in the illustrations (so you can practice counting); and naming the body parts of animals and talk about what they are doing in the pictures. Great book!