Top Cat [Hardcover]

Lois Ehlert (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Top Cat rules the house until an unexpected box from the humane society arrives with someone new--and cute--inside. At first, Top Cat doesn't want to share his house and favorite things, but soon he learns that two cats can be lots more fun than one. Lois Ehlert's collage illustrations capture the amusing antics of Top Cat and his spunky sidekick in this romping read-aloud.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Top cat" is just that?the pet who rules the roost. That is, until a striped kitten arrives on the scene. Angry and jealous at first, the older cat hisses and bites, letting the new arrival know who's boss. But once the cat realizes the kitten is a permanent addition to the household, it makes the best of a difficult situation and becomes mentor to the fluffy newcomer. Lessons ensue: how to leave fur on the couch, chew on the houseplants, chase birds and "drink from the sink when company's there." With the knowing tone of a true cat lover, Ehlert's (Hands; Color Zoo) rhymed couplets accurately describe the common?often naughty?habits of house cats, and cat owners will nod in recognition at her scenarios. Visually, Ehlert creates a memorable cat duo in her trademark cut-paper collage style. Using pulpy, textured paper saturated with color, she assembles crisp shapes into forms exuding purr-sonality. On nearly every page she also includes sound effects, printed in small red letters, to accompany the cats' actions ("chomp," "swish," "scritch") and background noises (birdcalls, clanking silverware, etc.). Children and other feline fans will quickly warm to this spunky story of rivalry and acceptance. Ages 3-8.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Ehlert has a way with collage. In one double-page illustration a cat with its hackles raised bristles beautifully. Sad to say, the story line is so poorly expressed that the book might have been better without a text. "Go away, cat! You've invaded my space. And I don't like your cute little face" does nothing to convey the feelings of a cat whose favorite chair has been usurped by a kitten. The inevitable reconciliation between the two felines comes about more because the requisite number of pages have been filled than because of any development in the animals' relationship. This topic has been treated so well by so many talented authors and illustrators including Charlotte Voake in Ginger (Candlewick, 1997) that Ehlert's addition to the canon is truly superfluous.
Miriam Lang Budin, Mt. Kisco Public Library, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; First edition. edition (September 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152017399
• ISBN-13: 978-0152017392
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 7.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,327,753 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

LOIS EHLERT has created many picture books, including Leaf Man, Pie in the Sky, In My World, Growing Vegetable Soup, Planting a Rainbow, and the bestselling Waiting for Wings. She lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Child's Favorite!, December 29, 2005

By 

C. Wallis Davenport "joyous2" (New York State) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Top Cat (Paperback)

"Read Top Cat, Mommie!" is what I hear every night now. It's simply my 3 ½ year-old daughter's favorite book. The story of Top Cat, a bored black and white cat, whose sleepy existence is interrupted when a striped kitten arrives from the animal shelter. Top Cat entertains with appealing rhymes, realistic cat behavior (but nothing too scary for a child!), and creative artwork that seems to be made up of overlaid paper cuts. I think my daughter likes how Top Cat first fights with the kitten, but then plays with him, teaching him all sorts of "naughty" kitty behavior - dancing on the table, eating plants, drinking from the faucet, etc. At the end, the two cats are best buds, and that's what counts. A great lesson.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A colorful look at the trials and tribulations of cat life!, August 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Top Cat (Hardcover)

My infant son loves this book! It has delightful, brightly colored illustrations, a catchy rhyme, and for me, a humorous look at two cats learning to share living quarters.

The underlying message of sharing and getting along seems well-suited for a preschooler as well.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Clever, fun text and pictures!, May 21, 2007

By 

Mother of One "One is enough" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Top Cat (Paperback)

I initially got this book from the library for my 2 1/2 year old. She was amused enough, but my husband and I were delighted with the illustrations and creative text layout. It's one book of our daughter's of which he and I haven't grown bored. I'm buying this as a gift for my friends' kids who are expecting the arrival of a sibling - might be some interesting similarities :^)