When Cats Dream [Paperback]

Dav Pilkey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1996 | Age Level: 4 and up

When cats are awake, the world stays the same--predictable. Food and toys are in their places, and soft, warm laps await. But when cats go to sleep, anything can happen--and does. Their two-tone world blooms into extravagant color. The fishbowl becomes an ocean, and they can dance on the heads of sleeping dogs and never be afraid in this imaginative rhapsody. Full color.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Pilkey envisions cats' dreams in a "Chagallian landscape of inverted reality," said PW in a starred review, describing the book as "a celebration of the imagination and the extraordinary." Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-- Fans of Pilkey's beguiling blue dragon from his previous books may be surprised by this full-color, rather painterly portrayal of cats, but they will immediately recognize his hallmark gentle humor amid his maturing style. Opening this handbook on feline dreams in a matter-of-fact voice, he reinforces the colorless tone of cats' waking existence by enclosing the soft gray-and-white illustrations in controlled black-bordered boxes. Yet by the story's fourth page, as the protagonist nestles drowsily in the lap of an undemonstrative woman whom many readers will recognize as Whistler's mother, ``everything begins to change.'' To emphasize the shift in mood, the scope of the pictures broaden to full or near-full pages, adding vivid, rich colors to the scenes to show what happens When Cats Dream. Exuberant watercolors energize their secret world with a stimulating blend of diverse art styles that derive inspiration from many masters. Cubist cats cavort in an impressionistic jungle, while crudely drawn mice grimace effectively at the somnambulists' antics. Prisms of colors in the backgrounds achieve a stained-glass effect and unify the disparate styles into a harmonious and humorous combination, assuring readers of all ages and levels of visual sophistication a source of satisfaction. When kitty awakes, the world again returns to its colorless predictability, until the next ``softwarm lap'' (this time Mona Lisa's) lulls the cat back to its technicolor slumber. An obvious choice for cat champions, this charmer might also convince reluctant youngsters to snuggle down into their pillows, to sleep, and perchance to dream. --Dorothy Houlihan, formerly at White Plains Public Library, NY
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Orchard (March 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531070751
• ISBN-13: 978-0531070758
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.3 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #554,910 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

"Considered one of the most popular contemporary authors for readers in elementary school, (Dav Pilkey) is also regarded as a talented artist and inventive humorist as well as a subtle moralist. ...He underscores his works--even at their most outrageous--with a philosophy that emphasizes friendship, tolerance, and generosity and celebrates the triumph of the good-hearted."

-The Educational Book & Media Association

Dav Pilkey is the Caldecott Honor Award-winning author and illustrator of more than 40 books for children. Check out his award-winning website at www.Pilkey.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you, Dav Pilkey!, December 29, 1999

By 

Ramona M. White "Poet/Songwriter" (Rainy Southwest Washington) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: When Cats Dream (Paperback)

This book contains some of the most beautiful illustrations I've ever seen. I am trying to introduce my daughter to books which use language in creative ways combined with exceptional artwork and this book does both. Dav Pilkey blends features from famous paintings and his own colorful style. He makes you wish you could join the cats on their trip through the jungle with the long grass tickling their feet. For another beautiful book about cats, be sure to check out Cynthia Rylant's "Cats in Heaven".

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly lovely book, June 29, 1999

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: When Cats Dream (Paperback)

I collect a lot of Dav Pilkey, and was surprised that the author of the great, but silly _Captain Underpants_ could create such a beautiful book. The artwork and text are truly wonderful... a must for cat lovers and dreamers everywhere.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful books, March 24, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: When Cats Dream (Paperback)

I love this book and so does my son. Great pictures and a wonderful story. Great to read aloud.