I like this book very much even if Daddy Tim was being a Nose to bring it home to me. I give Slips’s story five treats! Our highest honor. I like the story and I love the pictures. C Roger Mader really knows his cats. I think little humans who are scared of anything would benefit from reading Slips’s story!
Nearly a year ago, I recommended “Lost Cat” by this human. I think I like this more. This is the story of a cat (who doesn’t have a name—grr! I will call him Slips for reasons that become apparent). Slips gets adopted by a nice lady. Slips likes his new home…especially the balcony! He can walk out on it and get access to the roof. The balcony and the roof are HIS domain…I wish I had a balcony—or somewhere that Bubble couldn’t follow me. He stalks that pigeon…and he JUMPS! But he misses and he falls…and falls…and falls—I was scared at this point…but he falls through an awning (Daddy Tim gave me that word, don’t know what it is) and a man catches him. Slips is OK, but he’s scared…especially of the balcony. But one day, he sees a crow out on his balcony. The jungle cat is awakened again, and Slips scares that bird away! Then he feels safe to return to his rooftop.
I like this book very much even if Daddy Tim was being a Nose to bring it home to me. I give Slips’s story five treats! Our highest honor. I like the story and I love the pictures. C Roger Mader really knows his cats. I think little humans who are scared of anything would benefit from reading Slips’s story!
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the picture shows a human lady with a cat around her neck. I thought the next picture would be of the cat biting her nose with the caption “Fashion critic” but it wasn’t. The pictures and “uses” weren’t related in any story.
Many of these “uses” are things I do: “Model” “Floral Arranger” “Bird Fancier.” And one was even one of my special titles! “Sous Chef.” I always help Daddy Tim cook especially when either butter or lettuce is involved…those are my favorite food groups right behind “Dry” and “Canned.” I am also an “alarm clock” though Banjo is the one who plays with Daddy Trent’s nose (that’s what the cat in the picture is doing). I am also a good “chair warmer” and an excellent “surrogate child.” But “hair brush” I did not understand. My Daddies brush ME…they don’t have any fur long enough to brush. The pictures are very simple line drawings of cats…though the one next to “significant other” was a little disturbing because the human lady (who was in bed) was holding her cat around it’s throat like she was choking this…I don’t want to be a significant other. So I guess I like this book well enough as a humor book, but if I ever meet Harriet Ziefert we will have to have words. When Daddy Tim found the cover image on the computer, I saw that she had another book “44 Uses for a Dog.” Dogs are NOT more useful than cats…unless you think “nap interrupter” or “total stink machine” are “useful.” Today’s tip for Cat Children of Human People (CaCHuPs): Your humans are likely to want to move your stuff around. They don’t realize that you have spent lots of time scenting the things in your house and creating pathways only you (and other cats) can follow. I don’t have a fool proof solution for this. Humans like change—weird! But if you sit on the furniture where it is and look adorable and comfortable, they will be less likely to move it.
Cats can count. I know that two is more than one...and three is more than two. This book is about counting, but it tricks you into doing something called "math" which I don't really understand...it just seems like counting with funny symbols in it. This Betsy Lewin, who made this book, really knows how to paint cats (on paper...you should never actually put paint on a cat; it will only make a mess and make us mad--and cats know revenge...don't think that grooming session during your dinner party or that hairball in your shoe was an accident...). Back to the book, the human telling the story knows a lot of people with a lot of cats. It starts: "I have one cat. A fat cat. A fun cat. I have one cat." His brother has two. His sister has three. His uncle has four, and his cousin has five. Very sensible family. Then the book asks you to add (which means count everything) and there have been 15 cats so far. The human's Gram has six cats...now, that might be getting to be a bit much. Humans if you have too many cats, you can't pay enough attention to each one. We each need a certain amount of ME-ow time. His neighbor has seven. His teacher eight. His preacher has nine (I don't know what a preacher is, but it seems to be a human that makes cats sit on wooden benches in a line for a long time...I wouldn't like that). And a random farmer near by has ten. Yipe! According to the book that is 55 cats. That is too much "adding" for me to do, so I will take the book's word. But then the narrating human's fat cat has five kittens! And suddenly there are 60 cats in this book. Wow. Just wow! I like this book, and I think little humans who have to learn this math thing would like it too. Betsy Lewin is an excellent maker of cat books. She makes each cat look different and most of them are doing things cats do. (Cats do not dance...or wear clothes. Haven't you humans learned that yet?) I give this book three and a half treats.
{Daddy Tim Editorial note: in our family a nose is someone who does or says something to cause mischief or slyly make fun}
This book is about a cat who follows her human girl around the house and does what the human girl does. The little human tunnels under newspapers and so does the kitty. The little human hides under the desk and so does her kitty. "My cat copies me. We help with the laundry, and chase flies. Smelling the flowers or watching bugs, she always copies me." They do all sorts of things together. Then the little human decides to copy her cat. Very smart. They stare into the night. They climb book shelves (I am not allowed to do this. Maybe when Daddy Tim sees it happening in a book and nothing breaks, he'll let ME!) {Daddy Tim editorial note: no way, Clumsy-rella} They stretch and go out side and make new friends. OK, you had me until that last one there. That is not something Kitties really do. But I still like the book especially the pictures. The kitty looks very realistic and seems to be having a good time. Daddy Tim says this is really about a scared little girl learning to be strong by watching her cat, and it's not supposed to be totally realistic...I like the cat pictures. We think little humans who are smart enough to like kitties will enjoy this book as will humans who like to look at pretty pictures of mostly natural pusscats. Today's tip for Cat Children of Human People (CaCHuPs): Following your human all the time is a pretty good idea. You tend to get a lot of pets. You get to find laps right when they happen! You can sometimes get through a door they don't want you to. If you are always around, they will play with you more often (you can strategically place your best toys in their path). And most importantly, they drop lettuce. {Daddy Tim editorial note: we think Bubble was a vegetarian in a past life. Her favorite food to steal is lettuce. And, yes, if held correctly by paw or hand, she'll eat the whole leaf.} |
About MeTim is a writer, book reviewer and Librarian. He has a Master's of Library Science and was on the Newbery Committee twice. Technology scares and often annoys him, but he is always game for a silly costume! Archives
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