Review: SIMON'S CAT VS THE WORLD by Simon Tofield

4.25 avg rating — 122 ratings

I don't know if you've seen this book or series before.  But SIMON'S CAT has it's origins on the internet where people fell in love with Tofield's adorable artwork.

SIMON'S CAT VS THE WORLD is the 4th book in this series and I posting for your perusal because I think it and the other books make good ideas for bookish gifts for cat lovers.

The topic of this particular book is Cat vs World.  The world in this case being birds, pug, hedge hogs, chickens, squirrels, and mice!

 

As a book SIMON'S CAT vs THE WORLD is really beautifully done.  The pages are glossy and thick and the whole thing is nicely produced so it does make for a nice presentation.

Enjoy.

Pam~



SIMON'S CAT VS THE WORLD
by Simon Tofield
other Simon's Cat books


Reading Information:
Page Count:
no reading information currently available
--get sample pages, reviews, and prices

Home at Last: A Song of Migration by April Pulley Sayer, Illus. Alix Berenzy

I have always been a bit bewildered and confused at to why this particular work by April Pulley Sayer has not and is not better known. It is illustrated by Alix Berenzy, who is one of the best, and Ms. Sayre has given us some rare prose on the phenomena of animal migration. In short, this work has everything going for it, yet few have even heard of it, much less read it. I am, as I indicated above, quite puzzled.

This work briefly tells the story of migratory animals which include warblers, salmon, green turtles, monarch butterflies, gray whales, caribou, spiny lobsters, arctic terns and wood frogs. Each animal is given a one and one half page spread. An example of the prose would be as follows:

A caribou here, like a river of antlers, walks and eats and walks. They head from the forest to their summer home, the coastal plain. When they reach it, they'll be... home at last.

The detailed art in this work is quite realistic (there's a look inside feature at Amazon) but at the same time shaded which gives it an almost mystical quality. The pictures are an absolute delight and can actually stand alone with out the benefit of the text; they actually tell a story.

You and Me by Genevieve Cote

You and Me is a sweet little book that would make a very nice gift for expectant parents.

The artwork by Genevieve Cote is in soft watercolor pastels and is very appealing. (Actually its mixed media, but it's the watercolor-y elements that caught my attention.)

The story is a good read-aloud and extols the merits of both friendship and being yourself. It uses two principle actors, Pig and Rabbit, and begins with them standing at easels, sort of gazing over at each other's canvases. Then Rabbit exclaims, "I wish I were just like you". To which Pig agrees, except that Pig wishes she/he were like Rabbit.

This sets the two off on a course of pretending and dressing like each other so that they begin to actually look like each other. Pig, for example, dons a pair of stockings that are pretend Rabbit ears. And Rabbit finds a large button in order to have a pig nose.

They go on changing their appearance until they realize that they aren't happy being someone else.

Talking Points :::
"You and Me" is a delightful little book by award winning author/artist Genevieve Cote. (This book was sponsored by the Conseil des arts et lettres du Quebec.)

o Her book is a good read-a-loud for younger children and unlike some other books for small fry it actually has a message or two.

o In particular I liked the language that Ms. Cote used. Her words are lyrical and the metaphors are richer than you find in many books in this category. For example, at one point Rabbit exclaims, "My tail would be as curly as a lemon twist." A fun image.


Pam
Somewhere in the X-burbs

You and Me

• Accelerated Reading level : none found
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Kids Can Press (August 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1554534461

Mole's Hill by Lois Ehlert

This is probably one of the lesser known works by this author, Lois Ehlert and has been around for a bit over ten years now. This is sort of a pity as, in my opinion, it is one of her more striking works and is certainly popular with the wee ones when it is read to them or they are allowed to flip through the pages on their own.

According to the author, this 36 page work was inspired by a portion of a Seneca Indian Tale the author had read ago. She then took this wonderful story of animals and a problem they had, and transported the location to the woods of Wisconsin.

The story is rather cute and children are able to comprehend the problem involved here quite readily. Mole, who spends her life burrowing as moles will, has raised a molehill right in an area that Fox, Raccoon and Skunk want to build a path through in order to get to the pond and as Fox so elegantly puts it, "Where there's a mole, there's a mess. The animals, led by fox (Raccoon reminds Mole that she had better listen to Fox..."he's got big teeth," go to Mole and tell her that she must move his molehill by the time the maple leaves turn red and orange.

Good grief! What is Mole to do? The solution is ingenious, creative and simple but I have no intention to give it away here as I hate spoilers. Suffice to say that our little industrious mole is able to keep her molehill and at the same time make the others quite happy.

Ah, but now we get to the art work! My goodness what a feast for the eye! Again, the author informs us that she was inspired by two art forms of the Woodland Indians: ribbon appliqué and sewn beadwork. This combination motif works wonderfully. She of course has used her usual technique of geometrically cut paper of brilliant colors and blends which she is so effective with.

Each illustration covers two pages and in accompanied with a very nice laid-back kind of text which is easy to read. If you examine each print carefully you will find stylized plants and flowers of all sorts including jack-in-the-pulpit, lady's slipper, hepatica, morels, trillium, bloodroot, wild asparagus, grape, strawberry, raspberry and of course wonderful sugar maples.

Visually stunning, wonderful story and text, great group reading book or one to just set and contemplate...and the kids love it! What more could you want in a book?

This book is appropriate for ages 4 through 8.

As a side note: Those interested in crafts, décor and the like would do well to turn to this work for a bit of inspiration. Many a good idea can be gleaned from its pages.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

Mole's Hill: A Woodland Tale

Word Count: 419
Page Count: 36
Accelerated Reading level: 2.4 / points: 0.5
AR quiz: 51258
Lexile: AD230L
ISBN-10: 0152018905

Here a Face, There a Face by Arlene Alda

I love books that challenge my kids. Especially when they stimulate their imagination and help them to look at the world in a different way.

Arlene Alda's book does just that. In Here a Face, There a Face she anthropomorphises every day things like pots and sinks; so that a moss covered tree appears to be whistling some tunes (see image to the left), and a building with large round windows and decorative carvings looks like it is peering out at the world from under lovely eyebrows.

The artwork ranges from cute to lovely, and is nearly always surprising.

Check this book out and maybe like us you'll be trying to find, and even make!, your own creations.

Here a Face, There a Face

• Accelerated Reading level : none found

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Tundra Books (March 11, 2008)
• ISBN-10: 0887768458

Ant, Ant, Ant! An Insect Chant by April Pulley Sayre with brilliant illustrations by Trip Park

In a previous review I suggested that perhaps my children and I didn't get into the swim of April Sayre's Trout, Trout, Trout: a fish chant because we weren't really fish people. We loved the artwork, which was fantastic and humorous, but the chant of Shad, Shad, Shad just didn't do much for us.

Well apparently that was true, for after two weeks with Ant, Ant, Ant: An Insect Chant we've fallen in love with the book. (Which I guess means we're buggy people.)

In fact, my two-- boy and girl; currently 7 and 9 -- have been pouring over Ant³ every chance they get, sometimes getting into a tussle over who is going to hold the book, or what page they should study. And despite the sometime raised voices, I couldn't be happier as the book is not only entertaining... it's EDUCATIONAL!

The lyrics in this book essentially serve to name the insects in a fashion that helps kids (and adults) to remember their names. (Here's an example.)

Cockroach,
Earwig.
Like them? Can't!

Firefly,
Flower Fly,
Ant,
Ant,
Ant!

I know they don't look like much printed out like this, but if you combine the chants with Trip Park's playful drawings they take on a life of their own. In fact, if you take a look at the picture below, you'll see what I mean. The artwork manages somehow to be both physically accurate and yet preposterous and funny.

And I know the book works as an educational tool because my daughter's already identified a Click Bug based on the picture and description. [This picture --graciously supplied to BFKr by the publisher and Mr. Park-- is one of my favorites. It's sans text if you're wondering.]



Wrap Up:::
An excellent book that can introduce young children to a broad range of insects. The chants name the critters, while the illustrations and the 4-page 'dictionary' make the book both fun and educational.

Both of my children are using the dictionary at the back to find out more about the insects. Here's what you'll find in the entry on Flower Flies: Flower flies, which are flies, are important pollinators. They feed on pollen and nectar. This is a great kid-friendly answer that's not overly detailed, but just right for youngsters.

Ms. Sayre also is wise enough to guess what questions are likely going to pop up in kids' heads. For example, about Earwigs: Earwigs don't hide in ears or wigs. These nocturnal plant-eaters hide in leaves, bark, and other crevices during the day. They pinch attackers with their two cerci or give off a stinky-smelling liquid.

Fear Factor: The insects aren't as sweetly goofy as some of the fish were. Some indeed seem a little menacing -- which my 7 year-old son thought was cool. That said, some toddlers and preschoolers might possibly be put off. You'll just have to test and see if the time is right.

The Accelerated Reading (wikipedia entry) designation for Ant, Ant, Ant: An Insect Chant is a generic "2" which means that the book is written on the 2nd Grade level, with no precise month assigned.

Normal Rockwell--You're a Grand Old Flag

Cohen and Rockwell, iconoclastic lyrics and artwork, is what you get in this volume put together by Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

I saw it on the bookshelf at our local library and brought it along, with a pile of other books, on a middlin' length car trip. The children (currently 7 and 9) picked it up and began singing the song right away. I watched in the rearview mirror as they perused the images. It kept their attention for some time which definitely gets it some positive marks.

Considerations:::
This is a physically well done book. The pages are thick, sturdy and semi-gloss, and each one of Rockwell's pictures is given it's own page.

While much of the art has kid-appeal, there are pictures that younger children will not understand. The World War II imagery, for example, will be something they will most likely have to have explained.

Overall, I wish more correlation had been possible between the art and the lyrics, but I suppose that neither artist had the other in mind when he worked. "The home of the free and the brave", for example, accompanies Rockwell's "No Swimming" --which shows some boys running in various stages of undress in front of a no swimming sign.

Despite this small drawback, You're a Grand Old Flag remains an excellent way to introduce Rockwell's art to youngsters. I don't think though, that I can recommend this book for the homeshelves.


Reading Level: I did not find the AR number for this book. But did find a reference to Cohen's lyrics that states that "Grand Old Flag" is at the 3.2 reading level. (2nd month of 3rd Grade)

Twelve Terrible Things by Marty Kelley

I'd like to suggest this humorous book as a library possibility. It has fabulous art and ought to appeal to kids of any age (I include myself), although, of course, the older you are the fewer times you are likely to peruse it.

No. 1 on the list, to give you an idea of the types of 'terrible' we are talking about, is dropped ice cream. I mean who hasn't, as a kid, had your ice cream slide off your cone? The picture that accompanies "Oooopsie!" shows a larger than life kid-hand, two tennis shoes, a tightly gripped sugar cone and a blob of melting strawberry ice cream on the pavement. Arrgh. That is pretty terrible.

Another example is a dentist with his probe. And a mirror where a young boy is looking at the 'hair cut' his sister just gave him. LOL... unless it's you.

Honestly this is a pretty lightweight book, but it's so much fun I'm going to suggest that you pick it up at the library as soon as you can.

Considerations:::
Actually, if you are creative you can use some of the scenarios as conversation starters. The topics of monsters under the bed, and the dentist are two examples of issues for discussion.

The Accelerated Reading designation for 12 Terrible Things is a generic "4". This means that it's been determined to be at the 4th Grade level, but the exact month has yet to be calculated.

The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen

I'm a pout-pout fish
with a pout-pout face
So I spread the dreary-wearies
all over the place

Well, spreading the dreary-wearies is fortunately not all that happens in this fun book and I highly recommend it as a Good Read-aloud and good story.

As for artwork, you can see that Dan Hanna's drawings are bright, whimsical, and kid-friendly. And look at our hero . Bless his heart, as soon as I saw him sitting on the library shelf, I knew I needed to take him home to see if the text lived up to the artwork. It surely does.

The story, btw, is about our really glum looking buddy. You see, despite all the efforts of his friends to shake him out of his doldrums, nothing seemed to work. That is, until someone special came along. It's down-right amazing how a kiss can change everything.

Considerations:::
This is classic sort of book which should be considered for the home shelves. With good artwork, good rhyme and lots to talk about, The Pout-Pout Fish ought to appeal to kids as old as 9. Certainly my 7 and 9 year olds enjoyed it.

The Accelerated Reading Level for Pout-Pout is 3.0. Younger children should be able to read the refrain though with some practice.

What's There to Talk About
Folks that read my reviews on a regular basis know I love books that have lots to talk about, and which are rich in language. In Pout-Pout there are many things to discuss. For very young children there are colors and expressions to point out. For older children they are the sea critters to discuss -- clams, jellyfish, crabs, squid, octopuses, starfish, urchins, and puffer fish for examples.

For all children there are the marvelous rhythms and rhymes, and a rich vocabulary. New words might include aghast, statue, astounded, kaleidoscope (of mope), and scowl, amongst others.

One of the benefits of all this syllabic play is that children will be exposed to a variety of letter sounds and phonemes. All of which has been shown to increase reading and language skills.


Check this out at the library. I'd be surprised if you don't end up buying a copy. An excellent choice for a gift.


Destined to be a new classic, The Pout-Pout Fish has delightful illustrations and great rhymes.

Posy by Linda Newbery and Catherine Rayner

Linda Newbery likes cats. In fact, she has written at least 4 other books about cats that I know of (Cat Tales). Posy is her 5th and it is geared towards the youngest cat fanciers.

Written at the 2nd Grade level
the prose is lyrical and fun:


POSY!
She's a
whisker wiper,
crayon swiper.

Playful wrangler,
knitting tangler.

The artwork by Catherine Rayner is warm and appealing-- although I must add the caveat that with it's muted colors and abstract style it is not going to appeal to every child. (The last drawing in the book is particularly puzzling. It took us a while to figure out that it was Momma-cat cuddled up with her babies. And no, the picture to the right is not that picture :)

Considerations :::
Published in December of 2008, Posy has been given a preliminary Accelerated Reading number of "2". Which means that the book's rating will eventually be somewhere on the 2nd Grade level-- 2.0 thru 2.9.

Meant for toddlers and preschoolers, Posy is going to best appeal to children who are familiar with cat behavior since that is the focus. You should also consider how your child will react to the color palette and art style: My two older children (6 and 8) cooed over the drawings, but I have concerns that some primary-color-liking toddlers might not. The same concern applies to the mildly abstract style.

ABC3D by Marion Bataille

This nice alphabet pop-up book is new on the market! The cover is one of those cool optical plates (sort of holographic), where what you see changes depending on your angle of approach.

I think kids-of-all-ages like this sort of thing. Just as we like books where objects pop-up and/or move. To test this out, I not only read ABC3D with my own two children -- currently 6 and 8 years old -- but I loaned it to my son's kindergarten teacher from last year, so that we could get her classroom's opinion. The feedback was immediate and positive. Both the teacher and her assistant, and their room full of kids LOVED the book. I saw Mrs. P~ that very afternoon and she said that ABC3D was such a hit that they made special time that day to read it again in the afternoon.

One of the reasons for the books popularity is that the pop-ups are clever. While generally speaking each letter sits between it's own two pages, there are some clever variations that keep kids guessing. "C" becomes "D" , for example, when the C flops over and a previously hidden vertical bar becomes the upright part of the "D". Similarly, pulling the page taunt, turns E into an F. And O and P have a special transparency page with two slanty-bars that remake them into Q and R. But if you have time, look at the video below and see for yourself.




Considerations :::
ABC3D would make a fine gift for a child as it's an entertaining book that also educates. I know the children I've been around are fascinated by books with moving parts, and this should keep them focused on their letters.

As with all pop-up books, I would suggest that young children use them with adult supervision. Toddlers, Preschoolers and even some Kindergarteners can be especially tough on pop-ups.

HUMBUG RABBIT by Lorna Balian

Lorna Balian is, in my opinion, one of the best writers and illustrators of children’s books we have. She is extremely prolific, and each book she creates in a little jewel within itself. Humbug Rabbit, of all her books, is my favorite. Even though this work presents itself and is perceived as an Easter Story, it is so much more, and can be read year around and still be enjoyed by all.

This particular work, Humbug Rabbit is actually two stories in one. We have the “top story” of a Granny getting ready to color Easter Eggs for her grandchildren when they visit on Easter morning. Secondly, we have the “bottom story” of a family of rabbits who live under Granny’s house, and I mean way under, getting ready for Easter. The children in the family of rabbits are convinced that their father is actually the Easter Bunny, and talk and deny as he may, he cannot convince his family differently.

This is a sweat story, but, just as importantly, it is a well told story and the author’s keen sense of humor shines through on each and every page. You, the adult, will actually find yourself laughing out loud. This is a story that not only will the children love, and they do love it, but it is one that adults can appreciate also. It is very, very well crafted. There is a myriad of characters; Granny, the rabbit family, a “devilish cat,” a mouse, (good grief, don’t forget the mouse!), chickens and (now this is important) the actual Easter Eggs!

Even though the story is well written and an absolute delight, it almost holds a secondary position to the wonderful illustrations by Lorna Balian. She has used a rather unique method of telling two tales in one and illustrating it as such. As the story unfolds telling of Granny and the chickens, et al on top of the ground, the bottom half of each page tells the story of the rabbits in their underground home under Granny’s house. The two stories run parallel. I cannot say enough about the art work in this one. At first glance one might feel that the illustrations are simple…no, no, no! With each reading of this work you will find more and more details here and there that you did not see in previous readings. Small birds, nests, rocks, roots, decorations, old buildings, critters, and yes, eggs! Each picture, and these pictures cover two pages, is executed perfectly and the artist has done wonder with colors and blends. Even though these are illustrations for children, the reader has a feel that they are actually a part of the two world represented here. It just does not get better than this!

This work has been kid, parent, grandparent and teacher tested since at least 1974 and is still around and still enjoyed as much today as when it was first published. Endorsements do not get much better than this. If you buy one book for your child this year, I do recommend that you give close thought to making this one that one. This work is suitable for those children between the ages of three and 101.

Considerations :::
The Accelerated Reading (ATOS) level for this book is 3.3 which means that it is a practice reader for the average 3rd Grader in the 3rd month of school. Humbug Rabbit may be read to anyone. (Teachers and school librarians can help assess what level children are comfortable reading at.)