It’s so disgustingly simple to create a cats storytime that I’m almost ashamed of myself. There’s such a huge assortment of cat-themed picture books that I had difficulty in choosing which books to include in my storytime. The books that were not read were placed on display (if you don’t already do so, creating a temporary display in your program room/storytime area is an easy way to increase circulation, extend your storytime theme, and give parents and children something to do while they are waiting for the storytime to begin).
While it’s always fun to showcase the latest and greatest in your collection, including oldies-but- goodies is a good way to reconnect parents/grandparents/childcare providers with childhood favorites or to introduce “neglected” picture books. Marjorie Flack’s Angus and the Cat (first published in 1931) fits the bill quite nicely. Marjorie Flack created a series of charming picture books centered around a Scottish terrier named Angus; in this “episode,” Angus has to deal with a newcomer to the family-a mischievous black and white (and some blue; the primary colors in the colored illustrations are yellow and blue, while the opposing illustrations are black and white) cat. This cat is T-R-O-U-B-L-E with a capital T. Angus is a very well-behaved dog; he knows he’s not supposed to steal food, jump after frogs, and generally do anything else ill-mannered dogs do on a regular basis. However, he’s never had his curiosity about cats trained out of him (thankfully, the leash is always too short for further investigations).
Apparently, the New Cat didn’t attend any such thing as “Kitty Kindergarten.” This cat lounges on the sofa (uh oh), boxes Angus’s ears (hey!), attempts to steal his food (what the?!), and even sits in his “own special square of sunshine.”
This is clearly uncalled for.
No matter what Angus does, he never manages to catch the beastly little cat. Until one day, the cat disappears after being chased. Angus looks everywhere, but he can’t find that silly cat. And wouldn’t you know….Angus misses it! As you can imagine, the cat comes back (he just couldn’t stay away).
The illustrations, which are indicative of 1930s children’s picture books, alternate between color (blue, yellow, and black, with some additional colors in the family rooms) and pen and ink illustrations. It’s definitely old-fashioned, but absolutely not dated. The physical book is a medium-sized rectangle (at least, the copies that we have are), which may make the book tricky to share with a large group.
The Cat Barked by Lydia Monks is in a similar vein of “the grass is always greener” attitude. While Angus and the Cat was presented from the perspective of a dog, The Cat Barked is presented from a cat’s point of view. We meet a cat that wishes to be a dog, because he/she thinks that “dogs have all the fun!” Dogs get to go to the park, guard the house, and are “always the heroes in movies and books.”
Fortunately, this sorry little cat has a young girl as her life coach. Little Girl tells her of the annoying things that dogs have to do; do tricks, fetch sticks, and they’re always on leashes. Cats, on the other hand, can see in the dark, climb up trees, and “go where they please” (as we see a house-confined dog looking mournfully out the doggie door). And best of all, “they’re just the right size for cuddling in laps.” At the end, Little Girl tells her to “please, stay just as you are-a most wonderful cat” (and we see a dog thinking, “I wish I were a cat!” while also being hugged by the child).
If you have children on the younger end of the spectrum in your storytime group, this is a great read aloud that is the perfect length and cadence for toddlers, but is not so baby-ish that it will bore the older children.
Drat That Fat Cat! By Pat Thomson is the longest selection in this group, but the action should keep the attention of your audience. This is a cumulative tale of a very large cat with an insatiable appetite; after asking various animals (on an individual basis) if they have any food to share (and receiving the inevitable “no” and exclamation that he is portly enough already), the cat gobbles him/her/it up. This malarkey continues on until the cat encounters a bee. The cat swallows the bee without critically thinking the matter through; and hiccup! Out tumbles the various animals (and one very annoyed elderly lady).
Plenty of opportunities for animal noises and the repetition of “But was that cat fat enough?” will undoubtedly encourage some children to quack-quack, squeak squeak, and shout “No!” along with you. This will definitely be one of your more livelier reads in your storytime!
Finally, we have Why Not? by Mary Wormell. This simple and attractive story centers around a very curious kitten and his mother, who is forever warning him about chasing the chickens, scaring the birds, and generally annoying the other animals on the farm. After every warning, young Barnaby asks, ‘Why not?” His question is answered by the aggravated animal in question (rather forcefully), but Barnaby always manages to slip away. Barnaby eventually meets his ultimate foe-the hay bales! Poor Barnaby is stuck, but with the forgiveness of adults toward a child that has eventually learned its lesson, the farm animals that he had previously annoyed come to his rescue. Freed (by his own will and work), Barnaby saunters off to enjoy an inarguably much anticipated supper.
The story of a trouble-seeking (albeit innocently) kitten and his mother will ring true to your storytime crowd. While not as short as The Cat Barked?, this serves as a fine bridge between two longer stories.
If you are looking for cat fingerplays, the Step by Step website has several good choices. “The Mouse Ran Around the Room” is one easily performed by toddlers.
What are your favorite cat stories (or any that you are allergic to)?
Books Mentioned:
Flack, Marjorie. Angus and the Cat. New York: Doubleday, 1931.
Monks, Lydia. The Cat Barked? New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1999.
Thomson, Pat. Drat That Fat Cat! New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2003.
Wormell, Mary. Why Not? New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2000.
Teresa Walls
We recently received some books from my mother-in-law, including Angus and the Cat and Angus and the Ducks. I am thrilled to have them and thrilled that you mentioned Angus.
jschultz Post author
They are darling stories. I never read them (or don’t remembering reading) when I was a child.
kitty4u
Hello Kitty has turned into a worldwide Icon and is unquestionably respected by all ages. She conveys Joy to a scowl and Love to a desolate heart.