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Simon's Cat

by Simon Tofield

4.39 · rating details · 593 ratings · 118 reviews

Simon Tofield's animations have taken YouTube by storm. Now, the feline Internet phenomenon makes his way onto the page in this first-ever book based on the popular animated series. Simon's Cat depicts and exaggerates the hilarious relationship between a man and his cat. The daily escapades of this adorable pet, which always involve demanding more food, and his exasperat...more

Paperback, 240 pages

Published September 24th 2009 by Grand Central Publishing (first published January 1st 2009)

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Sep 24, 2011

Riikka rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: a-book, fiction, c-own, c-w-permanent-collection, c-w-my-shelf, d-comicstrip-book, s-animals, y-2011, z-4-stars

EN: Simon's Cat is wonderfully horrible! I have seen the animations before and only now got my hand on the first book. Granted, I have leafed through parts of it before, but this is the first time I read it through.

This read was definitely not a disappointment: Simon's cat is as catishly crazy in the book as it has been in the animations. The book of course offers readers much more stories, but the variation in the stories is also greater. They are different length, some just one pic...moreEN: Simon's Cat is wonderfully horrible! I have seen the animations before and only now got my hand on the first book. Granted, I have leafed through parts of it before, but this is the first time I read it through.

This read was definitely not a disappointment: Simon's cat is as catishly crazy in the book as it has been in the animations. The book of course offers readers much more stories, but the variation in the stories is also greater. They are different length, some just one picture long and others spreading out to be multipage adventures. And as there is many different stories, there is more easily also favorites for each reader.

I have to say that that I enjoyed most the stories, where the cat was most cat like: more excited about the packing materials than it's new cat tower, refusing to go to the transport box or tearing down all the clothes from the laundry drying rack. The stories where the cat acted more like a human being didn't appeal me as much at all. But that might be just because I live in the same apartment with a cat and it's easier to relate the prior rather than the later.

In any case Simon's cat is a must read for every cat lover and will work for the whole family.

FI: Simonin kissa on ihanan kamala! Olen aiemmin tutustunut kyseiseen karvariiviöön YouTubessa ja nyt sain vihdoin luettavakseni myös ensimmäisen kirjan. Tai olenhan minä tätä joskus selaillut, mutten aikaisemmin ole päässyt lukemaan alusta loppuun.

Ei tämän luettuaan voi ainakaan sanoa pettyneensä: Simonin kissa on ihan yhtä kissamaisen kajahtanut niin sarjakuvissa kuin animaatioissakin. Kirja tarjoaa lukijalleen tietysti paljon enemmän kissan kujeita kuin videot. Tarinoiden kirjo on aika moninainen ja niiden pituus vaihtelee yhdestä kuvasta monisivuisiin hurjiin seikkailuihin. Ja luonnollisesti, kun tarinoita on monenlaisia, ovat niistä toiset enemmän lukijan mieleen kuin toiset.

Minusta kaikkein hauskimpia tarinoita olivat ne, joissa Simonin kissa oli kaikkein kissamaisimmillaan: innostuu pakkauspurusta enemmän kuin hienosta kissatornista, kieltäytyy menemästä kuljetuskoppaan tai kiskoo kaikki pyykit alas pyykkitelineeltä. Tarinat, joissa kissa toimi ihmismäisemmin, eivät vedonneet minuun lainkaan niin paljon. Ehkä kyse on siitä, että näihin oli kaikkein helpointa samaistua, kun asuu samassa taloudessa kissan kanssa, joka toimii usein ihan samalla tavalla.

Simonin kissa on ehdottomasti lukemisen arvoinen kirja kaikille kissaihmisille ja koko perheelle vauvasta vaariin.(less)

· see review

Nov 23, 2009

Elizabeth rated it

I think we've gotten to the point where we're all pretty comfortable (or at least familiar) with the idea of the webcomic that is later turned into a book. Diary of a Wimpy Kid is the most famous example of this, but it happens all the time. A webcomic becomes popular, and inevitably there's a print edition. Far rarer is the webvideo that makes the successful leap from short film to paper. Over the years the Simon's Cat web series has garnered millions of fans. So obviously, a book was going to ...moreI think we've gotten to the point where we're all pretty comfortable (or at least familiar) with the idea of the webcomic that is later turned into a book. Diary of a Wimpy Kid is the most famous example of this, but it happens all the time. A webcomic becomes popular, and inevitably there's a print edition. Far rarer is the webvideo that makes the successful leap from short film to paper. Over the years the Simon's Cat web series has garnered millions of fans. So obviously, a book was going to be the next step. Considering how well Tofield animates cat behavior, you could be forgiven for not really believing that his images would translate to static comics. As it happens, not all his images do work, but the bulk of them stand on their own very well and the result is a comic collection that improves on those old Garfield strips of yore.

In hundreds of small comics, a neckless cat of indeterminate age or breed does the things cats do. Destroys. Yearns. Yearns to destroy. The images are simple pen-and-inks. No color. That's about the long and short of it, really.

The reason the book version of Simon's Cat works is twofold. First, Tofield doesn't caption his images. There's a webseries out there (now also a book) called Garfield Minus Garfield which highlights how unfunny that particular cartoon cat is by removing him from comic strips, leaving only his owner. It's a definite improvement. Simon's Cat, in contrast, uses visual gags entirely and it works so much better. It's like watching a sitcom without an annoying laugh track. You don't need words for certain kinds of visual storytelling.

That's one. The second reason this book works is that it's kid friendly. It hasn't been specifically marketed to children, but kids will get a definite kick out of Tofield's small stories. And as you read through it you begin to recognize reoccurring characters. The garden gnome that the cat befriends. The hedgehogs (betraying Mr. Tofield's homeland) in the garden or the birds and mice bent on torturing the poor kitty. It all builds to a kind of conclusion.

A lot of the time the gags are just one panel standing on their own. Other times they go for several "scenes". Strangely, you can never know when a gag will be one or another. There's no rhyme or reason to how they're broken up. Sometimes a gag will begin on a right-hand page and then you'll have to turn the page to get the rest. Other times you feel like there should be more to the joke, but instead you're just left hanging. It would have been nice if there was more consistency to the layout. Still, I appreciated that the panels (which are never enclosed in boxes) shift from full-page spreads to eclectic sections of one page or another. Your eyes are constantly moving and roving all over these pages. It means that you don't get stuck in the same static way of reading each page.

As for his art itself, you are never in doubt that this is a book created by a cat owner. It's not so much the animal's body itself that tells you this. Tofield's cats tend to have stocky little builds, resembling koalas or small panda bears rather than sleek handsome felines. But in terms of movement he is dead on. He's particularly good at drawing a cat mere moments before the pounce. Those slicked back ears. The way the pupils grow large. You can practically see its little rump wiggling as it gets ready for a lethal leap upon some unsuspecting leaf or piece of fluff.

As cat books go, this one's pretty much superior to the usual fare. In terms of comics for kids, it reads like a collection of comic strips rather than a straight out graphic novel. There's stuff I would have changed about it, but if you happen to know a kid or adult that thinks cats are the bees' knees AND they have a thing for comics, this is plain good stuff. And maybe it's the first of its kind. Maybe in the future it's all gonna be webvideos turned into collected comics. Dunno. One thing's for certain. The cream usually rises to the top. And Simon's Cat, whatever else you might call it, is the best of its kind I've seen.

Ages 8 and up.(less)

like 1 like

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Sep 21, 2009

Memizuki rated it

Recommends it for: Everyone of all ages

“Simon’s Cat”
By Simon Tofield
5+++/5

WOW! I don’t even know where to start. First, this book came to me by mail and I forgot that I promised to review the book, so I was confused where the book came from. The book arrived on a gloomy Saturday morning that I wasn’t feeling to well. This is the best surprise ever!

Simon’s Cat isn’t per say a “word” book, and maybe some knew that and knew what to expect. I opened it up standing in the kitchen and didn’t stop laughin...more

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Nov 07, 2009

Christine (booktumbling) rated it

I am not sure if it is because I am owned by two cats that I am in love with Simon’s Cat by Simon Tofield. I had actually never seen the You Tube animations but after reading the entire book yesterday and giggling, nodding my head in agreement, falling out of my chair, wiping tears of laughter and recovering from that stiffness you get in your cheeks due to smiling so much, I jumped on the computer and started the laugh-fest all over again. This is such a happy-hearted, joyous book and the autho...more

like 1 like

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Nov 24, 2011

Anna rated it

· review of another edition

Kot to jest kot. Pies słucha swojego właściciela, a kot ma toleruje w zamian za dostawy jedzenia, napitku i czystej kuwety. Można dostać kota z takim kotem jak kot Simona. Ale książka pozwala uodpornić się na - a przynajmniej poznać oględnie - kocie techniki wymuszeń.

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Jun 23, 2011

Danielle rated it

Shelves: graphic-novels

It seems that I don't give five stars very easily to books on here. I don't know for sure that this book was "amazing," but I more than "really liked it." Too bad you can't give ratings with half stars on here.

This is a book of cartoons featuring Simon's cat. What impressed me a lot was how much each cartoon conveyed without using words. From the moment I saw the first page where the cat is staring at Simon in the middle of the night and has placed 3 mice on him I ...more

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Jun 03, 2011

Michael rated it

Shelves: top-rating-books

Starting of as a video on youtube of a cat trying to get his sleeping owner's attention to feed him Simon's cat is now an internet sensation with numerous vids and other products a plenty. One of them is the very first book featuring the Cat who is always getting up to mischief and his poor long suffering owner. Chuck in local animals who the cat either wants to eat or play with and you have a recipe for non stop laughter. Many of the antics are truelly hilarious with the best thing being that v...more

· see review

Oct 04, 2011

John Kirk rated it

· review of another edition

This is drawn by the same guy who does the "Simon's Cat" videos on YouTube, which are very funny. I wasn't sure how well it would translate to individual drawings, but it works surprisingly well. There's no speech in the book at all, and a lot of it is individual drawings rather than sequential art. The situations cover a "sliding scale" on the reality spectrum. Some of them are very typical cat behaviour, e.g. the challenge of trying to walk downstairs while stepping over a ...more

· see review

Mar 02, 2010

Britta rated it

Shelves: 2010, fiction

Simon's Cat is a hilarious little comic (reminiscent of the Garfield comics that you could find everywhere in the late 80s/early 90s).

Based off the internet phenomenon, Simon's Cat, which can be found on YouTube, the book gives us a little more insight into the wacko adventures of Simon and his unnamed cat.

We learn that:
yes, Simon's cat is always hungry.
yes, Simon's cat hates Simon's sister's dog.
yes, Simon's cat LOVES birds ... for dinner.
yes, S...more

· see review

Nov 15, 2010

Maurizio Codogno rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: fumetto, finished

Molti dicono che con il Web e il concetto del "tutto gratis" gli artisti inizieranno a fare la fame; io non ne sarei così certo. Prendiamo ad esempio Simon's Cat, il gatto casinista eternamente affamato - disegnato con uno stile simile a quello di Bristow, per chi ha una certa età - i cui filmini postati su YouTube hanno spopolato tra i gattofili e si possono vedere nel sito http://www.simonscat.com. Sono certo che molti dei fan del gatto (quorum ego) hanno comprato questo libro con un...more

· see review

Dec 13, 2010

Sarah rated it

Shelves: read-in-2010, books-i-own-print, favorites

I've been a massive fan of the Simon's Cat videos on YouTube for several years now so when I found out a book was being released last year it was the top of my Christmas list & I was very excited to receive a copy from my friend. This is a book I've dipped in and out of regularly throughout the year & it always manages to make me laugh, even if I'm having a bad day. Simon Tofield has perfectly captured the mischievous nature of every cat I've ever known and nearly all of the antics his cat get...more

like 2 likes

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Oct 02, 2009

JG (The Introverted Reader) rated it

Shelves: first-reads, reviewed, 4_stars, author_british, fiction, read_in_2009, gave_away

This is apparently based on some popular YouTube videos of the same name. I've never heard of it, but since I almost never go to YouTube, that's not saying much. Still, I saw the title on the Goodreads giveaways list and decided to enter to win a free book. I have a cat, and who doesn't love a good cartoon about cats? I was lucky enough to win a copy.

This was cute. I think every cat owner will recognize their cat in these pages. The way he's always begging for food, plotting to...more

like 2 likes

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Jan 26, 2010

Infinite Playlist rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: people with cats

Shelves: creatures-animals, picturesque, mood-funny, mine

My boyfriend got this for me as a present for our 1st anniversary :)
We've known Simon's Cat from YouTube where you can watch a few very amusing cartoons about a cat annoying the living hell out of its owner Simon.

This book includes all kinds of cartoons, some belong together and tell stories, some are quite funny on their own.The pictures are printed in the typical simplistic black and white style of the author.

All in all this cat will make everyone grin with its ch...more

· see review

Sep 23, 2009

Gaby rated it

Shelves: childrens-books, cartoons

Fans of Simon Tofield's videos of Simon's Cat will love this book that comes out on September 24, 2009. The book, Simon's Cat, captures the lightheartedness and humor of the escapades of the video shorts. The graphics are simple but enchanting.

A sure hit with cat lovers, even those of us without pets are sure to enjoy the playful stories and naughty tricks that Simon plays on the family dog, neighborhood birds, and his "master." I particularly like the frame with the c...more

· see review

Sep 18, 2009

Julie rated it

Recommended to Julie by: First Reads

Shelves: first-reads

Anyone who has seen the "Simon's Cat" animated shorts on YouTube knows that Simon Tofield really knows cats. His simply-drawn feline is adorable, self-centered, and completely real as he tries to get his sleeping owner to feed him, let him outside, or pay attention to him. Tofield's first collection of cartoons, based upon this critter, is a little more hit-or-miss. When his cartoons - some single-pane, some a series of drawings - focus on cat-like actions, his affectionate take on ...more

· see review

Oct 19, 2009

Leigh rated it

Shelves: goodreads-win

I was very excited to have won this book through Goodreads. I had seen the videos online and thought they were great - always bringing a smile. I received it, and well, I must admit I didn't really know how to "read" it. It has no words, no chapters, no places for me to put a bookmark. Now, it's not supposed to - it is a continuation of the cartoons I saw online. But it made it very difficult to get started. I picked it up a few times, flipped to a few pages and put it down, thinking I...more

· see review

Dec 16, 2009

Alissa rated it

Shelves: humor, animals

You've watched the videos on Youtube (if not, where have you been?). Now, read the book. Yes, the comics that fill these pages are just as funny as the animations you've loved since day one. Here, Illustrator/animator Simon Tofield shows us what the world is like from a cat's perspective...and, in a very accurate way, what it's like to be owned by a cat.

You can almost hear "Meow!" with every turn of the page.

Quite possibly the funniest Cat Book since the origin...more

· see review

Dec 05, 2011

R. rated it

Shelves: 2011

Think Garfield...illustrated by Sergio Aragones.

Heart warming, the final few vignettes of the cat (Simon's) partaking in the secret magick kingdom of night's night, tallooling and tallaylying with his daylight enemies until the dawn, dawn, dawn, the rising and the shining, the drawing open of the curtains unto the dawn.

And smile-inducing, the cat's one-sided friendship with a glazed and blazed concrete garden gnome.

· see review

Nov 08, 2011

M rated it

Animator and artist Simon Tofield hit a home run (or the cricket equivalent in England) with his depection of his fun and funky feline. Based off the YoiTube videos that created a worldwide sensation, we get a closer look at the cat behind the catastrophe. Featuring popular characters such as Simon's sister's dog, the various birds and mice, the hedgehog, and the ever-awesome lawn gnome, the book offers a backstage pass to the hilarity that is Simon's Cat.

· see review

May 11, 2010

Krissie rated it

Recommends it for: Jennie

Shelves: first-reads, own, comics-graphic-novels-manga

I finally understand why my cat is so evil!! And it's hilarious. My car and I were in an accident (a minor one, I'm fine) Saturday, and Simon's Cat comforted through the loss of my car. (I'm hoping my hermaphroditic baby can be repaired, but we're not sure.) While I don't think I would have had nightmares or any such silliness over a minor accident, I would have spent the whole night worrying over the whether or not my car could be repaired or sufficiently replaced. (It was 10 years old, bu...more

· see review

Aug 11, 2011

Matti Karjalainen rated it

Shelves: sarjakuvat

Sympaattinen mutta melko tavanomainen ja ajoittain itseään toistava sarjakuva kissasta, joka seikkailee puutarhatonttujen kanssa, aiheuttaa harmaita hiuksia omistajalleen ja yrittää pyydystää pihapiirissä lintuja. Sarjakuva ei todennäköisesti mullista kenenkään maailmaa, mutta mieluummin tätä lukee kuin Karvista. Kissanomistajat saanevat kirjasta enemmän irti.

· see review

Feb 09, 2011

Erin Deli rated it

Oh my word. This is just like every cat. You should look through it if you own one of these little devil, Simon gets the nuances spot on. Love it! My favourite part is that he gets it when their eyes get really dilated just right, like they're one some kind of ritalin and they go absolutely insane. This probably happens once a night.

· see review

Jul 07, 2011

Wendy rated it

Most comic books about cats have 1 or 2 good ones, with pages that aren't funny or don't ring true. This book is th exception. It is fantastic. Even my older sister who doesn't really read comics loves it and wants a copy of her own. I plan to buy this one and the next. I want to go on Youtube to see some of the videos. Great!

· see review

Mar 07, 2011

Phillip Goodman added it

Shelves: cats, comedy, black-and-white

a very funny and oddly honest look at cat behavior, or perhaps that should be a speculative look, as in if a cat was a cartoon character how would it act, i suspect the answer is probably alot more like simon's cat than like garfield, not that i have any problem with garfield, but simon's cat is just somehow more..........realistic.

· see review

Sep 12, 2011

James rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 3-stars, to-recheck

It's a funny series of cartoons about the cat that belongs to Simon. Hence Simon's Cat. Based on the successful series of YouTube cartoons this book attempts to extend that success to print. Sadly, while funny, it's not quite on a par with the short film versions. Those really are hilarious, these are 'only' pretty funny...

· see review

Oct 31, 2009

Paula rated it

Shelves: non-fiction

Hilarious book from talented cartoonist, Simon Tofield (who also created an excellent ad for the RSPCA in the UK). Everyone knows a cat like Simons - he gets into mischief, destroys things and always needs to be fed. Do yourself a favor and check out the animations on the author's website at http://www.simonscat.com

· see review

Dec 22, 2011

Chechoui rated it

I am a huge fan of Simon's Cat short animated clips, so I came into this book with the same expectation for a laugh out loud humor level. While the cartoons are cute, and many spot-on that cat owners will recognize, I did not find them nearly as amusing as his short cartoon clips on YouTube.

· see review

Aug 17, 2011

VegasGal rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: read-2011, manchester-2011

I enjoyed reading the cartoons in this book immensely and admit that some of them really made me laugh out loud reminding me of the exact crazy antics my cats get into all the time.
I would have liked some information about Simon and his cats other than the small blurb in the back of the book.

· see review

Jun 29, 2011

chris tierney rated it

Shelves: library

I like the animations better (http://www.simonscat.com/Films/), but the style does translate pretty well to the page. The facial expressions are particularly good. A lot of the jokes have been done to death in Garfield, but Simon's Cat does them much better and makes them feel fresh.

· see review

Nov 16, 2011

Madame Charlotte rated it

Shelves: bd-mangas

Je suis tombée récemment sur une vidéo de Simon Tofield mettant en scène un chat plus vrai que nature, et je ne pouvais naturellement pas résister à la tentation d’acheter le livre qui en a découlé. Alors bien sûr, la bande son, hilarante, manque, mais les dessins évoquent si bien le quotidien du chat qu’on se fait vite une raison. LE chat est très expressif, effectivement prêt à tout pour sa gamelle. Mais le chat n’est pas le seule héros des saynètes, son propriétaire est lui aussi troublant de...more

· see review

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About Simon Tofield

Simon started drawing cartoons at an early age and went to study Graphics and Animation at De Montfort University. He has a great interest in British wildlife, painting, the great outdoors and of course cats. He now works in London as an animator and director at Tandem Films.
Simon lives in Bedfordshire with this three cats: Hugh, Maisie, Jess and Teddy.

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