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53rd out of 441 books
—
162 voters
Cat Secrets
by
Jef Czekaj (Goodreads Author)
I'm sorry—this book is not for you. This book is for CATS ONLY.
What's that you say?
You are a cat?
Okay . . . get ready to prove it!
What's that you say?
You are a cat?
Okay . . . get ready to prove it!
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
January 4th 2011
by Balzer + Bray
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3 August 2010 CAT SECRETS by Jef Czekaj, Balzer+Bray/Harpercollins, January 2011, 32p., ISBN: 978-0-06-192088-2
"Krazy Kat peeking through a lace bandana
Like a one-eyed Cheshire, like a diamond-eye Jack"
-- Robert Hunter/Jerry Garcia
"'It has come to my attention that someone other than a cat may be reading this book.'
"'Shame on you.'"
Look at how school librarians are far too often treated. Instead of everyone taking advantage of their wealth of knowledge and seeking to collaborate with them, they...more
"Krazy Kat peeking through a lace bandana
Like a one-eyed Cheshire, like a diamond-eye Jack"
-- Robert Hunter/Jerry Garcia
"'It has come to my attention that someone other than a cat may be reading this book.'
"'Shame on you.'"
Look at how school librarians are far too often treated. Instead of everyone taking advantage of their wealth of knowledge and seeking to collaborate with them, they...more
This book is for cats only, so if you want to read it you will have to prove that you are, in fact, a cat. The cats in the book are hard to deceive. If you keep turning the pages, they will be on to the fact that you are not a cat at all. They will test you. You will have to meow. You will have to purr. Can you stretch like a cat too? And then the final test. Can you nap like a cat? This is a book that happily breaks down the fourth wall, celebrating silliness through a very interactive story li...more
On a purely technical level every book engages the reader, right? The act of reading or listening demands at least a small amount of participation. Then you run into a book like Cat Secrets, which shows the heights to which engaging can go, as it pulls kids into its participatory tractor beam. Confidently stepping into territory Mo Willems has been dominating in recent years, Cat Secrets takes a wrecking ball to the fourth wall and speaks directly to its audience. An audience that will be quite...more
Mommy's review from 11/20/11 -
This was.... kind of funny. The end fell way flat to me but I did laugh a time or two. Julia loved the beginning, when the main cat was speaking directly to her.
She liked the test given to the reader. She liked the mouse in the background a lot.
But then the whole book just totally ends with the catnap thing. That's it. Poof. Gone. End. There had to have been a better ending.
I'm pained that Julia's making us vote for this in the GR poll. But I told her that if we re...more
This was.... kind of funny. The end fell way flat to me but I did laugh a time or two. Julia loved the beginning, when the main cat was speaking directly to her.
She liked the test given to the reader. She liked the mouse in the background a lot.
But then the whole book just totally ends with the catnap thing. That's it. Poof. Gone. End. There had to have been a better ending.
I'm pained that Julia's making us vote for this in the GR poll. But I told her that if we re...more
Not bad. I enjoyed the humor. Would not work well in a storytime as there are too many smaller actions for the children to pick up on. Then again, a very small storytime might work. I'd really want to try it, since it would be fun having the kids do the cat actions. But like me, it might take them a few pages before they pick up on the mouse's actions--and a large group would have a much smaller chance to see them. A lap-read would be extremely fun. A read-alone wouldn't be so bad as long as the...more
Confidently stepping into territory Mo Willems has been dominating in recent years, Cat Secrets speaks directly to its audience. An audience that will be quite delighted. Can you prove you’re a cat? Because that’s what you’ll have to do if you want to read Cat Secrets. A trio of felines administer tests to determine if the reader is a cat. Meowing and purring ensue, but the third and final test (napping) proves to be the cats undoing. The simplistic cartoon illustrations are an excellent match f...more
Three cats prepare to read their book of cat secrets. When they discover that the 'reader' may not be a cat they devise a series of tests to determine whether the reader really is a cat or not. While focused on the reader, the cats do not notice a mouse doing its utmost to get its hands on the book.
The straightforward illustrations are perfect for sharing with younger children, reminiscent of Mo Willem's work, they allow the reader to focus on what is happening without being distracting. The 't...more
The straightforward illustrations are perfect for sharing with younger children, reminiscent of Mo Willem's work, they allow the reader to focus on what is happening without being distracting. The 't...more
Cat Secrets by Jef Czekaj begins with a cat saying "I'm sorry--this book is not for you. This book is for Cats Only." I have read a number of books where the narrator tells the reader to stop reading. A cat makes it cuter.
The diagram of who cannot read the book reminds me a lot of Scaredy Squirrel. This book definitely breaks the fourth wall as does Mo Willems' We are in a Book. They style of this picture book will appeal to kids who like graphic novels (or could introduce kids to graphic novel...more
The diagram of who cannot read the book reminds me a lot of Scaredy Squirrel. This book definitely breaks the fourth wall as does Mo Willems' We are in a Book. They style of this picture book will appeal to kids who like graphic novels (or could introduce kids to graphic novel...more
Cat Secrets by Jef Czekaj begins with a cat saying "I'm sorry--this book is not for you. This book is for Cats Only."
The diagram of who cannot read the book reminds me a lot of Scaredy Squirrel. This book definitely breaks the fourth wall as does Mo Willems' We are in a Book. They style of this picture book will appeal to kids who like graphic novels or could introduce kids to graphic novels.
Before any cat secrets are divulged, the cats in this book demand the reader pass a cat test. This has g...more
The diagram of who cannot read the book reminds me a lot of Scaredy Squirrel. This book definitely breaks the fourth wall as does Mo Willems' We are in a Book. They style of this picture book will appeal to kids who like graphic novels or could introduce kids to graphic novels.
Before any cat secrets are divulged, the cats in this book demand the reader pass a cat test. This has g...more
Really funny. Three cats start out by telling the reader to STOP READING NOW! This book is supposed to be for cats only, and they don't want any other creatures - boys, girls, mice, dogs... - learning their secrets. But how do they know their reader is a cat? They ask that reader to meow and then to purr, stretch, and take a cat nap. All the while they are testing the reader, a little mouse it trying its hardest to get ist paws on the book. Simple, bright pictures and the participatory theme mak...more
My 4 year old claimed "(Cat Secrets)"is my favorite book!! Ever!!! I want to read it ALL day!!" and my not even two year old finds it, brings it to me and says, "Secrets!!!!" They love the story and it's perfect for both of them. My 4 year old finds the humor in it (the mouse trying to read the book, the cats believing that she's a cat), while my 2 year old enjoys following the directions; meowing like a cat, purring, stretching etc. We read it several times in one sitting, and they both protest...more
There's something about books that talk to the reader. Mo Willems has used it to his advantage and given us the great Pigeon books, but Jef Czekaj has used the same exciting form with Cat Secrets.
First of all, you should know that this book isn't for you.
It's for cats.
Cat's who have ways of making you reveal your true intentions.
I mean, if you were a cat, you'd know how to meow, right? So do it!
Okay...you got that down.
Well if you were REALLY a cat, you'd know how to stretch like one, right?
DO I...more
First of all, you should know that this book isn't for you.
It's for cats.
Cat's who have ways of making you reveal your true intentions.
I mean, if you were a cat, you'd know how to meow, right? So do it!
Okay...you got that down.
Well if you were REALLY a cat, you'd know how to stretch like one, right?
DO I...more
I am a complete sucker for books where the protagonist speaks to the audience (a la Purple Kangaroo by Michael Ian Black or The Pigeon series by Mo Willems.) I LOVE to use these books in storytime and give the characters a voice. It's so much fun. So that makes me really look forward to storytime next week when I get to read this one to the kids. It's GREAT. It's interactive and so much fun just to read alone. I can't wait to get it in front of an audience and see how they react. Pairing this on...more
Oct 03, 2011
Megan
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
All kids
Recommended to Megan by:
Children's Book of Month Club
Shelves:
childrens,
lachlan-s-finds
Three cats have in their possession a locked copy of the book, "Cat Secrets." It ends up that they can ONLY share it with cats, and since YOU dear reader, are reading their book, you must now prove that you are a genuine cat.
In our family, we love the way the cats have broken through the fourth wall and talk directly to the reader. Everyone in our family loves this book, from the 44-year-olds down the 4-year-olds. The cats are definitely funny, but make sure you don't miss the more subtle antic...more
In our family, we love the way the cats have broken through the fourth wall and talk directly to the reader. Everyone in our family loves this book, from the 44-year-olds down the 4-year-olds. The cats are definitely funny, but make sure you don't miss the more subtle antic...more
This book is a cute and clever picture book, containing a test. You see, no one is permitted to read the book of cat secrets unless they're a cat, and can prove it. That's right, no dogs, humans, mice, snakes or elephants allowed into the inner circle.
You will be tested, and your test evaluated by a feline examination board, but...cats really aren't very good at this sort of thing, so I suspect some of you will be able to sneak your way through the test results.
Kids with good imaginations will h...more
You will be tested, and your test evaluated by a feline examination board, but...cats really aren't very good at this sort of thing, so I suspect some of you will be able to sneak your way through the test results.
Kids with good imaginations will h...more
"This book is for CATS only!" and will strike giggles in an audience ranging in age from toddlers up to schoolage. As a result, the book would make a great selection for a family storytime or school visit. Interactive and heavy on the cattitude, the characters demand meows, purrs and other proof that the audience is feline before they will divulge their secrets. I didn't catch the "punchline" of the book on the final page on the first glance (it's subtle) but alert preschoolers/early elementary...more
Books are a wonderful way to guide and mold children. It's also a way to help them expand their imaginations, play and pretend. Cat Secrets by Jef Czekaj is all about pretending to be a cat.
The cats inside the book are protecting their own book, a book of secrets. Their book is a handbook for being a cat — the stuff you'll need to know beyond purring, napping, and meowing. But before you can learn to extra special things a cat needs to know, you, dear reader, have to prove that you are a cat.
Now...more
The cats inside the book are protecting their own book, a book of secrets. Their book is a handbook for being a cat — the stuff you'll need to know beyond purring, napping, and meowing. But before you can learn to extra special things a cat needs to know, you, dear reader, have to prove that you are a cat.
Now...more
I knew my story time kids who love Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus would love this and they totally did. They were practically knocking each other over to check it out after story time. One of them even yelled, "I want to check this out!" right in the middle of the story. The ending is a little anti-climactic, but otherwise it works really well.
On first read-eh. I thought it was a Mo Willems "Pigeon" knock off, speaking directly to the audience with weird comic style illustrations. But then I read it to kids! K, 1 and 2 all loved this book. They knew exactly when to chime in and followed along. They laughed hard. They liked that while the cat was telling them what to do, something else was very quietly happening in the illustrations. They got it--and that is what a children's book is supposed to do.
So, you want to know all about cat secrets? You have to read this book! This is the only book that will tell you! But you must pass their tests before they will reveal their secrets. Do you have what it takes?
Oh the fun of 2nd person point of view. Jef Czekaj really gets the reader into the book and each page is leaving you wanting more. Would make a great read to little ones to get them trying to act like a cat!
Oh the fun of 2nd person point of view. Jef Czekaj really gets the reader into the book and each page is leaving you wanting more. Would make a great read to little ones to get them trying to act like a cat!
Are you a cat? If you are not, you should not read this book. This books will help you decide if you could disguise your self as a cat. This would be a great book to do as a read a-loud with young children. It allows for some interaction with the reader and the characters within the book. The cats are fun to look at and are very expressive. The art work tells a great deal about what is not written in text.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Do you want to know the secrets of a cat? If so, you must convince the cats in this book that you are in fact a cat. This is a super fun picture book where three cats interact with the reader throughout the story. It seems that more and more often picture book authors are choosing to speak directly to the reader. I think that this technique is very effective in engaging young readers.
Really cute, but didn't work quite as well as I'd hoped in storytime. I ended up having to add quite a bit of narration, which was awkward! I think the problem is that there are too many panels per page, which makes it difficult for children to follow the narrative. I probably wouldn't use it again for this purpose. Still, definitely recommended for older preschoolers or early elementary.
Originally I gave this book four stars because it's super adorable and I anticipated some awesomeness with storytime. I still think it's really cute, but it doesn't translate to storytime quite like I hoped. The interactive bits are great, my kids were fabulous meowers, but there's a LOT of pages where the cats are just staring at you listening. Almost like the pauses in Dora the Explorer, only you don't actually need that in the a storybook. Still, very cute and interactive.
Read my full review...more
Read my full review...more
I can't give out any cat secrets to you because none was revealed to me. Apparently, this book is not for you if you're not a cat. This is a cute book with adorable characters. I tend to favor books that talk to you. It's engaging and fun, especially for the younger reader. This is a good read aloud that requires participation by the listeners to make this book deliver.
A trio of cats busy breaking down the fourth wall and trying to make sure you are indeed a cat before they share their cat secrets with you. This was a cute and humorous book. My nearly-2-year old last until about the last 4 or 5 pages...at which point he wandered off to throw some toys around the room (or some similar activity)...so I had to finish the book myself.
Love the interactive factor in this one! "Cat Secrets" is *only* to be read by cats, and the cats in the book are pretty sure that the readers are not cats. To keep reading, you have to prove you are a cat, by meowing, purring, stretching, etc. Fun to follow the little mouse on the pages trying to get at the book, too. Would be cute for Readers' Theater.
Funny little read, three cats are being careful about sharing their cat secrets, but don't believe the "reader" is truly a cat, so they "test" the reader on a few things. All the while there is a little mouse who's trying to get into their book of secrets - without them knowing it. The kids thought it was pretty funny, the illustrations are cute too.
Jun 06, 2013
Stephanie Croaning
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Shelves:
summer-book-a-day-2013,
yhba-2013-2014
I understand that this is meant to be an interactive, silly picture book, but I found it kind of boring. I do think it could make a fun read-aloud for younger grades - K and 1st. They could act out the "cat tests" and it is fun to watch the mouse in the background. Not my favorite of the Young Hoosier Book Award nominees for this year.
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Jef Czekaj is a cartoonist, children's book author and illustrator, and musician.
He has illustrated 4 books, and written and illustrated 5 picture books and one graphic novel. His books, Hip and Hop, Don't Stop! , Cat Secrets , The Circulatory Story , and Yes, Yes, Yaul!, were all chosen as Junior Library Guild selections. Cat Secrets was a finalist in GoodReads Best Books of 2011 and A Call for...more
More about Jef Czekaj...
He has illustrated 4 books, and written and illustrated 5 picture books and one graphic novel. His books, Hip and Hop, Don't Stop! , Cat Secrets , The Circulatory Story , and Yes, Yes, Yaul!, were all chosen as Junior Library Guild selections. Cat Secrets was a finalist in GoodReads Best Books of 2011 and A Call for...more
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May 14, 2011 07:01pm