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Kat Kong
Kat Kong is a funny picture book from the genius mind of Dav Pilkey—creator of laugh-out-loud kid favorites including Captain Underpants and Dog Man. When the fearsome Kat Kong wreaks havoc on the rodent citizens of Mousopolis (all played by Pilkey's own pets in mixed-media photographic illustrations) someone must halt the massive meowing menace before it's too late! But is anyone clever enough to halt this massive meowing menace? For kids not quite ready to enter the chapter book world, Kat Kong is a winner. This silly spoof of King Kong has all of the zany cat-and-mouse action you'd expect from Dav Pilkey, creator of the bestselling Dog Man and Captain Underpants series.
29 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
15 people are currently reading
688 people want to read
About the author
Dav Pilkey
435 books3,321 followersDavid "Dav" Pilkey (b. March 4, 1966), is a popular children's author and artist. Pilkey is best known as the author and illustrator of the Captain Underpants book series. He lives near Seattle, Washington with his wife, Sayuri.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews
June 11, 2013
A purrfectly pleasant tale of kitty dominance -- I am pawsitive that this is the best book about a giant cat I've read all year!
July 4, 2013
You know this whole book was just an excuse to use this photo:
August 17, 2011
Dav Pilkey never fails to make me laugh!
"Kat Kong" is his take on 'King Kong' of course, and Mr. Pilkey remains true to form with this one. With a little help from some of his furry friends and several small props, he has masterfully re-created an army to fight the villainous "Kat Kong". You must see and experience Mr. Pilkey's creative genius for yourself.
Warning for parents, guardians, teachers and librarians: These are not just your kids' books anymore. Proceed to read these with extreme caution. They have become known as highly addicting to adults. You may find yourself sneaking back to read them when the kids aren't around ;)
"Kat Kong" is his take on 'King Kong' of course, and Mr. Pilkey remains true to form with this one. With a little help from some of his furry friends and several small props, he has masterfully re-created an army to fight the villainous "Kat Kong". You must see and experience Mr. Pilkey's creative genius for yourself.
Warning for parents, guardians, teachers and librarians: These are not just your kids' books anymore. Proceed to read these with extreme caution. They have become known as highly addicting to adults. You may find yourself sneaking back to read them when the kids aren't around ;)
December 28, 2024
25 December 2024
A happy gift. I received more children's books as gifts this year than I ever did, including when I was a child.
***
February 9, 2015
You know, I'm kind of sorry that Pilkey has done so insanely well with his other books, because he hasn't made any more like this and Dogzilla, my favorites.
***
October 27, 2013
well done, loved the cat, the Possum got the jokes
***
September 3, 2008
Great book. We continue to love this book every time. to my delight (and her's), the PandaBat can go to the library every school day if she wants. This is what she brought home to read tonight.
***
July 10, 2006
Library copy
A happy gift. I received more children's books as gifts this year than I ever did, including when I was a child.
***
February 9, 2015
You know, I'm kind of sorry that Pilkey has done so insanely well with his other books, because he hasn't made any more like this and Dogzilla, my favorites.
***
October 27, 2013
well done, loved the cat, the Possum got the jokes
***
September 3, 2008
Great book. We continue to love this book every time. to my delight (and her's), the PandaBat can go to the library every school day if she wants. This is what she brought home to read tonight.
***
July 10, 2006
Library copy
November 2, 2008
Funny, creative book! Made up of pictures and drawings Pilkey takes the classic King Kong story and turns it into a children's book with cats and mice. Some of the puns are a "little cheesy" and the ending might upset sensitive young children (follows the King Kong vein to the end), but it's quite amusing and delightful pictures!:D
October 31, 2008
Good, silly fun! Tyler and I enjoyed reading this together, laughing at the absurd puns and hilarious pictures of the cat! He looks like our neighbor kitty, and I think Pandy has worn that expression a few times, too! :-p
December 28, 2024
Short, sweet, punny.
March 26, 2011
I admit it. I bought this book when my kids were young...but not for them. I fell hard for Kat Kong, and if you like cats - or old movies - you will, too. The humor abounds, even in the fine print that assures that no animals were harmed in the making of the book. The pictures are darling, and story is one that you'll enjoy time and again. There is a moral to be learned...not that MY cats ever have! Don't miss this picture book: Borrow a kid to read it to, if you're afraid to read it alone!
January 24, 2018
These book stand the test of time and I love them. Pilkey takes real pictures of his pet cat and his (i'm assuming) pet mice and creates a story. Then he fills in the illustration to round out the tale. It’s so unique, but also so much fun. And his wordplay and puns just ramp up the story.
July 12, 2022
Oh, my! Dav Pilkey has the best sense of humor! This is the silliest, most fun book starring his pets. 🤪 Children of all ages, and reluctant readers, will enjoy this wacky book full of word play and laughter.
November 9, 2025
I just got this for my son and we read it and laughed so hard. 10/10 it was such a funny book. A bunch of cat puns and the picture of the cat is so funny on every page
June 17, 2017
First sentence: One dark and perilous night, three mouse explorers sailed toward a strange, uncharted island. Captain Charles Limburger steered the tiny vessel, while Doctor Vincent Varmint and his beautiful assistant, Rosie Rodent, looked on.
Premise/plot: Are you looking for a picture book to share with your children that's rated TS--Terribly Silly?! If you have, I'd recommend Dav Pilkey's Kat Kong. In this adventure, three mice capture a vicious monster from a strange island. They bring him back to the city of Mousopolis; but, all does not go as planned for this monster breaks loose and runs amok! Can there be a happy ending for Kat Kong?
My thoughts: I like this one. It is indeed terribly silly. The text is silly; the illustrations are sillier. Here are some of my favorite lines:
Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10
Premise/plot: Are you looking for a picture book to share with your children that's rated TS--Terribly Silly?! If you have, I'd recommend Dav Pilkey's Kat Kong. In this adventure, three mice capture a vicious monster from a strange island. They bring him back to the city of Mousopolis; but, all does not go as planned for this monster breaks loose and runs amok! Can there be a happy ending for Kat Kong?
My thoughts: I like this one. It is indeed terribly silly. The text is silly; the illustrations are sillier. Here are some of my favorite lines:
A group of natives was performing an ancient ceremony, offering up a sacrificial can of tuna fish and repeating a mysterious chant: "Heeeer, Ki-tee Ki-tee! Heeeer, Ki-tee Ki-tee! Heeeer, Ki-tee Ki-tee Kitee!" Suddenly, the island began to tremble.
As they sailed back to the great city of Mousopolis, they took special care not to let the cat out of the bag.
"Help!" cried the engineer. "The cat's got my train!" "Help!" squeaked the butcher. "The cat's got my tongue!" "Help!" shrieked Rosie. "The cat's got me!"
Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10
March 15, 2018
I read this aloud to my son's fourth grade class. They were excited to hear it was written by the same author of Captain Underpants. It was funny and I really loved the real-life photos of Mr. Pilkey's pets that were featured among the illustrations.
April 30, 2019
A fun read, quick and simple like a kids book should be. The photos are quite funny.
May 3, 2024
This book is so freaking fabulous!!! The real life cat and mouse characters are amazing. They make this book so much better than regular illustrations ever could. 5 stars
February 3, 2017
Hilarious
July 2, 2019
An adorable book by the author of Dogman and Captain Underpants with NO potty talk! I didn’t think it possible! Pilkey takes photos of his three pet mice and his cat to create a story based upon King Kong. Puns and cuteness galore!
June 30, 2025
I checked this book out way too many times as a child at the library. There wasn't anything like the storytelling or presentation. It was a must have for my son's library.
August 11, 2012
Kat Kong was so funny! I loved this book, and was impressed with how relatively true to King Kong it was (with large cat in place of large ape, and tiny mice in place of tiny people, of course).
My niece and nephew aren't familiar with King Kong, so Kat Kong was an entirely new experience for them, and they enjoyed the tale tremendously. They were completely engaged by this story, but of course, some of the parody was lost on them.
My nephew did allow his true nature to come through, however, when Kat Kong was transporting Rosie (a little mouse in the Fay Wray role) to the top of the building. As Kat Kong clung to Rosie my nephew commented, "Yeah, yeah, yeah... Just hurry up and eat her." SIGH.... Boys....
My niece and nephew aren't familiar with King Kong, so Kat Kong was an entirely new experience for them, and they enjoyed the tale tremendously. They were completely engaged by this story, but of course, some of the parody was lost on them.
My nephew did allow his true nature to come through, however, when Kat Kong was transporting Rosie (a little mouse in the Fay Wray role) to the top of the building. As Kat Kong clung to Rosie my nephew commented, "Yeah, yeah, yeah... Just hurry up and eat her." SIGH.... Boys....
May 23, 2013
You don't have to be a cat owner to enjoy this book, but it helps.
The kids LOVED it.
Mostly I just wondered how they got those cats to stay in those positions while they took pictures.
Thanks for the recommend, Amy.
The kids LOVED it.
Mostly I just wondered how they got those cats to stay in those positions while they took pictures.
Thanks for the recommend, Amy.
December 25, 2008
The puns are FABULOUS (in that they are so bad they are amazing). A treasured yard-sale find.
April 4, 2009
This is a fun book and everyone should take a look! My two year old looked at each page long enough for me to read all the print, which isn't the case with every book, so this one is special.
May 16, 2011
Never had enough copies of this in my elementary school library.
August 21, 2016
Maybe I just read this at the right place, right time but I loved this silly story, all the puns, and the adorable mice and cat.
January 11, 2013
very funny
February 29, 2016
The best! Laughed so hard through this book!
June 24, 2013
I love Kat Kong!
April 6, 2023
The mice are at it again! The Captain is sailing her ship with her passengers to explore a strange, uncharted island. But it is really uncharted? Looking at the picture on this page, I see a shape of a feline on the hillside. Some natives are performing a ceremony as the group arrives on the island when suddenly the island starts to shake! Through the forest comes Kat Kong!! It must have been the can of tuna they were using or perhaps it was the chant they were saying that drew Kat Kong to the ceremony. Falling over the can of tuna, Kat Kong falls, hits his head, and passes out. Acting fast, the explorers decide to tie Kat Kong up and take him back to the city with them. The city of Mouseoplis is excited to pay to see Kat Kong, this” nine-lived wonder of the world!” Kat Kong though is not excited to be shackled and on stage while all the mice stare at him. He must escape and he must escape now! Ah….
This book is so funny! I thought it was better than Dogzilla. I loved all the little cat references and the movie tie-ins from King Kong. The illustrations are terrific and you really do need to read this one. I did think that the ending was sad. 5 stars
This book is so funny! I thought it was better than Dogzilla. I loved all the little cat references and the movie tie-ins from King Kong. The illustrations are terrific and you really do need to read this one. I did think that the ending was sad. 5 stars
July 25, 2024
This pun-filled companion picture book to Pilkey's Dogzilla is a humorous parody to the movie King Kong. Using photos of real mice and Pilkey's cat Blueberry as the Monster, Pilkey tells the story of Captain Charles Linburger, Doctor Vincent Varmint and his assistant Rosie Rodent finding the mighty Kat Kong and bringing the Monster to Mousopolis. Readers who enjoyed Dogzilla will not be disappointed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews