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Cats Are Cats
Filled with feline humor, warmth, and grace, Cats Are Cats is a joyful celebration in poetry and pictures of those independent, somewhat mysterious creatures. Full-color illustrations.
80 pages, Hardcover
First published October 20, 1988
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 7, 2019
Gradually you learn that your cat makes the decisions, but so deftly, so graciously, so wisely that you give in. For despite the demands on your time and patience, you melt before that purring appreciation and understanding bestowed by cats on those who serve them.
Years ago a newly arrived cat jumped and my laptop ended up on the floor. Something broke besides my heart and while trying to restrain total loss of control due to a mixture of anger and more anger, I only mumbled something like “I don’t want to see him ever again”.
I kept seeing him for years. Now, if a human had done it...
Aug 01, 19
As for this book: gorgeous illustrations, unmemorable poems.
Cat in the Moonlight
Through moonlight’s milk
She slowly passes
As soft as silk
Between tall grasses.
I watch her go
So sleek and white,
As white as snow,
The moon so bright
I hardly know
White moon, white fur,
Which is the light
And which is her
Douglas Gibson
Aug 7, 19
May 4, 2022
The art is indeed lovely, but in the end rather bland. The poems, too, are mostly unmemorable. I totally respect the opinions of ppl for whom it worked better, but I was disappointed. Sorry.
.....
My college son just read it, and he asked me to read his favorites aloud to him, and I liked them more that way. Not enough to raise my star rating, but enough to recommend this all-ages picturebook to any of you who are interested.
My favorite is probably The Stray Cat by Eve Merriam.
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Third time through. Liked it a bit more this time, but unfortunately in the meantime I've seen many of these poems elsewhere, with more effective (to me) presentation.
This time I noticed that the best one to read aloud to younger children is probably *Sing a Song of Kittens* by Elizabeth Coatsworth. Older children would very likely enjoy hearing or reading aloud *The Cat Heard the Cat-bird.*
But honestly, my rating is not a dis-recommendation. If you have interest, and if your library has this, please check it out for yourself. And most especially, note that it is truly for All Ages, not just children!
.....
My college son just read it, and he asked me to read his favorites aloud to him, and I liked them more that way. Not enough to raise my star rating, but enough to recommend this all-ages picturebook to any of you who are interested.
My favorite is probably The Stray Cat by Eve Merriam.
---
Third time through. Liked it a bit more this time, but unfortunately in the meantime I've seen many of these poems elsewhere, with more effective (to me) presentation.
This time I noticed that the best one to read aloud to younger children is probably *Sing a Song of Kittens* by Elizabeth Coatsworth. Older children would very likely enjoy hearing or reading aloud *The Cat Heard the Cat-bird.*
But honestly, my rating is not a dis-recommendation. If you have interest, and if your library has this, please check it out for yourself. And most especially, note that it is truly for All Ages, not just children!
March 4, 2015
I'm reviewing this book because my daughter Emma (age 12) loved it. She is a cat lover, and I am not. I got the book because I thought my client who studied ink brush painting would enjoy the Asian-inspired charcoal-and-pastel illustrations by Ed Young. They are pretty cool, but I strongly dislike the color of paper chosen for this book - a color that I want to call puce for P-U but is probably more related to khaki. I read the poems, which are by a range of 20 or so authors, aloud to several of my clients, but my heart was not in it, because, as I said, I am not a cat lover and felt annoyed. Ha, ha! If you love cats, give it a try.
April 28, 2024
I love cats so I was expecting to like this poetry collection a bit more. But none of the poems really grabbed me. I actually liked the charcoal illustrations more than most of the poems. They are lovely and simple.
July 2, 2020
A seemingly random assortment of poems about cats.
Everything about this felt bland and boring.
Everything about this felt bland and boring.
February 10, 2013
This is a short collection of beautiful poems about cats. The illustrations are marvelous, too!
January 26, 2026
There are many voices out there about this 1988 book. Here’s mine.
When I was young and still practicing how to adult, I roomed with a mate who brought over her cat, Theo. Before then, I only knew alley cats. Theo mesmerized me with her presence. When my roommate left, I inherited Theo and adopted Rasta and Pasta along with a new roommate. Those are happy memories, and I still see stills of cat poses from that time long ago.
What attracted me most about Cats Are Cats, poems compiled by Nancy Larrick, drawings by Ed Young, when I found the hardcover book at a book fair in Tokyo, was the amazing illustrations. I already knew Ed Young through his illustrated books for children, of which my favorite is I Wish I Were a Butterfly. And so I leafed through to inhale some of the words. And find out about the poets included. Oh my gosh! What a lineup. I closed the book silently as if I was handling a baby, exposed my wallet, and gladly purchased the hardcover book from its original owner.
Cats are Cats is a treasure cove of amazement. The book expands in value because of the illustrations by Ed, and likewise, the illustrations, because of the poems they ensconce with gentleness.
Look at my photo attached; the TOC even includes an Index of first lines!
If you’re a cat lover, you will love this book from the first page. If you’re not a cat lover, warning: this book will turn you into one. Or if that warning is in vain, purchase to gift to a cat lover; you will never hear the end of it. Promise!
Note1: We as a people have evolved. And tons of poems have been written about cats after 1988; a myriad of choices are available for inclusion into an anthology. I like Nancy Larrick’s choices.
Note2: The first of 5 book reviews for this anthology came to Amazon 25 years after launch. Today, 13 years after that first Amazon review, I’ve added mine; happy this book exists.
This compiled poetry collection from 1988 has earned a 5-star rating from me for all the reasons mentioned. Well deserved. Lastly, thanks for reading my review and even considering this old book as a prospective buy.
Grade Level: 4-6
Reading Age: 5 and up
Nancy Larrick (December 28, 1910 – November 14, 2004), also known as Nancy Larrick Crosby, was a thoughtful compiler of poetry for young readers.
When I was young and still practicing how to adult, I roomed with a mate who brought over her cat, Theo. Before then, I only knew alley cats. Theo mesmerized me with her presence. When my roommate left, I inherited Theo and adopted Rasta and Pasta along with a new roommate. Those are happy memories, and I still see stills of cat poses from that time long ago.
What attracted me most about Cats Are Cats, poems compiled by Nancy Larrick, drawings by Ed Young, when I found the hardcover book at a book fair in Tokyo, was the amazing illustrations. I already knew Ed Young through his illustrated books for children, of which my favorite is I Wish I Were a Butterfly. And so I leafed through to inhale some of the words. And find out about the poets included. Oh my gosh! What a lineup. I closed the book silently as if I was handling a baby, exposed my wallet, and gladly purchased the hardcover book from its original owner.
Cats are Cats is a treasure cove of amazement. The book expands in value because of the illustrations by Ed, and likewise, the illustrations, because of the poems they ensconce with gentleness.
Look at my photo attached; the TOC even includes an Index of first lines!
If you’re a cat lover, you will love this book from the first page. If you’re not a cat lover, warning: this book will turn you into one. Or if that warning is in vain, purchase to gift to a cat lover; you will never hear the end of it. Promise!
Note1: We as a people have evolved. And tons of poems have been written about cats after 1988; a myriad of choices are available for inclusion into an anthology. I like Nancy Larrick’s choices.
Note2: The first of 5 book reviews for this anthology came to Amazon 25 years after launch. Today, 13 years after that first Amazon review, I’ve added mine; happy this book exists.
This compiled poetry collection from 1988 has earned a 5-star rating from me for all the reasons mentioned. Well deserved. Lastly, thanks for reading my review and even considering this old book as a prospective buy.
Grade Level: 4-6
Reading Age: 5 and up
Nancy Larrick (December 28, 1910 – November 14, 2004), also known as Nancy Larrick Crosby, was a thoughtful compiler of poetry for young readers.
May 24, 2022
It’s true that I read this too quickly in an attempt to not lose face with my middle schoolers in a reading goal competition, but…most of the poems in the book didn’t do much for me. There were a couple that made me chuckle, but I wasn’t overly impressed.
Maybe I’ll read it again slower another time and enjoy it more. Who knows?
Maybe I’ll read it again slower another time and enjoy it more. Who knows?
August 17, 2018
An old favorite. I looked for it in the Children's area of the library to make certain they still had it. Evocative poems and beautiful pastels of cats!
March 16, 2020
Cute, short book of poems to read to children. The artwork was lovely, but the majority of poems didn’t do much for me as an adult.
April 14, 2021
There are some good, cute poems in this, accompanied by some nice chalk drawings of various cats.
May 21, 2024
Loved the illustrations in this book, the poems not so much.
June 13, 2024
Beautiful illustrations by Ed Young.
Want to read
May 17, 2025Why am I not allowed to read the books without buying it? It’s so annoying.
June 16, 2013
Cats are Cats is a collection of poems about cats compiled by Nancy Larrick and illustrated by Ed Young. The introduction is located at the beginning of the book and it tells the reader what it is like to live with cats. This also helps to explain why people would write poetry about cats, for it displays the love and affection many have towards them. It is written by Larrick, it also tells of how cats are really the decision makers in the home. She explains that the poems were written by poets for whom their cats have won their loyalty.
There is no set organization for the poems. It does not follow cats from birth to death, but instead focuses on the everyday goings on of felines. For example, a poem titled “Alley Cat School” which questions whether cats learn how to survive on the streets. There is a table of content that provide the name of the poem along with the poet. Poetry by Jane Yolen and T. S. Eliot are among the forty four entries. In the rear of the book you will find an index of poets and poems which lists the poet’s names along with the title of their poems and an index of first lines which lists the first line of the poem with the page number to find it.
The poems are not very long. Many only take up the length of one page. There are illustrations on each page, many of which are double page illustrations. The illustrations are all of cats that vary in dark colors, black, gray, or white. There is one illustration that has a hint of orange and can symbolize the danger in the poem “Rosalie the Cat”, where Rosalie scratches Julia for pulling her tale. There is another illustration that uses the color blue to add a sense of mystery to “The Mysterious Cat”.
There is no set organization for the poems. It does not follow cats from birth to death, but instead focuses on the everyday goings on of felines. For example, a poem titled “Alley Cat School” which questions whether cats learn how to survive on the streets. There is a table of content that provide the name of the poem along with the poet. Poetry by Jane Yolen and T. S. Eliot are among the forty four entries. In the rear of the book you will find an index of poets and poems which lists the poet’s names along with the title of their poems and an index of first lines which lists the first line of the poem with the page number to find it.
The poems are not very long. Many only take up the length of one page. There are illustrations on each page, many of which are double page illustrations. The illustrations are all of cats that vary in dark colors, black, gray, or white. There is one illustration that has a hint of orange and can symbolize the danger in the poem “Rosalie the Cat”, where Rosalie scratches Julia for pulling her tale. There is another illustration that uses the color blue to add a sense of mystery to “The Mysterious Cat”.
September 4, 2013
Not my normal read, but as I cat lover I was intrigued to read it through. The poems are interestingly amusing. If you want something different from your normal pattern, I would recommend this book or one like it.The Style of Elements
Can be hard to follow it at times. I read it in full and will now use it as a reference when I write. There is a lot of information to take in, as is the English language in general. This is a nice addition to the writers library.
Can be hard to follow it at times. I read it in full and will now use it as a reference when I write. There is a lot of information to take in, as is the English language in general. This is a nice addition to the writers library.
July 18, 2013
A collection of poems honoring cats and their unique behavior. Pastel illustrations do a great job of capturing the essence of cat movement. The medium used contributes to the cuddly nature of cats.
The selection of poems appeal more to an adult audience as opposed to a youth audience, hence my eh rating.
The selection of poems appeal more to an adult audience as opposed to a youth audience, hence my eh rating.
February 5, 2012
This a book full of short poems for children about cats. It's a great read for kids who enjoy books about cats and like this kind of stuff. It is strictly just poems, so there really is not any moral or theme in this book besides cats.
October 5, 2016
I got this mainly for the illustrations by Ed Young. His cats themselves are good, but get rather boring as they are each a cat isolated on an (ugly) blank background, with nothing happening.
Most of the poems were nothing special, but I'm not really the target audience for cat poems.
Most of the poems were nothing special, but I'm not really the target audience for cat poems.
February 11, 2010
A nice collection of cat poems...
August 24, 2016
Third Impression, 1988, Philomel Books, cloth
Black Sun: 4/22/16, 17.95 (12.00), Very Fine
Black Sun: 4/22/16, 17.95 (12.00), Very Fine
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews