A Cat and a Dog / Un gato y un perro

by Claire Masurel, Bob Kolar (Illustrator)

This bilingual picture book for the very young is a humorous look at the age-old battle of cats versus dogs that demonstrates how a simple act of kindness can turn an enemy into a friend.

Cat and dog live together, but they are not friends. They fight all the time, about everything. Then disaster strikes. Dog's beloved ball bounces up into a tree and is stuck. Cat's precious stuffed mouse falls into the pond. Dog can't climb. Cat can't swim. What are they to do?

Claire Masurel's simple text and Bob Kolar's bright, bold illustrations combine in this charming picture book that features text in both English and Spanish–perfect for ESL learners and bilingual families!

Genres: Picture Books, Spanish Literature, Childrens, Animals, Friendship, Storytime, Pets

32 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2001

Reviews

[Lynn]

A book about cooperation. A cat and a dog live in the same house. They don’t get along but when they run into trouble, they learn to help each other out.

[Lindsay]

Books that are in both English and Spanish on the same page are heaven-sent when I plan for bilingual story time because I have the option to either do the story in English or Spanish. I think the pictures are very cute and pleasing for small children. It also isn't text heavy, so I don't have to make any adjustments for my audience of three- to six-year-olds. In the story, the cat and dog are enemies who live in the same house, but they learn to become friends by helping one another retrieve their toys. They aren't so different after all! This story could be used for a lot of themes besides cats, too, such as dogs, friendships, toys, sharing, cooperation, differences, opposites, etc.

[Kelly Wickham]

This book is in English and Spanish which was fun to read as I read the Spanish part and Arely read the English part. The cat and dog were enemies in the beginning and fought about everything but then one day the dog's toy landed in a tree and the cat's toy landed in a lake and they discovered that they could help each other out as the dog could not climb a tree and the cat could not swim. After that, they began enjoying things together and became the best of friends.

[Nathan Wikman]

This kind of approach to a book is great. My partner and her wife get free books through the school and I've been trying to speak Spanish to the kids while they're young in general. The Spanish coming first with smaller English under it is helpful, because I read the big print Spanish and point to what the words mean on the page; Perro-point at dog, pelota-point at ball. Their youngest (2) has started being able to match some of the words to the image before i finish the page, and calls the ball we play with outside "pelota" recently.

My accent might be an issue because they're internalizing an anglicized español, but it's better than no Spanish I believe. I mean I speak Spanish with an accent and am understandable so

[Caitlin]

Cliche

[Wendy]

Can't we all just get along?

[Lu]

Cute

[Dustin Dye]

A Cat and a Dog is a simple and fun book about overcoming differences and cooperating.

[Adam]

“My best because I think, I know good.”

(read aloud by himself at 4yo, no words missed)

[M]

I'm half Puerto Rican and this book has helped me connect to my roots and learn my language since I was taught is as a kid.

[Abby]

A simple story with great vocabulary words and a nice message about tolerance and cooperation.

[Jane]

My copy of this book is the bilingual version, The Cat and the Dog/Un gato y un pero.

This short story is an English Second Language teacher's dream. I present conflict resolution in both English and Spanish (and I realize than not all ESL students have Spanish as their first language but a larger number of preschool children entering preschool are coming with no ability to speak English). The ESL preschool children in my class love this short book, by the end of the school year; they could recite it from memory and have increased vocabulary, gained an understanding of both problem solving and conflict resolution. All excellent lessons for preschool children, when using the book the teacher will direct the discussions along those lines. (My English children have learned the Spanish words, so they benefit from the bi-lingual aspect of the book too.)

[Larissa]

Masurel, Claire, and Bob Kolar. A Cat and a Dog. New York: North-South, 2001. Print. Ages 6-8. A Cat and a Dog is a very simple and not very educational or fun book that talks about the stories of a cat and a dog and how they do not get along. They fight over many things, and do never get along. This book was not one of my favorites, because it seems that it was published just for the heck of it and the purpose is not really potrayed other than the sense that students need to make sure that they are able to get along with their friends. I think that I can relate this story to my sister. My sister and I never got along while in high school, but now that I am in college her and I get along so much more now than ever and it is awesome seeing and being a part of a friendship.

[Kayla Quinn]

This story is about a cat and a dog who despise one another. As they play outside, the dog's ball gets stuck in the tree, then the cat's mouse toy got into the pool. They finally figure out that they can help each other. The dog goes in the pool to get the mouse toy, and the cat climbs up the tree to get the ball. I would use this book in the class to teach the American children another language other than English. If I had some Spanish speaking students in the class as well, they could help their fellow classmates learn new Spanish words. The Spanish children may also feel at home knowing they are reading a book in their native language.

[Evan]

The characters were cat and dog. They were at home and then they went outside. They played and both lost their toys. They argued about a lot of stuff with toys and food. Then they went outside to play with their toys all by their own.

Then they both said, "Oh No." They lost their toys. The cat's went in the pond and the dog's went in the tree," and "Here dog."

They both liked each other and shared the rug.

[Dolly]

This is a short and entertaining book about... wait for it... a cat and a dog. The narrative is short and sure to entertain young children and the illustrations are colorful and cartoonish. Our girls love the blue cat. We enjoyed reading this book together, even though it was a bit 'babyish' for our them.

[Patricia]

El gato y el perro se pelean todo el tiempo. This is a cute, simple story of how a cat and a dog go from taunting and torturing one another to helping each other out and becoming friends. The Spanish in the translation is good and simple. I'd use it again, in class, but only with the youngest Kindergarten and 1st graders.

[Laura]

LOVE this book. First, my little 4.5 month daughter loves it. The colors are bright and bold and have great contrast. She loves hitting the cat and dog! I love that the Spanish translation is well done and we can read it to her in either English or Spanish. Plus, it's a cute story of a cat and dog who start out as enemies and become friends. What's not to love?

[Laree Brown]

This is a great , fun, and engaging book! The text is in both English and Spanish and is about a dog and a cat who lives in the same house; but don't get along.I would read this book to a Pre-k or Kindergarten class.

[Rachel Dalton]

This is a very basic book with a predictable story line. The translation is very simple from Spanish to English, so it could be great for beginning English language learners to use in conjunction with the pictures. It also is a great example of friendship.

[Kelly]

Published simultaneously in the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, A Cat and a Dog is a lovely tale of development of friendship and the different interests and skills that individuals bring to friendship.

[Shala Howell]

Cozy, my cat, finds this story to be terrifying. My 5-month old baby, likes the pictures.

[Annie]

So funny and a great lesson about differences

[Rose]

E Kol

[Susan]

board book. very cute, has a good message. a cat and a dog don't get along and don't share, until one day they have to help each other out.

[Martha]

This book is one of few picture books I have found written in English and Spanish. It has a great message about getting along with each other.

[Christine Turner]

PLN Theme: How to Raise a Reader

A cat and a dog are enemies until a crisis brings them together as friends. www.hcpl.net

[Lidra West]

This is a cute little book for beginning readers both english and spanish speaking children. Fun book to have within a pre-k-1st grade clssroom.

[J-Lynn Van Pelt]

A simple bilingual reader about a dog and a cat who hate each other until they need the other to save their favorite toys. Good to learn some new Spanish words.

[Joanna]

My 2 yr old loves it in English and Spanish. The Spanish is beginning level so I feel comfortable reading this book in either language.