Cat & Mouse

by Ian Schoenherr

Cat—crouching, creeping, prancing, pouncing—chases Mouse.

And Mouse—skipping, sneaking, dodging, dashing—chases Cat.

How will the game end? And will Cat and Mouse still be friends when it's over?

Genres: Picture Books, Cats, Storytime, Nursery Rhymes, Animals, Childrens, Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2008

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspired by the nursery rhymes Hickory, Dickory, Dock; Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mo; and I Love Little Pussy, this adorable rhyming picture book follows the rough-housing of a friendly cat and mouse. As the mouse narrator (who could stand in for a young child) informs us:

I love little Kitty / Her coat is so warm. / And if I don't hurt her / She'll do me no harm. / So I won't pull her tail / Nor drive her away / But Kitty and I / Very gently will play.

An excellent story to introduce young children to the concept of being gentle with animal companions, Cat & Mouse is also an amusing story in which the "traditional" roles of mouse and cat are reversed. Ian Schoenherr's ink and acrylic illustrations are delightfully expressive, particularly Kitty's face when she is caught off guard.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cat and Mouse play together, wrestling over a paper umbrella. The text follows a nursery rhyme, changing into Hickory Dickory Dock, and then returning to the original rhyme. As Mouse gets the best of Cat time and again, will they end up as enemies or friends?

The lively illustrations bring the old-fashioned text to vibrant life. Both animals are captured with attention to minute details, but then are made wide-eyed and action filled to great comic effect. Families who have kittens or cats will recognize Cat's movements and body postures as being purely feline. Mouse is much more human than Cat.

Enjoyable, laugh-out-loud nursery rhyme fun. This book will work well for groups of children, and is ideal for use in story times or classroom units. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story of the antics of a cat and mouse is told through the interweaving of three traditional nursery rhymes. Is cat trying to capture and eat mouse, or are they just playing? The pictures are very cute--my favorite is the one where the cat is distracted when he finds mouse's little umbrella. The look on the cat's face is SO typical, as is his possessiveness of the umbrella in the next few pictures. With its simple text and large, colorful pictures, this would make a good readaloud for preschool or kindergarten kids. Recommended.

[Patrick Resse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cat & Mouse by Ian Schoenherr is an indivualistic take on classic nursery rhymes, accompanied by detailed illustrations, appropriate for kids of ages two through four. This book does not have any awards, although the illustrations are deserving of one. From beginning to end the cat and mouse have a friendly game of back and forth often teasing each other, although in a couple of the pictures the cat seems a little malicious. During their time goofing around the mouse jumps onto the clock and then jumps off once the cuckoo bird comes out and therefore hits the cat. They continue to play with one another, with the mouse often teasing the cat with his tiny umbrella. The play session ends with the mouse retreating to his tiny door in the wall. The mouse then reemerges to play with the cat again petting her, using yarn to fool around with it, as well as giving her milk. The story ends with the two getting along, rather than the cat eating the mouse, since this is obviously a children’s book. This is a good book, although not excellent, it does teach kids the benefit of doing something nice for another person and getting something in return. It also demonstrates how two non-alike people, or species in this case, can get along. The rhythmic parts throughout the book are capitalized, bolded and enlarged so the kids can read and sing along with it appropriately. The vibrant and colorful illustrations would also play well the kids imagination and understanding. There are multiple uses for this book in the classroom such as having the kids draw about what they heard, as well as talk about the book between classmates, as well as if they have noticed playful back and forths with their pets or other animals before.

[Karina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cat & Mouse is story about a cat and mouse playing together. This charming book is a mixture of the classic nursery rhyme "Hickory, Dickory, Dock" and "Meenie Miney Mo". Sure to capture readers with huge capturing fonts and amusing illustrations, this book is appropriate for first grade and below. An activity that can be done with first grade is focusing on different rhymes. The teacher can enlarge the story and nursery rhyme for all students to see during circle time and together as a class, the teacher and students can go through the words that rhyme. As a class, students can also create their own nursery rhyme on chart paper and each student can input their own drawing on the poster. This poster can be kept in the classroom year round.

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

The text mixes the nursery rhymes "I Love Little Pussy" changed to "I Love Little Kittie", "Hickory Dickory Dock", and "Eeny Meeny Miny Mo". The text is very large on the page.

The art depicts a story of a mouse trying to keep away from a cat while retrieving a cocktail umbrella. The detail in the fur is impressive. But the minimal shading makes the whole thing look flat.

[Ruth Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Usually, it's the cat who stalks and terrorizes the mouse. Not so in this hilarious picture by Ian Schoenherr who uses three well known nursery rhymes to help us follow mouse chase and menace dear kitty.

[Mely · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5
I absolutely think the illustrations are what make this book enjoyable. Other than the two nursery rhymes that are thrown in, this book doesn't really flow well and though it is quite a short read, it uses a very mature vocabulary the little ones may not quite understand.

[Courtney Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute book that shows just because you didn't get along in the first place does not mean you can't be friends in the end. I would read this book in class if I knew there were students that were not getting along and I wanted them to know that that could change.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cat and mouse coexist and have fun together.

[Emily Carlyn]

This is cute! I love the large print text - great for read alouds.

[Maggie Sideris]

Title: Cat and Mouse
Grade Level: Preschool-3rd grade
Summary: This book is about how a cat and a mouse decide to be nice and play together. The two of them chase each other around the house, trying to catch one another. The book goes along with the nursery rhymes 1Chickory dickory dock 1D, and 1Ceeny meeny miny mo 1D.
Review: I enjoyed this book. I loved that the illustrations were big and clear, and the same with the words. I found it interesting that the author was able to connect the two nursery rhymes together, with a little story in between.
In Class Uses: 1. This book can be used to teach rhyme schemes.
2. A teacher can use this book to teach children to play with
everyone, even if you totally different.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nursery Rhymes
1. No Awards.
2. Preschool and up
3. A cat and a mouse live and play with each other. They tease each other in a friendly way that might be annoying. At the end of the day, they apologize and become the bestest of friends.
4. I like the twist that this book brings; a mash-up of two popular nursery rhymes of hickory, dickory, dock and eeny, meeny, miny, mo. The illustrations and text in this book are very energetic and thrilling to see as you turn the page. As I read the text, it kept me thinking what silly things will the cat and the mouse do to each other.
5. Classroom uses would the be introduction and creative twist to popular nursery rhymes. Also, we can introduce a rhyming topic and how rhymes are being used and created.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations in this book are amazing. The lyrical narrative is pretty good, too, but I was mezmerized by the illustrations (especially the cat!) The detail and texture is wonderful and some of the expressions on the cat's face are hilarious. Fun story to read aloud, with two familiar nursery rhymes incorporated into the tale.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this could be used in storytime for toddlers through preschoolers. It's a lot of fun with familiar children's rhymes incorporated into this simple story of friendship between a cat and a mouse.

[Gwen the Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a clever and visually engaging storybook that integrates three familiar nursery rhymes in the games of a cat & mouse. Would be fun with older kids who are familiar with the rhymes and would get the visual interplay with the text.

[Kati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story of a cat and mouse who are friends. The story breaks off into a couple of different nursery rhymees (Hickory Dickory Dock, Eeny, Meeny, miney, mo ...) throughout the book. Fun for the kids to say along as you read.

[Astri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the illustrations in this book! The expressions on the cat's face are priceless. It's nice to see an illustrator who can capture the "ZOMG, this choking hazard is teh best toy evah!" charm of a feline at play. Good times.

[Specialk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this! Cute book about being good and getting along, but also incorporates the two nursery rhymes Hickory Dickory Dock and Eenie Meenie Miney Moe! Great lead in for doing those two nursery rhymes during story time.

[Zack · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the combination of rhymes, but the art could be much better.

[Joenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read aloud for hickory dickory dock and eeny meeny miney mo. Cat and mouse are main characters. Large illustrations and text.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unique combination of text and traditional nursery rhymes. Illustrations are fun and quite realistic.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vivid illustrations combine several nursery rhymes into one delightful story for the younger ones.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun story about a cat and mouse who are playing around. Great for storytimes. I enjoyed the illustrations.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't work very well as a read-aloud.

[Wendy Garland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the illustrations!

[Alfajirikali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great illustrations.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are two pictures of the cat that are great. When the cat is playing with the umbrella and when she hollars page. Deacon and I laughed and really enjoyed this book.

[John]

Cute art, good for storytimes!

[Tina B · Rating 3 out of 5]

"hickory dickory nursery rhyme, cats, mice, eeny meeny nursery rhyme"