The Fat Cat Sat on the Mat

by Nurit Karlin

This funny rhyming story starring a big orange tabby cat helps kids learn to read! Fat Cat Sat on the Mat is a proven winner—welcome at home or in the classroom—as it makes kids laugh. The fat cat sat on the mat. "Get off!" said the rat. But the fat cat just sat. Will the rat get the fat cat off the mat? Enjoy reading this silly story aloud for maximum effect! Find out if rat can get cat off the mat in this funny, phonetic Level One I Can Read that's perfect for kids learning to sound out words and sentences. With repeating sounds and words, beginning readers will grow their reading confidence as they laugh about the cat and the rat and their sibling-style squabble.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Animals, Cats, Halloween, Poetry

32 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1996

Reviews

[Brittany Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A childhood treasure of mine.

I remember reading this in school very early on in life. Some teachers pick out the best books, that end up staying with us forever.

Similar to the works of Dr. Suess, it's not "Red Fish, Blue Fish", it's "The Fat Cat Sat On The Mat" where pet rat and pet cat squabble like siblings.

This is part of the "I Can Read Books" which is a series geared towards those learning to read on their own. Being a level 1 book (there are 4 levels) the sentences are short, the words familiar, and the concepts are simple.

This title is a good time. Readers are sure to get a few laughs at the phonetic rhymes and illustrations.

I borrowed this nostalgically from the Amazon Prime Reading Program, I said "Oh, joy! I treasured this book as a child!" It was great material to look upon for inspiration, in case writing a series of children's books is something I decide to pursue in the future. I was under no obligation to write a review, my honest opinion is freely given.

Please be advised: I saw several reviewers on Amazon, saying some of the vocabulary is quite negative, and that they don't want to teach their children from this book using words such as 'brat', 'hate', and 'stupid'. Also, there is a witch involved. That may be a very good point for some children. To each their own. Happy reading!

[Seung Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is a great book for early readers. Lots of rhymes and a cute story.

[Nicole Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summary: A fat cat was on a mat and the rat did not like that. The rat got the hat and they tried to trick the cat to get off to come get the fish off the dish. When Wilma (the witch owner of the cat and rat) comes home she questions the fish being out and then the cat gets up.
Reflection: I liked this story. The students are going to love the comical ending of "thank goodness said the mat".
Use in Class: PERFECT book to introduce rhyming words! Students could clap each time they hear the /at/ sound. Great phonemic awareness story. This story would also be good if you are having problems in your classroom about sharing.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title doesn't sound like it belongs to a five star book, but it totally applies. A beginning reader that is engaging and funny, using words that my kiddo can read warrants five stars from me.

[Cosette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This tale is a riveting tale!

[Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great repetitive book that is awesome for helping your little one improve their reading skills.

[Keith Matthews · Rating 1 out of 5]

to be honest rather underwhelming. Having just read The hobbit i wanted an easier read however i ended up with the opposite. Too tough for me i am afraid, Nurit Karlin is the definition of an overhyped two faced fraud.

[Robert A. Granger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great rhyming story

Fun to read aloud. Funny story. Good illustrations. My 5 year old days "I wish we could read it again" .

[mowshow mewshew lll · Rating 5 out of 5]

U will never understand the context of Peyton’s comment.

[Holly Letson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun book!

[Hattie Eckstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love this book because it reminds me of my child hood

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the witch is away, the cat and rat will play! So it proves in this amusing beginning reader from author/illustrator Nurit Karlin, as Witch Wilma heads out one night, leaving her fat orange cat and pet rat to argue over who gets to sit on the mat...

Rhyming text and colorful cartoon-like illustrations are paired in The Fat Cat Sat on the Mat, a Level 1 reader published as part of HarperCollins' celebrated I Can Read! collection in 1996. As it happens, this is the second witchy title I have read from Karlin, following upon her 1985 picture book, The Tooth Witch . Here the text is much simpler of course, full of repetition and plenty of rhyme. The humor of the story will appeal to beginning readers, I think, and the rhyming text and amusing illustrations will add to the entertainment.

[Mary Ledom]

The Fat Cat Sat on the Mat is an excellent beginner book for children. The plot of the book, as well as the diverse characters, keeps the reader interested and eager to continue onto the next page. This book uses short sentences, familiar words, and simple concepts for children who are beginning and excited to read. The use of short a vowel words (cat, mat, etc.) allow the reader to see and practice this specific concept. Also, children will become familiar with rhyming words on every page. As a teacher, I would introduce short a vowel words to my class and then have a book like this ready and available to help guide students in further understanding the concept. This book would be an appropriate level for K-2 students. Depending on the reader's reading level, it could be used independently or as a read-aloud. The teacher could read it aloud to a beginning reading group of students and have the students point out the short a vowel sounds as taught or it can be used as an independent read for students who are eager to read on their own and try out the concepts taught to them. This book is a great start to a young child's reading journey and introduces many important concepts crucial to a beginner reader.

[Haley Hardwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personal Reaction: I loved this book! I remember reading it when I was younger. I love the illustrations and the repetitive language and the use of rhymes. I think it would be very popular and entertaining for transitional readers due to the longer sentences, and the dialogue that is present within the text.

Purpose/Use in Classroom: I think this book would be great for a read aloud in class. I think it would be great when discussing a unit on rhyming words as well. I believe that students would really enjoy it for the use of rhymes, and it would be an interesting and entertaining book for them. The Fat Cat Sat on the Mat is also a great book for independent reading, especially for transitional readers. It has longer sentences than beginning to read books, but is filled with simple sight words they will recognize. It also has some dialogue in the story as well, which would be new to transitional readers. The dialogue could also spark a great discussion in the class on what dialogue is and how to recognize it. I also think students would enjoy it because of the entertaining aspect and funny rhymes that are in the story.

[SallySnowtiger · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fat Cat on the Mat
1st grade
Karlin uses color, cartoon-like illustrations that depict the characters and scenes. There is a lot of rhyme words such as “cat, rat, hat, mat, bat, room, broom” making it a perfect for young readers’ vocabulary development. 1st graders will really enjoy this book and most likely want to hear it several times because the rhyme and humor make this book fun. The rat fights with the cat over a mat. The rat brings in several of his friends to help support his cause, such as the bat, the hat, and he even tries to lure the cat off the mat with a fish on a dish. Very funny rhyming story and a great book for read aloud to help young readers’ phonetic development and make reading fun.

Language arts/science
1st grade
Students can identify all the rhyming words in this book. For science students can learn more about cats, rats, bats, and fish.

[Kayla Heenan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a very easy read that I could see many students enjoying. The story line was fun and very easy to follow.
Purpose/Use in Classroom:
This would be a perfect book to read aloud to my students as I was introducing a rhyming lesson. The words are not difficult and easy to understand. The students could easily get involved by saying what word they believe might come next. This would be a good book for students to read alone in kindergarten to help sharpen their reading and rhyming skills.
Elements:
Just like many other picture books the illustrations are just as important as the story itself. They help the reader understand what is going on while incorporating the humor into the story.

[Melanie, Aaron, Annie, and Mary Project · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read by: Annie
Genre: poetry
Author: Nurit Karlin
Interest Level: PK - 1
Grade Level Equivalent: 1.3
Lexile: 220L

This is a great book for early readers and those learning about word families. A witch's fat cat sat on a mat that is usually claimed by her rat. The rat gets his bat and his hat to tell the cat to get off the mat, but the cat will not. They try to lure him away with a fish on a dish, but the cat is too smart for that. The witch returns and asks the rat what makes him think the mat is his, then the cat gets up and struts away.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would use this book to talk about words that rhyme. I like that they use rhyming items during their argument and that at the end, the witch looks at the rat and asks it what makes the rat think that the mat belongs to him (the rat)? I thought this book was very fun and creative. It would be nice to read around Halloween.

Interest Level http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/bo...
Grades K - 2
Reading Level
Grade level Equivalent: 1.3
Lexile® Measure: 220L
DRA: 12
Guided Reading: G
Type of Book: Begining Reader Book
Genre
Comedy and Humor

[Brittany Bean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a witch named Wilma. Wilma has a pet cat, rat and bat. I really like this book because there is a whole lot of rhyming. This book will let children become familiar with rhyming and after the book you could have a child say a word and then the other children have to come up with a word that rhymes with it. I think this is a great book for the classroom and there are activities that you can branch off and do from this book.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting story and I think I liked it more than my son did. There isn't exactly a plot, the book revolves around a mat, and the reader is left without knowing who the mat really belonged to. But it was cute and full of simple sentences for a beginning reader.

[Alyson Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about a cat who wants to sit on a rat's mat. He eventually gets to and refuses to get up. The book goes through the motions of the rat trying to get the cat out of his mat. This is a silly book for younger children. I could use this in my classroom to teach about rhymes.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for kids transitioning into this level of readers. Genuinely funny, with illustrations that both add humor and give straightforward picture clues. The cat’s weight isn’t an issue, “fat” is only used descriptively, not pejoratively. Highly recommended for ages 4-7.

[Douglas Beagley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surrealist manifesto, a deconstructionist’s nursery rhyme—A Fat Cat Sat on a Mat is a genius work of satire, a prayer to chaos, a delight in the pointless eddies of confrontation. Best book I’ve read this year.

[Krislyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wasn’t a huge fan of this book. I don’t think I’ll be using it in my classroom. This book has a very negative interaction between the cat and the rat. While the book is easy to read, I don’t think the negative language used in it is anything I’d like to encourage in my classroom.

[Ashlee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why do children's books use the word stupid?

[Leila T. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to change a lot (a LOT) of the rude language, but the rhyming is fun.

[Bree · Rating 1 out of 5]

Notes:
awful -- not a cute cat book like we thought
witch on a broom, the words hate/little brat/stupid
characters have snotty attitudes and say 'so what'

[Lojain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally found a book that i could read it without having to translate :)! .

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really cute book for a beginner. We really liked reading it. The witch has a pet rat and a fat cat. The rat hates the cat, and wants him off the mat! Read this book to see what happens!

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good book for children who are learning how to read. This book has a lot of rhyming in it.