Buon Natale Mog!

Mog the Forgetful Cat #2

by Judith Kerr

Beautiful anniversary reissue of this children's classic to celebrate Mog's 40th birthday. A wonderful Christmas story about everyone's favourite family cat, complete with a gorgeous Mog print and stunning foiled cover for extra Christmas sparkle! The house is full of strange bustling, there are new noises and new smells, and where is that tree going? Disconcerted by all the unusual activities, Mog escapes to the roof, and there she stays...until, unexpectedly, she returns with a bump!

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Childrens, Cats, Animals, Fiction, Audiobook

Board book

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Judith Kerr was a German-born British writer and illustrator who has created both enduring picture books such as the Mog series and The Tiger Who Came To Tea and acclaimed novels for older children such as the autobiographical When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit which give a child's-eye view of the Second World War.

Kerr was born in Berlin but left Germany with her parents and her brother, Michael, in 1933, soon after the Nazis first came to power. They were forced to leave as her father, noted drama critic, journalist and screenwriter Alfred Kerr, had openly criticised the Nazis,who burned his books shortly after the family had fled Germany. They travelled first to Switzerland and then on into France, before finally settling in Britain, where Kerr has lived ever since. She subsequently became a naturalised British citizen.

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice, simple story about a cat feeling overwhelmed by the changes Christmas brings to her house. Eventually Mog accepts some treats and blesses the family with her presence again.

A lovely Christmas story and a nice book to use as a beginner reader.

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mog's viewpoint of not understanding all the upheaval that goes into Christmas was such an interesting take, the forgetful cat has settled in with the Thomas's only to find a tree heading towards the house!

I probably shouldn't have laughed when Mog tumbled down the chimney and one of the aunts exclaimed that it must be Father Christmas.
But that's why this series has remained a firm favourite for generations of children, from feeling sad that Mog was scared and stayed on the roof all night, to the light relief and finally the cozy feel that she soon enjoys the festive celebrations.

An everlasting sweet classic.

[Shovelmonkey1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was a smallish child (I have always been quite freakishly tall), I loved this book so much I thought my heart might burst. It is amazing. And it has christmas in it. A heartwarming tale of cat related happiness with all the goodness of a family Yule Tide thrown in. Plus I always enjoyed Mog's pissed off and fairly quizzical facial expressions.

Mog is just chilling at home then all of sudden all hell breaks loose. Being a cat she can't just jump up and shout "hey two-legs, what in the name of buddy christ is going on?". Instead she has to conduct her own investigation. The house fills up with people, objects are being hidden inside paper and ribbon, people are dancing and drinking and a big fir tree walks in and sets up camp in the middle of the living room.

"Sod this," thinks Mog and heads off to the roof to get a bit of peace and quiet. She falls asleep on top of a cold white cloud and has pink fluffy dreams about mice. This is all great until the cloud starts to melt and suddenly Mog finds herself slaloming down the chimney and into the grate. Looks like you fell asleep on top of the snow covered chimney Mog!

After an unpleasant bath, Mog is treated to a placatory meal of fish and soft boiled eggs and then she gets given some presents. In the interim period the house has become all spangly and the tree has made itself beautiful. Awwwwwww. See? Lovely.

Even sneaking into the kids section of Waterstones to read this can still melt my iced up old heart which is glacier thick in the hoare frost of adulthood and cynicism.

Recently I went to visit Mog in the bookshop and there was another book.
Goodbye Mog!

Eh? I opened the pages with some trepidation and began to read. Before a short while a tiny tear (melted heart-ice) formed in the corner of my eye. Mog is dead and she's been replaced by a kitten.

Judith Kerr, you may has well have torn out my heart and ground it into the carpet tiles with your heel.

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aw, poor Mog! Everyone is ignoring her and telling her to go away. Change and bustle are scary for kitties. Especially dumb ones.

[Maxine (Booklover Catlady) · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I’m reading through the Mog series at the moment as part of a project I’m thrilled to be part of involving research of children’s books featuring animals. The Mog series has been around for a very long time and is timeless.

This one is perfect with Christmas just around the corner. Our beloved Mog is not coping with all the new things in the house for Christmas. Change is everywhere and she’s not too thrilled about it.

Like all of this series there are lovely illustrations and can appeal to both self-readers and to be read to children and create special bonding time at bedtime. I know so many people who recall this series from their childhoods.

I love Mog dearly. She reminds my of my Nana’s cat Tina as the first cat I fell in love with as a toddler. Even her colouring is similar.

I recommend this series highly and this one is perfect for Christmas stockings.

Thanks so much for reading my review! If you’d like to connect you can follow me or please send me a friend request. 🐱

[Chinara Ahmadova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Çox şirin, klassik üslubda illustrasiyalarla yazılmış bir hekayə. Yeni il ağacından qorxan pişik Moqun macərasından bəhs edir. Vaqiflə sevə-sevə dəfələrlə oxuyuruq və dekabr ayına da yaraşır :)

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me sniggering on my morning commute! Poor Mog, that adorably befuddled kitty who debuted in Judith Kerr's Mog the Forgetful Cat , once again finds herself on the outs with her human family in this adorable Christmas tale. Finding the house in an uproar one day, with all of her usual playmates - Debbie, Nikky, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas - all too busy to spend time with her, she retreats outdoors, only to be confronted by a walking, talking tree! Fleeing to the rooftop, from which she refuses to be rousted, Mog huddles by herself in the cold and snow, eventually curling up on one particularly high surface. It isn't until the next morning that she returns home, by a most unusual route...

Like the other Mog books, Mog's Christmas presents an engaging and well-written story. The scene in which Mog confronts the moving tree (propelled, unbeknownst to her, by Mr. Thomas), is particularly amusing: Mog thought, "Trees don't walk. Trees should stay in one place. Once trees start walking about anything might happen." She ran up the side of the house in case the tree should come and get her. "Come down," shouted the tree. "Come down, Mog!" "First it walks," thought Mog, "and now it's shouting at me. I do not like that tree at all." And she ran right up to the roof. Then again, when Mog tumbles down the chimney, ala Father Christmas, that too was hilarious! Entertaining, heart-warming, and visually appealing - I really liked Judith Kerr's artwork here! - this is a wonderful addition to the Mog series, and a sweet little Christmas story as well. Recommended to all young cat lovers, and to fans of Mog.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little better than the first, but I still don't understand the appeal. Maybe it's just because these older books have been superseded by similar but even better ones of the same motifs and themes?

reading a few on openlibrary.org

[Les Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extra book to enjoy during our family read time.

[Judith Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable! And just the thing for cooling down in a heatwave (heat tide I call it!).

[Книжни Криле · Rating 5 out of 5]

Дори и да не сте любител на котките (чували сме, че имало и такива), ще ви е изключително трудно да устоите на невинния чар на „Мог забраваната“ – класическа героиня от творчеството на детската писателка и илюстраторка Джудит Кер. Спомняте си Мог, нали? Вече ви разказахме за първата история за тази пухкава, добронамерена и крайно дезориентирана душица. Тя се появи и на български преди време, с логото на изд. „Лист“ и с прекрасен превод от поетесата Мария Донева. Всъщност, с прекрасен ДВОЕН превод, тъй като освен придържащия се към оригинала текст, отпечатан в книгата, получихме и втори, римуван такъв, публикуван на блога на Мария Донева. (Виждате ли колко вдъхновяващо действа чарът на Мог?) Тъкмо навреме за Коледа пък се появява и втората книга от поредицата – „Коледата на Мог“. Не по-малко смешни и едновременно с това умилителни приключения ни очакват и тук. Плюс обилни дози носталгичен празничен уют. Уви, всичко, което ние приемаме за празнично и приказно предизвиква истинско недоумение у горкичката Мог, така че гаранция – отново ще се забърка някоя каша! И нали е време за подаръци… Мария Донева и този път ни е подарила два превода – и в проза, и в стих. Кога за последно сте имали удоволствието да преживеете една и съща книга по два различни начина? Прочетете ревюто на „Книжни Криле“: https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/202...

[Alex Sarll]

I was listening to a radio discussion of Quatermass yesterday where they mentioned Judith Kerr being married to Nigel Kneale, and I'm sure I must have known that before, but it's as if it's too big to fit in my head, the thought of two icons forged under the same roof. And Matthew Kneale their son! That one should have been obvious, it's hardly a common name, but that he should have managed neither to be overawed by their work, nor complacently coast on the proceeds, but produce at least one very good novel of his own! That's a proper dynasty. So then to happen across this at a friend's was perfect timing. And for all that they might seem very different creations, this shares with The Quatermass Experiment a primal horror at seeing what looks like a plant walk, and a climax atop a very English building. But somewhat to my surprise, I find myself now identifying more with the cat than the professor, what with being a large furry creature who is by instinct suspicious of change, but who can sometimes be convinced by treats and a suitable amount of fussing.

[Carolina Carriço · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can't believe this will be the first book on my reading challenge.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook. This one seems like maybe the cutest of the ones we have? There are a lot of delightful lines.

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mog's Christmas - Judith Kerr Picture books serve the same place in my reading that the cartoons do in The New Yorker. They lighten things up, and make me smile, and refresh me before I dive back in to something denser. Tash* mocked me for checking out a Christmas book in February, but I had to wait for the library to get it in. I rarely make blind suggestions for acquisitions, but I've read at least one of Kerr's Mog books before, and I expected it would be great. It is. Mog is adorable, the family is amusingly doing weird stuff in preparation for the holiday, confusion ensues and all is happily resolved on the day itself.This copy came with a cd, which I didn't bother with, but would have loved when the kids were young and wanted everything over and over again.Library copy.
 
*Tash or Tosh? Short for Natasha. Give me opinions and/or rationales.Opinions within the family vary. That is to say, everyone else is wrong.
 
 

[Portable · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've loved the books of Judith Kerr both as a child and as a teacher: beautiful, humorous illustrations and characters. While she is most famous for the perennially loved The Tiger Who Came to Tea, the Mog books were my favourite: I love them now even more because Mog is a great way of introducing growth mindset. She continually makes mistakes and causes trouble for her family, but her flaws are often what end up saving the day. Also, they are hilarious! Just wonderful.

Mog's Christmas is of course a great story for our celebrations Unit of Inquiry: not just for talking about how Mog's family celebrate Christmas, but for thinking about the communities that Mog is a part of.

[DadReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admire Judith Kerr’s realism. This may seem a strange thing to say of the woman who in 1968 wrote The Tiger Who Came to Tea, in which a tiger rings the doorbell, is invited inside by a young girl and her mother, eats all the food, drinks all the beer and leaves, and then father comes home from work, sees the destruction and cheerily says no worries girls, let’s just go out for dinner. I guess even children’s books were on hallucinogens in the late ’60s.

But when it comes to domestic cats, Judith Kerr knows her stuff. Mog is stupid, forgetful, lazy, easily frightened, and selfish. Let me run through that checklist with our cat, Ruby. Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. Mog is so realistic it’s a wonder we never see her licking her anus. Mog even dies in the final book in the series, written 22 years after the first – despite her flaws, I hope we have that long with Ruby.

And so this festive season, what better book for DadReads than Mog’s Christmas? When I was a kid, Mog’s Christmas was a fixture of the holiday season. It wasn’t my favourite Christmas book – that was Lucy and Tom’s Christmas by Shirley Hughes. Maybe I related to it less because we didn’t have a pet cat. But I still enjoyed it. Now, as a cat owner, Mog’s Christmas resonates.

It’s nearly Christmas in the Thomas household, and everybody is busy. Mog doesn’t like strangers visiting, so she hides outside. Ruby doesn’t like strangers visiting; she usually squeezes herself under the coffee table and waits until the coast is clear. In fact, Ruby doesn’t like anyone getting right up in her face. As well as a cat owner, I’m a baby owner, and Heidi enjoyed Mog’s Christmas so much that she tried to “read” it to Ruby by shoving it in front of her face. Good intentions, but Ruby scarpered.

Suddenly she woke up. She saw something. It was a tree. It was a tree walking. Mog thought, “Trees don’t walk. Trees should stay in one place. Once trees start walking about anything might happen.” She ran up the side of the house in case the tree should come and get her. “Come down,” shouted the tree. “Come down, Mog!” “First it walks,” thought Mog, “and now it’s shouting at me. I do not like that tree at all.”

Mog thinks that the Christmas tree is walking because Mr Thomas is carrying it towards the house. Are cats that stupid? The first Christmas we had Ruby, she was exactly the same when I brought our Christmas tree inside. She ran away and hid. But then she got used to the tree and spent the next month eating pine needles and throwing them back up. Spiky? Yes. Indigestible? Yes. But damn they taste good. I guess anything would, compared to her own anus.

To be fair to Ruby, Heidi also had Christmas tree "issues". When we collected it from the local Rotary Club a few weeks ago and shoved it in the car, Heidi was a blubbering mess. Mog only had to see a tree walking. Heidi had to share the back seat of the car with one. She didn’t handle it well. If trees shouldn't walk, they definitely shouldn't go cruising in a Volkswagen Polo.

Anyway, Mog retreats to the roof. It starts snowing, but Mog is stubborn, and won’t come down. She goes to sleep on top of the chimney and then as the snow melts underneath her, she plummets down through the soot and lands in the fireplace. Her timing is fortuitous; one page earlier, Mrs Thomas was stacking logs in the fireplace, preparing to light them. It was nearly roast cat for Christmas dinner.

When Mog lands in the living room, one of the senile aunts cries “It’s Father Christmas!” “No, dear,” says the other aunt. “Father Christmas does not have a tail.” This, I think, is evidence that the aunts are blood relatives of Mrs Thomas, who displayed a tenuous grasp on reality in Mog and the Baby.

All’s well that ends well, and Mog’s Christmas finishes with everyone standing around the Christmas tree unwrapping presents. At least, I hope that’s what’s happening, because one of the senile aunts is holding a pair of pantyhose. If she hasn’t just unwrapped them, she’s taken them off, and the daft smile on her face makes me wonder which it is.

Mog’s creator Judith Kerr, now 93, has had an interesting life. Her father Alfred Kempner (he later changed his name to Kerr) was a well-known German theatre critic nicknamed the Kulturpapst, or “Culture Pope”. Judith was born of Jewish origin in Germany in 1923, not an ideal time to be born of Jewish origin in Germany, and the family moved to Britain when she was 10.

As of last year, she was still publishing new works – Mog’s Christmas Calamity was the latest. I haven’t read it, but maybe the calamity was that the Thomases only just realised Mog had been dead for 13 years. Given Mrs Thomas’ absent-mindedness – in Mog and the Baby she lets a neighbour’s child escape the house and run into oncoming traffic – this would not be a surprise. If you told me Mrs Thomas had been feeding Mog’s corpse since 2002, I’d believe you.

https://dadreads.blogspot.com.au/2016...

[XOX · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome book.

Mog is much more well behave than the cats of friends. I have seen pictures of destroyed tree 🌲 when cats either jumped on it. Or played with the sparkle things on it.

Classic read for children.

[Harri · Rating 5 out of 5]

#relatable

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

mog has the smuggest fucking face but I love her

[Joe Stephenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meow

[Loredana Mariana Bublitchi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pe Mog l-am întâlnit prima data la gradinita, cand mi-a picat in mâini o alta carte de-a autoarei si o citeam copiilor. De atunci am prins drag de el si mi-am spus ca trebuie sa-l aduc si-n biblioteca piticului meu 🥰.

Si cum altfel, daca nu prin “Craciunul lui Mog”, ca tot se apropie mult iubita sarbatoare? ❤️

Mog, pisica simpatica a familiei Thompson se sperie de agitatia provocata in casa, toata lumea e ocupata, se plimba de colo-colo, iar ea nu intelege ce e cu atâta zarva. Colac peste pupaza, mai zareste si un pom umblator, iar panica o loveste si se refugiaza pe acoperisul casei. Însa nu poate sta acolo la nesfârsit, caci familia trebuie sa sarbatoreasca Craciunul, iar fara Mog nu se poate 🥺…

O poveste simpatica, cu o pisica dragalasa in care sigur se regasesc toate animalutele si de ce nu, micii copilasi, care inca nu stiu ce si cum e treaba cu Craciunul 🙈, însotita de un text lejer de parcurs si ilustratii care te poarta chiar in mijlocul pregatirilor pentru sarbatoarea Craciunului ❤️.

Acum stiu si eu de ce e asa indragita Mog de cei mici, pentru ca si eu o indragesc tare, abia astept sa adaug in biblioteca micutului si celelalte titluri care o au ca “vedeta” pe Mog 🥰.
Daca n-ati cunoscut-o inca, va indrum sa o faceti, o gasiti la @treibooks , in colectia PanDa ☺️.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Mog and I found it very interesting as a child to see how stressed an animal could become from the oddness of Christmas - a very alien concept to me!

[Eti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Супер сладка история 😘😻🥰

[jean jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous book

As a cat lover I came upon this book many years ago and bought it for my two young grandchildren , every Christmas Eve it came out and we read it knowing the words almost off by heart . The grandchildren now teenagers still sit with me Christmas Eve doing the same thing. It is such a wonderfully written book and funny . I've now transferred it to Kindle so it will never get lost . Grandchildren not with us Christmas Eve this year , but I will still read it..... to my Cat .lol

[Adrian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mog thought, "I don't like it here."
She went and sat outside on the window-sill.
There was nothing to do and no one to play
with, so after a while she went back to sleep.

It's Mog's first Christmas and chaos has descended on the house leaving Mog very much out in the cold!

Another cute installment in the Mog series. 3 stars.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.pussreboots.pair.com/blog/...

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun festive feline adventure

[Madara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ļoti forša grāmata bet ļoti maz ko lasīt😒

[niamh ୨ৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

annual christmas eve reread and mog is lowk real