Fraidy Cats

Scholastic Reader

by Stephen Krensky, Betsy Lewin (Illustrator)

Hello Reader, Level 2

One dark and noisy night the Fraidy Cats let their imaginations run wild, visualizing scary things from wild elephants to hungry wolves.

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

32 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1993

Reviews

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here's another interesting re-discovery from my childhood. Fraidy Cats (1993) by Stephen Kensky and illustrated by Betsy Lewin. This one I believe came with a cassette tape which I'd listened to many times. I even remembered the names of the cats. I always find that strange. The things that jog the memory to the surface, but for some strange reason I don't remember what I ate for dinner two nights ago. Maybe I'll remember thirty years from now. But I digress... This was a fun before-bed type easy reader book about two cats who start to hear noises and let their imaginations run wild. I've only read a handful of easy reader books in my time, but I think I'll try reading more. Sometimes I think they're hard to read because I'm not sure how to judge them as they're usually for young readers, whereas picture books are, I feel, wider in depth and range. My rating - 3/5

[Christina Senf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really cute book. Even though the animals talked, they had similar fears that children would have about being scared of the dark. The two characters played off each other's imagination. The illustrations show real things that the two cats are scared of but with using their imagination they blow it out of proportion.

[Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fraidy Cats let their imaginations run wild one dark and noisy night. They imagine all sorts of scary things--from wild elephants to hungry wolves! With Stephen Krensky's easy-to-read text and Betsy Lewin's eye-catching artwork on every page, kids will keep turning the pages of this leveled reader!

[Tracey · Rating 2 out of 5]

As Simon Cowell would say, 'It's a no from me.' This is about two cats who are afraid of everything and seem to set each other off with scary thoughts. I don't like that - why do they have to scare the living daylights out of each other.

Oh well, 1 book down and another 8 to go.

[Tehila · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful read for “children of all ages” - especially those of us who claim to be all grown up. I love the way the author and illustrator chose to show what is happening and what it sounds like to the Fraidy Cats.

I will definitely be looking for more from this duo.

[Claire Brignac · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about two cats who have a very big imagination at night when they hear the tiniest of noises, when it's time to go to sleep. This story was very cute for kids who are just learning how to read and also for kids who are scared of the dark. Not everything is something bad!

[Emily Kinsman · Rating 1 out of 5]

12/2
Fiction
K-3rd
I'm sorry to say that this was't my favorite book. Although, I can say that the illustrations were very interesting and captured me!

[Chad Olson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two cats in bed get scared of random nighttime noises

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

AR 2.0

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good 📖 good 📕 and it was the best 📖 ever

[Anna Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two cats with a very big imagination, maybe too big. But they are safe in the end.

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

Fraidy cats is the great type of learning book that kids enjoy reading because of a fun story. The story - which has cats in bed being afraid of normal noises and making up scary thoughts about them ("Is it a cute baby eagle? No, it's the big scary cat eating kind!". In the end, the noise of trucks outside is imagined to be a dinosaur - but a gentle plant eating one that will protect the cats from anything else scary. This allows them to sleep.

What's fun is that children can use their own imagination to figure out what the cats are going to make of normal noises or objects that scare them: such as a garden hose becoming a snake.

This is one part of a great series of early reading books: More Spaghetti I say, Two Crazy Pigs, Fraidy Cats, and The Day the Dog Said Cock a Doodle Doo!. I recommend all of them for their appropriate vocabulary, sentence length, reinforced learning through creative repetition, and beautiful bright illustrations.

[Books Kids Like · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before the Fraidy Cats, Scamper and Sorry, go to bed they check in the closet, under the bed, and behind the curtains and door. Once they crawl in bed they hear a noise. A branch tapping the window is a big hairy dog that likes to chase cats. Then they hear a hissing. Scamper is convinced that it is a snake chasing the dog. The sound is really made by a garden sprinkler. Then a gate screeches like an eagle, and the wind howls like a wolf. Each new "animal" chases the old "animal" away. Finally, when a "dinosaur" truck scares the "elephant" airplane, the Fraidy Cats stop cowering under the bed. The plant-eating ultrasaurus has scared everything else away and they are safe. The wind is still blowing, and the night is still dark, but they don't care. The cats crawl back under the covers and fall fast asleep.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com

[Dee-Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book a bit confusing ... I kept getting the cats mixed up ... but then realised it did not matter. This story is of two cats who are scared of all the noises outside, which start out small, but get larger and larger. It is probably a good story to read to children who are afraid of such things.

[Rell · Rating 4 out of 5]

We LOVED this book...... it's so much fun when you read it in animated voices. These cats are hilarious, large imaginations and it was fun asking my daughter what did she think they were imagining.
I believe that we read this book maybe 4 times in one night just to laugh at their faces.

[Julia Jasztal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book-in-Bag ** Scherkenbach Elementary ** 1st Grade
#5

[Deborah Harris]

AR Quiz No. 11171 EN Fiction
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: LG - BL: 2.0 - AR Pts: 0.5
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP, VP

[April Thompson Freeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

What happens when Fraidy Cats' imagination runs free?!

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book for small children who are afraid of the dark.

[Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute beginner reader book for emergent readers.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guided Reading Level J

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it and my students really liked it.