Module 2 The Cat in the Hat

Summary: The story is about a brother and sister that are left home alone on a rainy day with nothing to do.  All of a sudden, a cat shows up at their house ready to have some fun.  Of course, all this fun leads so come chaos and creates a disaster that the kids must clean up before mom shows up.

Seuss, Dr. (1985). The cat in the hat. New York, NY: Random House.

My Impressions: I have always thought this book to be a great classic. It's a fun read with great illustrations that add to the story. I think that the cat gets to get away with a lot while the kids and Thing 1 and Thing 2 are left to clean up after his mess.


Professional Review:
CAT IN THE HAT TURNS 50! In celebration of 50 years of Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat, Random House is releasing a pair of books to commemorate the occasion (see Children's Bookshelf, January 11). The Annotated Cat: Under the Hats of Seuss and His Cats by Philip Nell begins with the catalyst for Seuss's project, the article "Why Can't Johnny Read" in a 1954 Life magazine article. He then offers a brief biography of Theodor Seuss Geisel, before launching into a page-by-page analysis of The Cat in the Hat. Nel's commentary may center on one book, but along the way he offers a broader context of children's book publishing and education in the 1950s. The paper-over-board The Cat in the Hat Party Edition by Dr. Seuss features a glistening metallic blue cover and an opportunity for readers to participate in a campaign for literacy with First Book, as well as Project 236 (so named for the 236 words in the text of Cat), which culminates with the national read-aloud day on March 2, sponsored by the NEA's Read Across America. (Random, $30 192p ages 10-up ISBN 978-0-375-83369-4; Party Ed. $8.99 72p ages 5-8 ISBN 978-0-394-80001-1; Jan.) Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

[Review of Cat in the Hat]. (2007, January 22). Publisher's Weekly. Retrieved from www.publishersweekly.com

Library Use: This book could be used to help readers identify and use rhyming words.  It would also help struggling readers build their vocabulary.  This book could lend itself to numerous writing prompts for both beginning and intermediate readers.