To accompany the release of the live action movie of The Cat in the Hat, starring Mike Myers, HarperCollins are proud to present Dr. Seuss's original, classic tale of the coolest, hippest cat in history!When the Cat in the Hat steps in on the mat, Sally and her brother are in for a roller-coaster ride of havoc and mayhem! The Cat can rescue them from a dull rainy day, but it means lots of thrills and spills along the way. The wonderfully anarchic Cat in the Hat is one of the most popular characters in children's fiction, and this book is ideal for budding readers to tackle on their own.
He may be an old standby, but he never lets us down. When in doubt, turn to the story of the cat that transformed a dull, rainy afternoon into a magical and just-messy-enough adventure. There's another, hidden adventure, too: this book really will help children learn to read. With his simple and often single-vowel vocabulary, the good Doctor knew what he was doing: hear it, learn it, read it--laughing all the way. The Cat in the Hat is a must for any child's library.

Customer Rating:
Summary: The First "Home Alone" Drama
Comment: Two small children, left home alone on a deary, rainy day, are startled by a home intruder--a giant, talking feline who proceeds to trash the house! This book should have damaged us forever, but it remains deliriously funny. It is left to the fish to be the voice of responsibility and everyone knows fishes are all wet!

This 1957 book brought compelling drama and conflict to the easy reader section of the library. The glimpse through the window shows that the mother is returning! What will she find? Thing 1 and Thing 2 running through the house, banging their kites around? Disaster! No spoilers in this review...get your own copy!

Although this has been made into a movie and an audio tape, I point out that although it's a great story, it's meant to be a book that the child can read. Translating it into other media is a bit like cheating.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: The book that influenced our culture!
Comment: Times have changed. Little kids left home alone and shouldn't they have been told by their parents not to let anyone in?

This is the book that must of led to a lot of wild house parties and may have spawned many party while your parents are away flicks (Risky Business, etc).

A good fun read with a lilting cadence!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Two boys' review: Simply, a classic
Comment: This silly story centers around self-responsibility. The children panic because they know their mother won't be happy if she comes home and find the house a mess. The fish fluctuates between being an annoyance and a voice of reason.

The story stars a well-meaning cat who tries to release the children from an afternoon of boredom. He brings excitement, which quickly devolves into chaos...or so it seems.

This is a fun bedtime story, nothing more, nothing less. My sons weren't looking for a debate about latch-key children and abandonment. We'll leave those reviews to the sociology graduates.

If your children enjoy this book, I also recommend, The Cat in the Hat Comes Back.

I couldn't imagine our children's bookshelf without these Dr. Suess books, too:

The Cat in the Hat
Green Eggs and Ham
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
The Lorax

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Classic, of course
Comment: This is, of course, the classic beginning reader by Dr. Seuss.

What can I say about it that has not already been said? Honestly, I can't think of a thing. Just that it is a classic, and has taught many children how to read, and is a fun read-aloud to younger kids as well.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: My First Book
Comment: The Cat in the Hat
By Dr. Seuss

The Cat In the Hat was my first book. I remember reading it to my mom in the kitchen while she cooked dinner.

Any child who has to sit, sit, sit on a rainy day, would enjoy a visit from the cat in the hat. He made a game of balancing on a ball, adding items one by one, until the whole thing was overturned and the cat fell on his head.

The cat brought in a box with Thing one and Thing two, while the fish in a pot warned about the mess, and what their mother would do.

Your children's book collection would not be complete without a copy of The Cat In A Hat.

Jill Ammon Vanderwood, author
Through the Rug
Through The Rug: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)

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