Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

This cheery entry in the I Like to Read series successfully tells a simple tale and creates a sense of community using just 20 unique words. Short, declarative sentences describe the action. Cat enters a house, climbs up three floors and finds a cozy room just big enough to make a perfect home. Colorful, cartoon-style illustrations help fill in the details. The eponymous hero is a round, yellow cat with a shy smile who starts out shivering on a cold and snowy sidewalk. Jumping into an open window, he lands in a snug cellar, where he meets a friendly rat who sends him up the stairs. The animals who live in the upper stories welcome Cat and offer gifts that reflect their interests. When "Cat [meets] Dog," who sits in a cozy armchair surrounded by bookshelves, Cat leaves with a book tucked under his arm. Rabbit, an enthusiastic gardener, gives him a small potted plant, Bird offers a painting, and Elephant takes time out from playing the piano to provide a hot cup of tea. By the end, "Cat [is] happy," and readers will be too. Plenty of visual cues, lots of repetition and a clear story arc make this a perfect choice for beginning readers--and parents pressed for time will likely be happy to find such a short, sweet read-aloud. (Early reader.4-7)

ALA Booklist

Young readers will be happy to follow the three-word sentences describing a cat's coming in from the cold in this new entry in the I Like to Read series. The first double-page spread establishes a snowy night in the big city: "Cat was cold" is the first caption for our frosty feline. The adventure begins with Cat jumping into an unknown cellar, where "Cat met Rat." Rat directs Cat upstairs, where Dog gives him a book and Rabbit gives him a plant. Cat climbs stairs to the second floor, where Bird gives him a painting of a butterfly and a piano-playing Elephant gives him a nice cup of tea. Cat's ascent leads him at last up to the attic, where he is warm and happy. Cutaway illustrations throughout provide an intriguing peek at all the floors of this veritable zoo of a house. There is much to look at and wonder about in this lovely, fun story, complete with a subtle message about kindness.

Horn Book

A city cat out in the snow lets himself into the basement of an apartment house, where he meets Rat. Going upstairs, he then meets, progressively, Dog, Rabbit, Bird, and Elephant--until he arrives at the top of the building, his own snug home. The simple story and very limited vocabulary combine with cheerfully cluttered illustrations to create an engaging easy reader.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

This cheery entry in the I Like to Read series successfully tells a simple tale and creates a sense of community using just 20 unique words. Short, declarative sentences describe the action. Cat enters a house, climbs up three floors and finds a cozy room just big enough to make a perfect home. Colorful, cartoon-style illustrations help fill in the details. The eponymous hero is a round, yellow cat with a shy smile who starts out shivering on a cold and snowy sidewalk. Jumping into an open window, he lands in a snug cellar, where he meets a friendly rat who sends him up the stairs. The animals who live in the upper stories welcome Cat and offer gifts that reflect their interests. When "Cat [meets] Dog," who sits in a cozy armchair surrounded by bookshelves, Cat leaves with a book tucked under his arm. Rabbit, an enthusiastic gardener, gives him a small potted plant, Bird offers a painting, and Elephant takes time out from playing the piano to provide a hot cup of tea. By the end, "Cat [is] happy," and readers will be too. Plenty of visual cues, lots of repetition and a clear story arc make this a perfect choice for beginning readers--and parents pressed for time will likely be happy to find such a short, sweet read-aloud. (Early reader.4-7)

School Library Journal

PreS-K On a cold night, a chilly kitty slides through the basement window of a house and encounters a rat. As he makes his way up the stairs, he comes upon the other animal residents: a dog, a rabbit, a bird, and an elephant. Each occupant is busy reading, painting, or playing music and presents the feline with a gift. When Cat reaches the top, he settles into his new home and is warm and happy. This selection is pleasantly illustrated in watercolor, gouache, and ink. Cat is a plump, likable yellow tabby. Each animal has its own space as shown in cutaway views of the house. Three-word sentences allow beginning readers to connect with the action of the story while the bright spreads provide lots of opportunities for discussion. Repetitive sentence structure and an engaging, simple story with colorful illustrations offer incentive for new readers to develop their reading skills. Carol Connor, Cincinnati Public Schools, OH