by Dr Seuss
Anarchic early reader with rhyming text featuring The Cat, the Hat, two Things and a great deal of mess.
Reviewed by: Kit Thomas
About Kit Thomas
"The sun did not shine, it was too wet to play," possibly the most well known opening line in twentieth century children's publishing, this anarchic tale must be engraved on the psyche of millions of thirtysomethings.
Still in print after almost 46 years, I can still remember having it read to me when I was my daughter's age, I had memorised most of it by 5 years old and I still get enormous pleasure from reading it today. Having inflicted it on my offspring from an early age I think she would agree that despite the attractions of Teletubbies and suchlike, the vibrant poetry of Dr Seuss is preferable to TV.
The plot is basic and accessible; Sally and her brother are sat around bored on this rainy day until the eponymous Cat crashes into their lives. In the absence of their mother the Cat has many suggestions for their amusement, despite the weather. The admonitions of the children's pet fish, which adroitly spots a disaster in the making, fall on uncaring ears as the mayhem escalates and the mess accumulates.
The fish's misgivings are borne out when the Cat introduces Things 1 & 2, whose lively antics turn a mess into wreckage and who prove somewhat difficult to catch and contain. The humor is inescapable as the situation spirals out of the children's' control and they can only watch, aghast, as the Cat tries unconvincingly to reassure them.
As mother's return becomes imminent, the fish panics and even the children begin to realise that the situation is hopeless.
What the Cat does next will appeal to any child that has ever been caught red-handed in an unsanctioned activity and wished for the improbable to bale them out. We leave them at the end of the book with a dilemma to consider, one which can only be answered by the reader and one which has resulted in some entertaining discussions on comparative morality as understood by a sharp three year old.
The charm of this book, apart from the delicious fantasy of chaos, is its rhythmic text and simple rhyming structure. It is a joy to read aloud, which is a mercy considering the number of re-runs it gets in our house, and holds the child's attention without effort. Illustrated in Seuss's unique and instantly recognisable style the characters still look as fresh and 'zany' as they did when one could still use the word 'zany' in all seriousness without getting laughed at.
No home should be without this cultural cornerstone and no adult mind should be uncluttered by irrelevant snatches of Seuss's classic verse.
Click here to buy this book, or read more about it at Amazon.com: The Cat in the Hat
Copyright © by Kit Thomas, 2002
Reviewed by Kit Thomas:
-- The Color of Magic/The Light Fantastic - by Terry Pratchett
-- Katherine - by Anya Seton
-- The Cat in the Hat - by Dr Seuss
-- Excession - by Iain M. Banks
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