Happy Happy Friday!
Here’s my pick for this Friday’s Perfect Picture Book. Be sure to check out Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture book page for lots and lots of perfect picture book links!
Title: Cat Skiddo
Written by Bethany Roberts and illustrated by R.W. Alley
2004 Henry Holt & Company
Suitable for ages: 0-6
“Kittens in the window-one cat, two, jumping down for… CAT SKIDOO! Pit-pat, pit-pat, across the floor. Mew! Mew! Out the door!” These kitty cats are into everything! They tumble and they run, they scurry and they scritch-scratch up the elm tree. They pounce, bounce and jump. Uh-oh, here comes the dog!
Links: Bethany Roberts has an entire kids’ page on her website dedicated to her cat Shasta. Children can read cat riddles, play kitty concentration or kitty cat tic-tac-toe. I’m pretty sure Bethany Roberts LOVES cats! http://www.bethanyroberts.com/My_Cat_Shasta.htm
Why I like this book: Well, the obvious reason is that I LOVE cats, too! I have never been without a cat. My mother tells me that when I was just a year old or so I tried sitting on our cat Puff, because she looked like a comfy pillow. Puff, of course, did not comply! I love the quirkiness of cats and their ability to crawl, climb, or scoot their way into all kinds of spaces. The cats in Cat Skidoo remind me of my cat Dakota who still acts like a kitten even though he is about nine years old. The rhyming lines in the book flow with ease and repetition makes the book great for emerging readers. The book is also full of great sound words.
Land of the Librarian 
Kelly, have you seen/read any of the Pete the Cat books? My K kids love them! Thanks for the website about cats! I’m a cat lover, too!
Hey, Kellie! Great to hear from you! I have not heard of the Pete the Cat books-I’ll have to get them! So glad you stopped by 🙂 See you soon!
Sounds cute. Perfect for a cat lover.
Hi Christie! So glad you stopped by 🙂
I love cats and rhyme. I just added it to my list. Thanks for the review 🙂
You are so welcome, Jennifer!
I must admit I haven’t read too many cat books, so I’ll have to check this one out!
You must be a dog person 😉 This is a cute one-little ones will love it!
This sounds like fun, although I admit the title took me a different direction altogether — our cat (years and years and YEARS ago) used to love to ride on the snow machine (then called a skidoo), and he’d stand on the seat with his paws on the steering/handlebar hinting for a ride!
Hi, Beth! I have never heard of a skiddo-of course I live in Texas where it almost never snows. That is cool! You paint a very cute picture-I can just see your little kitty meowing for a ride! 🙂
Oh, my library doesn’t have this book 😦 It sounds so cute. I just love rhyme. It may have to go on the long list of books I would like to own. So many books….too little money.
I hear you! I have banned myself from Barnes and Noble! lol 🙂
The cover alone would grab a child’s attention — it screams mischief! Oh, what fun and I love the rhyme. I would love to read it, for it’s style. But, it sounds like a fun book for kids.
Hi, Pat! I agree with you- Mischief is a cat’s middle name, and kids can relate as they are curious about everything, too!
That cover is adorable. Lovely choice, Kelly.
Thanks, Catherine!
YAY! I’m so glad to see a book featuring cats. LOVE CATS for all the same reasons as you — they are clearly superior beings. In fact, I’m deep into cat territory now, as my February 12×12 draft AND my next blog poem feature them. 🙂 Have you read Tom’s Tweet? I always love your selections, Kelly!
Hey, Renee! Awesome-a fellow cat lover!! I have not read Tom’s Tweet-will have to check it out! Thanks, Renee 🙂
I love all those bouncy, kitty verbs in the rhymes. I am a cat lover (have two) and would adore these scampering, naughty felines.
Kelly, I awarded you the Liebster blog Award on my blog today. So glad we have connected!
Thank you, so much, Joanna! I, too, am so glad that we have connected. I think we have a lot in common, and it feels great to be able to share my thoughts on reading and writing with someone like you 🙂 You are awesome, Joanna!
We’re a dog family, but willing to expand our book collection — not the family. We’ll give it a try.
Ha! I understand-cats aren’t for everyone 🙂 My husband is not really fond of mine, but Dakota was part of the package!
Kittens are so much fun to draw! We have a cat that has been a part of our family longer than we’ve had kids 🙂 Thank you for posting!
I’ll bet they are fun to draw, Heather! I wish I had that kind of talent! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by my blog!
I really like the opening you quoted “Pit-pat, pit-pat, across the floor. Mew! Mew! Out the door!” That’s great! The cover is cute too 🙂
Thanks! I agree-the cover makes you want to read the book! 🙂
I can totally see the kittens getting into everything! What a fun book.
I love this kind of book-no deep message, just lots of fun and mischief! 🙂
What a great choice! And the resources sounds wonderful for kids!
I love rhyming books…and so do most kids…will have to check this one out.
I love this book because the rhyming is really good. Thanks, Vivian!
Kelly, this book looks delightful! One of those fun, rollicking romps that makes you want to read it over and over. I’m sure there are lots of kid cat-lovers and general mischief makers who would love this book! Thanks so much for adding it to our list. I haven’t read it, so I’ll have to go out and find it!
Thanks, Susanna. I’m happy to contribute a rhyming cat book any day of the week!! 🙂