This Is NOT A Cat!

PreS-Gr 1-From the author/illustrator team behind Moo! comes another delightful story in which the pictures provide more information than the text. The opening spread shows three young mice heading to a one-room schoolhouse carrying, instead of apples, cheese gifts for the teacher. Lurking behind a tree is what appears to be a rat, licking his chops at the thought of a cheesy lunch. Once in class, the teacher, on a series of spreads, explains what is and isn't a cat, until suddenly a feline appears in the room (eagle-eyed readers will see it slinking in through the window). The mice are forced to flee outside to safety. But is their unwelcome visitor really a cat? The text repeats only a few phrases but invites kids to emphasize certain words for a lively read-aloud. Children will enjoy looking at Wohnoutka's cartoon illustrations and discovering details that tell the rest of the tale. Storytime providers and parents will find this a great way to promote both print awareness and narrative skills by pointing out the repeated words and generating discussion with young listeners.