By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: April 20, 2010
There are many reasons why cats make great characters in kids’ books: They’re very familiar animals and notorious for being curious—not to mention mysterious, sly, and playful. They make lovable companions and their amazing ability for always landing on all four feet is a talent to marvel at and respect. And … you can’t beat the whole *nine lives* theory!
My favorite cat characters —of the moment—would have to be Mo Willems’ Cat the Cat and Sebastien Braun’s Meeow. Both of these cats star in picture book series that are extremely entertaining and a perfect choice for ages 0-5. From the language to the illustrations, the author-illustrators of these books really know their audience.Meeow Series
by Sebastien Braun
Reading level: Ages 0-5
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Boxer Books
Source of books: Publisher
What to expect: Play and learning
- Meeow and the Little Chairs by Sebastien Braun
- Meeow and the Big Box by Sebastien Braun
- Meeow and the Pots and Pans by Sebastien Braun
- Meeow and the Blue Table by Sebastien Braun
Add these books to your collection: Meeow Series
You may also like: Not a Box by Antoinette Portis and Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis
by Mo Willems
Reading level: Ages 0-5
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Source of books: Publisher
What to expect: Early-learning concepts and friendship
- Cat the Cat, Who Is That? by Mo Willems
- Let’s Say Hi to Friends Who Fly! by Mo Willems
- What’s Your Sound, Hound the Hound? by Mo Willems
- Time to Sleep, Sheep the Sheep! by Mo Willems
Add these books to your collection: Cat the Cat
You may also like: Can I Play Too? (An Elephant and Piggie Book) by Mo Willems
Other notable cat books:
- Chester’s Masterpiece by Melanie Watt
- Mattoo, Let’s Play! by Irene Luxbacher
- Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin
- Cats (Smithsonian) by Seymour Simon
Leave us a comment: Whose your favorite cat character or cat book?