PPBF: The Cat and the Rat and the Hat

Author: Em Lynas
Illustrator: Matt Hunt
Publisher: Nosy Crow, 2021
Age: 3-6
Themes: rats, cats, hats

Opening: see image below.

Summary: (from my library’s catalog) A raucous, rhyming tale that will have children (and adults) in fits of laughter! Cat is sitting on his favourite mat, when who should come along but Rat with a very nice hat? Cat wants Rat’s hat and will stop at NOTHING to get it. But when Bat arrives wearing a fancy cravat, well, what could be better than that? Chaos ensues as both Cat and Rat decide they MUST have Bat’s fancy cravat for themselves! From Em Lynas and Matt Hunt comes this hilarious, read-aloud picture book, bursting with comic capers and animal antics. With a hilarious, tongue-twister text, slapstick humour, bright neon artwork and colourful, comic characters.

I picked this book because: those colors were shouting at me!! And i too have a manuscript with a cat and a hat! So of course I wanted to see what kind of relationship these characters have with each other – so funny – and how these amazing colors would be used – such great compositions – and how it would all pan out – terrific twist! Read it!

Resources/activities: This book will be great to use in teaching how shapes are the foundation for so many things you can draw; re draw these characters in your own style; get out some graph paper and doodle using the squares; try creating a drawing using a limited number of colors – and loud ones too!

For more Perfect Picture Book Friday picks with teacher/parent resources, check out the list on Susanna Hill’s blog HERE.