The Cat in The Hat

Source: amazon.com via TheFishie's on Pinterest

The Cat in the Hat is obviously Dr. Seuss's most well-known book. Published first in 1957, this early reader tells the story of when two otherwise ordinary children are visited by a mischief-loving extraordinary cat. It's a rainy, cold and boring day. Their mother is out when suddenly the Cat in the Hat walks in. He can do all sorts of things like crazy balancing acts and brings strange friends (Thing One and Thing Two) with kites and other toys of their own to entertain the children. The children alternate between amazement and horror as the Cat and the Hat wrecks havoc on their house. The lone voice of reason is a talking fish in a bowl whom we are led to suspect the Cat in the Hat actually may want to eat.

Though I'm not the biggest Dr. Seuss fan, this book did elicit fond memories of reading it to younger children at a shelter in college and even watching the movie. It's excellent rhyme scheme and ridiculous antics will amuse young readers. Though I object to the weird-looking creatures--the cat, in my opinion looks far from a cat, I'm able to rationalize the story by presuming that the children are simply exercising their imagination and none of this is supposed to be real. This explains not only talking animals, but also a huge gap in time from when their mother is walking down the walk towards the house and when she actually walks in the door. Oh, it also explains how the Cat and the Hat is able to walk out the front door, then back in again all while she is supposedly right outside.

My husband apparently loves this story as he could not wait to read it.

Source: Library Book