“See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog”
by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka
Candlewick Press, Somerville, Mass., 2020, 64 pages, K-2
Early readers are some of the most difficult books to write. When children begin transitioning from picture books to chapter books, they frequently lack the vocabulary and reading skills to master the text. However, children will proudly show you their chapter books and tell you that they are growing up.
This is all well and good until the students encounter words that are unfamiliar, causing them anxiety. As a result, authors use controlled vocabularies in early readers, which give students an ability to master the texts. David LaRochelle writes a delightful, funny early reader featuring the dog, Max, as the central character. It is broken into three separate stories with humorous pictures to help the youngsters understand the book.
In each story, LaRochelle acts as a narrator and speaks directly to Max. The author then sets up a series of events to which Max must respond. The name of this endearing story is “See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog.”
Max is a happy dog. The narrator asks Max if he is a cat. Max indignantly responds that he is not a cat. Then LaRochelle asks Max if he can see the blue cat. Max is bewildered, there is no blue cat in the picture.
Next, he is told that the blue cat has a green dress. Angrily, Max tells the narrator that he is not a blue cat and does not have a green dress. When told the blue cat’s name is Baby Cakes, Max forthrightly tells the narrator that his name is Max, not Baby Cakes.
However, Max is now asked if he can see the unicorn. Furious, he stands his ground. He is a dog, not a blue cat wearing a green dress. But events soon change Max’s opinion about the situation. What causes this?
Is there a blue cat with a green dress next to a unicorn? What does Max learn? Why is Max so happy at the end of this episode? Have you ever read a story with funny and charming characters? What do you think of Max? To find the answers to these and other questions, go to the library and check out this humorous, charming story, “See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog.”
“See the Cat” won the 2021 Theodore Geisel Award. Theodore Geisel is better known as Dr. Suess. The award is given annually to a book, written in English that is judged to be “most distinguished” for assisting early readers. “See the Cat” is a fitting tribute to Dr. Suess.
The three stories are great fun to read out loud with a younger member of your family. If you are looking for a good laugh, this is the perfect book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
