Reviews

Big Cat, Little Kitty


School Library Journal - July 2011

Going through the days of the week in habitats around the world, Cohn introduces a variety of large, wild cats and parallels the behaviors with those of domestic felines. Each dramatic spread highlights a cat taking charge of its own domain. The book has been written with discussion prompts and extension activities in mind. Several are included and more are accessible on the publisher’s website. A free 49-page teaching guide will be attractive to teachers. However, the story can be simply enjoyed on its own. -Laura Stanfield, Campbell County Public Library, Ft. Thomas, KY

Library Media Connection - Nov/Dec 2011

Bold, color illustrations help to make a lively comparison between domestic and wild cats from around the world as readers are playfully introduced to wild felines and their habitats. Clever comparisons are mirrored in both text and artwork. Patterned predictability makes this an enjoyable reading experience that both entertains and informs. This nonfiction text introduces readers to geography, animal vocabulary, and days of the week. Repetition and the question-answer format provide young readers with familiar language patterns. Older readers will appreciate the additional resources that include feline facts, a map of regions where cats live, and cat related activities. Additional information and curricular materials are included on the publisher's website. -Amy Merrill, Reading Specialist, Calvin Coolidge Elementary School, Binghamton, NY

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine - November 2011

This lovely book, Big Cat, Little Kitty, introduces youngsters to the days of the week as they travel to seven different habitats to meet wild big cats, which are cleverly compared to domestic cats closer to home. Is a big cat's hunt for food similar to a little kitty's playing with a ball of yarn? Read and find out! The full-color illustrations are rich, creamy, and captivating!

Eclectic Homeschool Online - February 2012

Wild cats represented include the tiger, lion, jaguar, bobcat, cheetah, snow leopard, and cougar. The domestic cats are cleverly chosen to mirror their larger cousins. The pictures are colorful and lifelike, and the book is tuned to young children's sensibilities in that none of the cats catches any prey in the course of the story.

Frugal Family Tree - January 2012

Its a cute book that is wonderfully illustrated with comparisons like a jaguar living in the jungle to a kitty who lives near a pond. Its really cute. If you have a cat admirer in your family or want to teach more about animals that are wild and domesticated this is a great book for that.

Home School Book Review - May 2011

Cats are fascinating animals.  A lot of folks, like our family, are “cat people.”  Big Cat, Little Kitty will introduce youngsters to the different kinds of cats, both wild and domesticated.  Author Scotti Cohn has already written One Wolf Howls and is working on a third similar book On the Move about seasonal migrating animals.  And the lush, colorful drawings by Susan Detwiler have a great visual impact.  In addition to illustrating One Wolf Howls, she has also provided illustrations for the award-winning Pandas’ Earthquake Escape. It's an all around great book.

Mymc Book's Blog - December 2011

My Review: The author introduces us to seven wild cats like the tiger, cheetah, lion, snow leopard, cougar, jaguar, bobcat and pet cats in their different habitats. On different days of the week, each wild cat and the kitties are asked questions about whom they are and their habitat.

What I found funny was when the tables were turned on the wild cat. When a bobcat steps out of the woods unto a fresh cut grass he saw sitting on a lawn a kitty and a dog. The wild cat bobcat asked, “Who are you? And whose backyard is this?” The dog growls and barks. “I am King.” Little kitty hisses and puffs out her fur. “I am Queenie.” Together they shout, “This is OUR backyard!” The bobcat screams and bounds across the lawn and disappears into the woods.

This is an easy to read book with great illustrations that will have any child interested in the world of animals. I highly recommend this book for classroom reading as it introduces children to counting.

Stories for Children Magazine - May 2011

My family has cats on the brain right now, as our mama farm cat just had five kittens in our garage, but we would have enjoyed this book even without the new kitties. The illustrations are vivid and beautiful. The repetition is predictable, but in an excellent way that fully engages the young listener/reader. The included educational activities urge the reader to learn more about the cats and master the key points throughout the book. A lively and fun book!

Midwest Book Review - August 2011

Big Cat, Little Kitty" presents a stunningly illustrated set of pairs of cats to show the relatedness of big cat species to the more familiar and much smaller domestic cat breeds. Big cat species depicted include the lion, tiger, jaguar, bobcat, cheetah, snow leopard and cougar. Many examples of domestic felines are shown in contrast, though they have similar characteristics. At the end of "Big Cat, Little Kitty" there are fun facts for creative minds, plus a map and matching activity for the 7 cats of the world featured, plus Cat True False Questions and Cat Senses and Adaptations.

Queen of the First Grade Jungle - July 2011

I love the connection Big Cat, Little Kitty makes between the exciting cats of the wild and your everyday house cat! As a strong believer in the power of picture books, I truly think this book is perfect for all elementary grade levels.

A Mother's Touch - July 2011

This book was my favorite. It follows the daily activities of many large cats through a week and compares these activities to a small house cat. The story show the differences between the large and small cats, and the similarities. I found this to be an educational book on the animal kingdom, but also a good book on diversity.

Papertrails Family Blog - July 2011

What I learned from this book is that there are a lot of differences between cats who live with people and the ones that live in the wild. My favourite part of the book is when the snow cat says to the bunny rabbit, “This is my mountain" and the bunny scurries into his rabbit hole just in time to get away from the snow cat. (And then the snow cat creeps away in the snow.) Another thing I learned from this book is that there are cats that live in many different parts of the world. Also, I found out that many cats have prey. One thing I am happy about is that the cardinal only loses a few feathers in this story. You should know that our family has two cats, Jasper and Asia. That's why I found it so nice to read about other members of the cat family!
-Myles, Age 7

Book Loons - May 2011

This is a great teaching book for children aged 4 to 9. The educational pages include the cats and their Latin names, cat senses, and a world map indicating where each of the big cats live, plus a list of interactive websites. The reader can decide how much to teach, by age or the interest of the child.

Kate's (Little Ones) Learning Lounge - June 2011

The informative nature of this book is sure to peak the interest of children who are cat lovers, while introducing children to different habitats around the world and the different types of cat they may or may not previously have been familiar with. The text is simple and the illustrations provide a great deal of additional detail that will easily engage children in discussion throughout the reading.

GoodReads - June 2011

Overall, I feel this book would be a great addition to any child's or school's library. Especially if you have a cat at home, your child can discover the wonder of the wild animal lurking in little kitty.

Heck of a Bunch - May 2011

This book is a great tool to teach children the different species of cats and their territories.

Just Another New Blog - May 2011

My kids love cats and were fascinated by Big Cat, Little Kitty. This delightful book makes the connection between wild cats and their domesticated cousins. It subtly reinforces children's knowledge of the days of the week. For every day, the book introduces one Big Cat - a lion, tiger, bobcat, cheetah, snow leopard, cougar, and jaguar - and one cute little kitty. The beautiful illustrations visually show to kids that wild and domestic cats share many features. The eyes of the wild animals, the color of their fur and their spots are mirrored by the cats living in the garden, the backyard, and the porch. Each cat rules over his own habitat shared by other animals.

Chronicles of an Infant Bibliophile - April 2011

With an inventive style, Big Cat, Little Kitty compares the lives of wild cats and their more domesticated counterparts. It contains just enough repetition to create a thread between the wild and tame animals, and to engage repitition-loving young readers without driving parents nutty.

Books 4 Learning - April 2011

Cohn does a superb job paralleling the lives of wild and domesticated cats.  She offers an ideal opportunity to discuss or to illustrate with a chart (for older children) how they are similar and how they differ.  The author also naturally incorporates in the text days of the week and times of day, providing a springboard for learning for younger children.   The repetitive, pattern text creates a quick familiarity with the action, prompting children to anticipate and participate in future rereading.  Both are foundational literacy skills.  Finally, the text includes some similes adults can identify and explain.  Adult readers can create (and illustrate) similes with their class or children.  Artist Susan Detwiler stunningly illustrates the various habitats—savannah, jungle, snowy mountains, desert, woods, and forests—in vivid color and detail.  Similarly, each domesticated cat is imaginatively shown in a comparable environment or situation.  Whether in the wild or in the home, this book depicts big and little kitties alike as magnificent, self-reliant, and poised creatures.  Big Cat, Little Kitty is a rollicking pounce around the globe.

Feathered Quill Book Reviews - April 2011

Big Cat, Little Kitty is an excellent book to teach youngsters about wild cats and their domesticated cousins.

Just Our Thoughts - April 2011

This is a sweet book with bright pictures and a friendly story. I know my children will enjoy reading this over and over. I love the unobtrusiveness of the teaching of the habitats, the days of the week and the differences between the two kinds of cats!

"You might be pleased (I hope!) to know that I was comparing my K reading list with one of the teachers for next year and she reads Katy, No Pocket (an oldie, but goodie) for her "K" letter book.  I've decided that Big Cat, Little Kitty will be the perfect fit - as it so clearly shows the C and K sounds being similar.  And, I love to be able to teach the kids the idea of writing a concept book!" -Jean Daigneau, Library Aide, St. Patrick's School

"Big Cat, Little Kitty is PERFECT for a mini-lesson on comparing/contrasting. It also has the days of the week, and a map of the world, documenting big and small cats all over (perfect for a social studies research project!). For teachers of older elementary/middle school grades, Scotti Cohn's wonderful word choices would be the perfect anchor text for a mini-lesson in choosing more precise vocabulary." -Brenna Guillo Davis, First Grade Teacher, Riverview Kensett Elementary School