Here Comes Teacher Cat

Here Comes Teacher Cat

It’s back to school for the New York Times bestselling Cat when he steps in as a substitute teacher.    Cat is not pleased to be tapped as substitute teacher. Not only is it cutting into his naptime, but a roomful of kittens is a little . . . much . At school, Cat follows the lesson plan of music, building, and painting—only in gradually more mischief-making Cat style. By the end, Cat has learned a thing or two about inspiring others by being himself. But even more heart-melting and humorous is what these adorable kittens have learned from Cat. Read it for  back-to-school and year-rou nd—great as a holiday or year-end teacher's gift! “[A] heart warmer.” — The Wall Street Journal   ★  “Plenty to giggle over.” — Publishers Weekly  (starred review)  "Just purrfect.” — The Washington Post  "Clever . . . Droll."  — The Horn Book “Amusing . . . has much to offer."  — School Library Journal “Adorable. ”  —Common Sense Media PreS-Gr 1—Cat is back for his first non-holiday adventure, this time as a substitute teacher. Ms. Melba has to go to the doctor, so Cat is called upon to lead a classroom of eager preschool kittens. Cat has a few entertaining missteps, but by the time Ms. Melba returns, the whole classroom has enjoyed making music, building, and painting. What Ms. Melba will never know is that music included rocking out on a very loud electric guitar, that Cat showed the kittens how to build a fountain that spouted fish, and that the painting was done on the classroom walls. This fifth installment of series follows the same conventions of the previous titles. The unseen narrator prompts and prods the feline hero along, with many a comment and question from Cat communicated through wordless signs on sticks. Readers are encouraged to interact with the text, just as the narrator does. Soft primary colors and light shading, created with ink and color pencil on white paper, complement the amusing facial expressions of the reluctant protagonist. Plenty of white space, clear layouts, and well-placed, large text make this a great book for a group storytime. VERDICT Whether new to this series or a seasoned fan, this amusing read-aloud has much to offer the younger back-to-school crowd.—Amy Seto Forrester, Denver Public Library “[A] back-to-school heart warmer.” — The Wall Street Journal   ★  “Underwood and Rueda maintain the droll narration and spare visual humor of the previous books as Cat guides eager kittens through music (electric guitars are involved), building time (a “fountain that spouts fish” is involved), and art (major cleanup is involved). There’s plenty to giggle over.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)  "Kids will think it is just purrfect.” — The Washington Post “The interplay between unseen narrator and substitute teacher Cat fuel the humor, and Claudia Rueda's adorable, deadpan illustrations carry the simple story. ” —Common Sense Media  “In a clean-up worthy of  The Cat in the Hat , the kittens pitch in to save the day. . . . Cat's droll expressions and signs are highlights . . . [and] readers may get a kick out of imagining what adventures they might have with their own substitute teachers.” — Kirkus "Whether new to this series or a seasoned fan, this amusing read-aloud has much to offer the younger back-to-school crowd." — School Library Journal "Underwood’s clever use of page-turns and comedic timing . . . deliver a droll story about the joys and challenges of teaching." — The Horn Book Deborah Underwood is the author of several picture books, including the  New York Times  bestseller  The Quiet Book ;  Bad Bye, Good Bye ; and Cat’s other adventures:  Here Comes the Easter Cat, Here Comes Santa Cat , Here Comes the Tooth Fairy Cat , and Here Comes Valentine Cat . She lives in San Francisco with her cat, Bella, who inspires Cat’s hijinks.   Claudia Rueda’s picture books include  Is It Big or Is It Little, Huff and Puff ,  My Little Polar Bear , and of course, Cat’s New York Times bestselling previous adventures.