Book of the Week: Cats Night Out

Cats Night Out by Caroline Stutson Illustrated by Jon Klassen

Published: 2010 by Simon & Schuster

Reasons why I liked this book, and chose it as Book of the Week:

These aren’t just regular cats – these are dancing cats! And who doesn’t love a cat that can dance?!?

I really enjoyed the overall feel of this book.

This book really made me want to explore other kinds of music, kinds that I normally wouldn’t listen to.

Set in the heart of the City, readers will be able to find cats dancing and prancing all over rooftops.

What kind of dances can these cats do: they samba, they boogie woogie in poodle skirts, they tango, and tip tap in pink tuxedos.

There’s music to be found all over the city – drifting from the smooth jazz clubs, from apartment windows, from the beats found in their dance-filled cat hearts.

With each page, the number of dancing cats almost doubles. Starting up with two, than four, than six.

I love how this book isn’t only about music and dancing cats. It’s a book that will really help young readers learn all about numbers in a fun-fill way.

The cats also line dance in rhinestone boots, twist and turn, fox trot in top hats, rumba, polka, and conga along clothes lines.

Unfortunately the human neighbors aren’t too happy with the dancing cats or with all the loud music drifting into their windows and waking them up at all odd hours of the evening.

But it’s getting lighter out, and the cats know that their evening dance marathons are coming to an end.

The text rhymes. Beyond that it’s a solidly written picture book that will really capture reader’s attention.

The illustrations are spectacular. I especially love the use of darker colors.

Speaking of illustrations, I really loved how when the cats were busy dancing they were wearing some hip threads, but when they returned to their normal cat lives at sunrise they were suddenly clothes-less.

And I love how all the humans featured in the book all look the same. And they are all wearing the same clothes.

This book, even though short and sweet, is a really fun read.

 

This was a really fun book.