Here Comes Teacher Cat

by Deborah Underwood, Claudia Rueda (Illustrator)

Overview

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, well, scary. At school, he’s faced with six adorable kittens and follows the lesson plan of music, building, and painting—only in pure, 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 the kittens have learned from Cat.

“[A] back-to-school 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

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780399539053
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	08/08/2017
Pages:	88
Product dimensions:	8.10(w) x 7.10(h) x 0.70(d)
Lexile:	AD520L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

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.

Editorial Reviews

★ 05/15/2017
When Ms. Melba has to go to the doctor, the star of Here Comes the Easter Cat and its sequels reluctantly agrees to be a substitute teacher at Kitty School. 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 on almost every page, but the funniest moment might belong to Ms. Melba, who returns to the classroom with a “cone of shame” around her neck. Ages 3–5. Author’s agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

[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

From the Publisher

08/01/2017
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

School Library Journal

2017-05-15
Cat is back, a busy schedule of naps interrupted by some substitute teaching when Ms. Melba gets sick. Will Cat survive?It turns out that missing naps isn't the worst part—attempts to escape out the window or hide under the desk show that kittens are out of Cat's comfort zone. But the unseen narrator's guilt trip about Ms. Melba's past kindnesses gets the feline moving, albeit reluctantly. But what to do with all those identical-looking kittens? Music? Sure, but when the recorders prove discordant, Cat breaks out an electric guitar, which disturbs the class next door. Building time is more successful, but Cat again goes too far with art time, providing bowls of paint and demonstrating how to dip paws in and make prints on the wall. Uh-oh. Ms. Melba's back (from the vet, evidently, as she is in an Elizabethan collar that will have pet owners chuckling). In a clean-up worthy of The Cat in the Hat, the kittens pitch in to save the day. And when asked what they learned, they use signs like Cat's to explain. And Cat? Cat's learned that kittens aren't so bad after all. Cat's droll expressions and signs are highlights, but while amusing, this entry doesn't rise to the level of predecessors; Cat doesn't walk that fine line between nasty and nice in the way that readers have come to expect, and the give-and-take with the narrator also isn't as much fun. Not Cat's funniest outing, but readers may get a kick out of imagining what adventures they might have with their own substitute teachers. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews