Captain Cat – Perfect Picture Book Friday

Title: Captain Cat

Author & Illustrator: Inga Moore

 Publisher: Candelwick Press, 2013

Ages: 5-8

Themes: cats, reciprocity, adventure, exchange, happiness

Opening:

Captain Cat loved cats. There were more cats on board his ship, the Carlotta, than there were sailors in his crew–which is why his sailors called him captain Cat.

Synopsis:

Captain Cat loves cats. In fact, he has more cats on his ship than he has sailors. On one voyage, he discovers a remote and lonely island where the little-girl Queen has never even seen a cat. When Captain Cat’s furry companions trounce the rats infesting the island, the Queen begs Captain Cat to trade her the cats for untold treasure. Does he? Could he? What happens next? Never fear, fellow travelers! The purr-fect solution is on the horizon — and is sure to satisfy both pet-lovers and adventurers. (Publisher)

Why I like this book:

A story where cats are worth more than treasure, what’s not to like? Captain Cat is longer than most picture books nowadays, and reads like a classic but has a freshness too. It is a heartwarming tale with a very satisfying twist at the end. Moore’s illustrations are luminous, and her cats ADORABLE. Also the portrayal of the queen is just perfect.

A great class read-aloud even if it does not have a lot of curriculum, connections.

My favorite line: “Oh, well done, you clever cats!” cried the Queen with delight as she inspected the neat rows of corpses lined up on the Royal Palace floor.

Activities/resources:

Have your students draw their favorite cat from the illustrations. (hundreds to choose from)

Each week a group of bloggers reviews picture books we feel would make great educational reads. To help teachers, caregivers and parents, we have included resources and/or activities with each of our reviews. A complete list of the thousands of books we have reviewed can be found sorted alphabetically and by topics, here on Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.