Night Cat

by Margaret Beames, Sue Hitchcock (Illustrations)

The simple and evocative tale of an intrepid cat's adventures on one dark night in a spooky, moonlit garden.

Oliver the cat lives in a house with a garden, a garden full of light and shadows, full of things that dance and flutter; a garden that comes to life in the moonlight and tempts the young cat to stay outside all night. And so he does. But Oliver's excitement soon turns to fear as he encounters the mysterious and scary sights and sounds of the dark garden. The garden is dark and wet and lonely -- and home is safe and dry and warm. Suddenly, Oliver decides that his owner might be frightened, too, and that it's his duty to go inside to comfort her. And so he does.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Cats, Fiction, Storytime

40 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2003

About the author

Margaret Beames was a New Zealand children's author whose imaginative narratives draw young readers into worlds of drama and suspense. A prolific writer, Beames had published forty books for children since her first, The Greenstone Summer, in 1977. Several titles have been published in Australia and the UK. She won the Picture Book and Children's Choice categories at the 2001 New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards, and, since 1987, was been a finalist several times in the same awards. Beames had also written drama for stage and radio.

Reviews

[Sunny Carito · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the sweet, sometimes scary, story of a headstrong cat who decides to stay out late one night. His night world is shown through eye-popping multimedia collages that uses color, silhouettes, and computer generated art to great effect. There is a wonderful sense of movement in the art that works with the text to bring the cat and other creatures he meets to life. It's exciting to show different art styles to children and this one is very different from the average picture book. Good for all ages, though a little lengthy for toddlers with short attention spans.

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Night Cat is a lovely read for children and adults. Though the illustrations can be a bit spooky at times, the over all story is fun and really shouldn't scare the average child. It's a good way to introduce the concept that spooky can be fun and not scary. Oliver the cat is adorable and I think many people will be able to relate to him. I recommend buying to keep and not just borrowing from the library.

[Sarah Alston · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very creepy, which is awesome! Maybe a little too creepy for very small kids, or maybe just a good Halloween book :) I liked the illustrations - how fluid they are and how lovely the story is.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the illustrations of this book, I feel they really enhanced the story of Oliver the cat. Oliver thinks he wants to stay outside all night, but it ends up not being as fun as he thinks.

[Kelly Ardyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cute and the cats expressions where cracking my kids up.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun exposure to the night life that a cat doesn't usually get to see. A nice read aloud for the braver preschoolers.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book! The illustrations are marvelous and it allows for a discussion of nocturnal animals!

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cat refuses to go inside, and then gets scared by all the critters outside. The art style was bizarre, but kind of cool! Didn't know if I was a huge fan of the text.

[Nichole · Rating 5 out of 5]

So accurate to cats. Love it.

[Krystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable

[Sarah Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the pictures. A story of a cat that wants to stay out at night and ends up wishing it was inside.

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art was really interesting in how it depicted night scenes and it’s an interesting story.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter was OBSESSED with this book. She called it the Halloween Kitty Book.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not a cat fan, so maybe that's why this didn't thrill me. It's the story of a cat who fancies himself quite the hunter and decides to stay out one night to prowl around. After an initial gross-out when he chomps down a moth, he spends the rest of the night mostly getting spooked. Overall, it's a bit dark and creepy.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book; just what cats seem to be. It is funny and cute. Oliver the cat hides when Mrs. Bundy calls him in for the night. He runs and pounces and gets scared. When he wants to come in the house he yowls until Mrs. Bundy lets him in. He thinks to himself that he wasn't scared of the big opossum but that Mrs. Bundy would be lonely without him.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful edgy art captures a restless cat's prowl through the night yard. Fear of the dark, the lure of the night, the comfort of home, the dual urges for independence and security both are some of Oliver cat's yowling, growling thoughts and feelings, all of which children will understand.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cat has a lot of spooky adventures when they get locked outside for the night. The illustrations use a lot of night colors and are filled with dramatic movements, so it is both anxiety-provoking and exciting.

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a truly delicious story of a cat who thinks he wants to explore all night and refuses to come in when he's called. But the night is long and the comforts of home are great. A spine tingling read for the 3-6 age range.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A familiar story for me-- the cat won't come for the night!

[Skylar Burris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the illustrations. They really put me into the mind of the cat. The writing could use some assistance.

[Rebecca Waring-Crane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun for to read aloud with pre-schoolers.

[Foxytocin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unforgettable illustrations.......rather silly hommage to pampered house cats slipping out the front door every night all over the world.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first, Oliver the cat is excited about staying out all night in the fascinating garden, but then unexpected adventures leave him ready for his indoor cushion.

[Trina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible artwork and, as a person who has dealt with a cat not wanting to come in at night, enjoyable to read with a kid.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the illustrations quite a lot. A little confusing as to whether the owl is actually attacking the cat or not.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great night drawings and a fun story of a cat wanting out to enjoy the night. But is the outside at night really better than inside at night? You'll have to read it to find out!

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Owen and Ilana loved this book. We read it at least a dozen times!