Green Eyes

by Abe Birnbaum

A cat recalls favorite experiences from each season of its first year of life, from struggling to get out of its cozy box in the spring, to snuggling by the radiator in the cold of winter.

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

48 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1953

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

A year in the life of a cat on a farm enjoying the seasons. A simple story for beginnings, but the thing about this story is all about the art. The art is so amazing. It is wonderfully colorful and bright with different styles. It is not an impressionist painting from the French style, but the art creates impressions of the cats world. I think it’s really cool

Both kids enjoyed this little story. The nephew gave this 4 stars as he loves kitties and the niece gave this 3 stars.

[Caroline Parker]

Reader- I really enjoyed this book. I've never heard of it until now. It is about a cat who narrates the story about his life as a kitten growing up on the farm and all the things he learned. He then talks about how he just turned one year old and he lives inside the farmers house now. He still does all of the fun things he once did, but how he has grown up as well. The illustrates in this book are very bright and look a like watercolors. It made me want to turn the page and see what was on the next page. This book talks about growing up and maturing and learning things along the way.

Teacher- I would for sure read this book to my class. The kids would stay focused due to the pictures and also that fact that the story is about a cat. Kids like stories that are about animals or fictional characters. The bright colors will also keep the kids interested the whole time. This book teaches the lesson that it's ok to grow up. We can't all stay young forever. Once the cat turns one, he is happy about growing older and he looks back on the fun things he did in his first year of life. This would be a good book for kids leaving kindergarten going to first grade, looking back on all of the memories they had and also showing them that they made it through kindergarten because some might not of thought they would on the first day of school. It shows kids that one of the good things about growing up is being able to look back on all of the memories you make along the way. That's exactly what the cat does in the second half of this book. Overall this book would be a great book to read to my kids with a moral that I could teach.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Green Eyes the cat tells readers about what her first year of life, and her different activities in the different seasons.

The artwork in this is simplistic, but that did not stop kids from absolutely loving the story when I used it as a read aloud during library time. There was always a line of holds for it afterwards. It's a nice book to use when talking about different seasons (at least typical seasons of climates that have 4, our students are always mesmerized by this since Thailand only has three: rainy, hot, and dry).

[Chi Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Green Eyes by Abe Birnbaum features an all-white cat named Green Eyes. Green Eyes lives in an open box at a farm and would at times leave the box to explore his environment; such as running around trees, observing chickens and lay in the grass. As the year passes Green Eyes observes the changing of seasons as Green Eyes grew older his box becomes bigger and continues observing the season.
Green Eyes by Abe Birnbaum is a Caldecott Honor book, with caricature-like artwork with varying shades and tints of colors throughout. And the use of open space shows the vastness of Green Eye’s environment and how tiny Green Eyes is comparatively. Throughout the story the color palette is always bright, portraying joyfulness, and even during the changing of seasons those bright colors are still present. If you didn’t think you could make winter’s grey seem bright and joyous then you really should pick this book up. I recommend this book for young children who really love painting watercolors because this story’s illustrations are wonderful.

[Brooke Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great story about all the different seasons in the year. In the cute picture book, a kitten named green eyes climbs out of his box to explore the world around him. He explains what he sees every season and how it differs from the next. Green Eyes is a very curious cat and when the weather changes he loves to find out what is different each and every time. This is the best book to introduce seasons to children. It creates an interactive read for them to explore the different seasons through the eyes of a cat. Children are usually more drown to animals that people at an early age so they will find this book very interesting! I loved the story of green eyes and feel like it could be a great engaging book for the classroom! The only thing I didn’t like was how dull some of the illustrations were.

[MeganRdg3320 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book because it's about a cat telling it's own story about the adventures it endures along its way over it's life over a year. This story deals with similes as well as it talks specifically about the different seasons throughout the year. This book would be most appropriate for K-1st grade because it's an easy reader. After reading this book in the class you can have your students make a season picture book describing the things that they most like to do during that season.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

On his first birthday, Green Eyes looks back on his year as a kitten, then looks ahead to life as a full-grown cat. This book is so contemporary-looking, it could have been published today. The illustrations have strong, bold lines and lots of color, and the text is pretty minimal - I might consider using this one when I do my pet-themed story times in a few weeks! My favorite page is the spread where the picture window looks out on the white of the snow and Green Eyes curls up in his box beside the radiator.

[Maria Rowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

• 1954 Caldecott Honor Book •

This is so cute! I’m surprised it doesn’t have more ratings on GoodReads. Just a simple story about a cat and what the cat likes and does during the four different seasons.

I read the 1973 edition published by Western Publishing Company (in Racine, Wisconsin!) and it is full color. I’m not sure if the original edition had color, but the colors in this version are beautiful and vibrant.

I loved this!

Materials used: unlisted
Typeface used: unlisted

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very cute story about a white cat growing up from kitten to a 1 yr old cat, noticing the changes in winter and personal abilities as she grows up. The book won a 1954 Caldecott Honor. It has very large brightly colored black-outlined painted illustrations that are very simplistic and kids can relate to easily, as it looks like something a child might do. Recommended for ages 1-6, 3 stars.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

(This book probably gets a star-boost among cat lovers.) The energy and impressionistic quality of the illustrations make the story glide through the year of a cat and the cycle of seasons of that year. The book feels a little dated, but it's hard to believe this was done in 1953 - sixty years old now - standing the test of time well, especially when compared with other books from the era. Even for those with cat ambivalence, this is worth reading.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of a white cat with green eyes who is born in the spring and grows to be able to jump out of his box.He explores the world around him and when he gets tired gets back in the box to rest.He goes through every season learning about things and when spring comes around again he is one year old and ready to go out again.This story shows us how learning can be fun and it helps us to grow with each experience.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute, colorful pictures, and a fun, easy read. Some of the animals are a bit odd looking for my taste, but the illustrations capture the spirit of the story well, and it was well liked by my 9 year-old son. I really loved the vibrancy of the colors, which is unusual compared with other Caldecott books of this era.

[Cathy Blackler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was 5 years old and in kindergarten when I read this book for the first time. It was the first book I checked out of the school library. I can only surmise that I remember this because of the exhilaration I must have experienced at the prospect of having the ability to make this decision all on my own. Book Love, indeed.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seasons are explored in this book about a cat who is growing and learning about the world. While I enjoyed the text, the pictures didn't appeal to me or those around me. While I realize that it's meant to look primitive, I think that it was hard to connect to the cat who to me seemed all strange angles and slightly Picasso in look.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly simplistic story, yet I found myself drawn to the bright, bold colors of the illustrations. I thought it was a little repetitive, but other then that, a nice book.

*Taken from my book reviews blog: http://reviewsatmse.blogspot.com/2008...

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

big old-fashioned kind of gentle animal book. Even the texture of it appealing. Purchased the only copy available to me through library - a paperback. Wouldhave preferred the giant hardcover but happy to even find this gem still in print. Something to keep an eye out for at used booksales.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book! C does too. My only problems with it are I do not like to promote having cats roam outdoors, and cats shouldn't be fed milk. But this is what was done in 1953, and the book is really sweet.

[Courtney Bowman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book talks about a kitten living through the different seasons. The kitten tells the reader the activities that it does throughout each season.

I would want my students to read this book to talk about the different seasons and to show that you can still play outside with anything.

[Laura Hoyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books as a child, I still read my original copy to my kids! I always wanted a white cat, and this book was given to me in place of a real cat. It honestly made not having a cat okay for me. :-)

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has AMAZING illustrations. Green eyes is a cat who has lived his first full years. Green eyes takes us through the different seasons and what each season brings. This book is perfect for pre-school and kindergarten when students are first learning the different seasons.

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice Caldecott Honor picture book from the perspective of a young cat. The idea is fine but writing is a bit lame and the art is not all that special. Not a bad book, it's a nice cat. Just not an especially good one.

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite childhood story.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic that my grandmother read to me. I associate it with winter. Trying to find a copy for the boys!

[Tony Divan · Rating 5 out of 5]

4yr old daughter really liked the pictures and text.

[Lea Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute picture book about a cat enjoying the four seasons. Nicely illustrated.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This brightly colorful picture book tells the story of a young kitten who grows up during the four seasons.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful! The books takes us through the life of a cat. It is very sweet and heartwarming.

[Seema Rao · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story for a cat-lover but a slightly forgettable, historical Caldecott honor book.

[Guilherme Semionato · Rating 4 out of 5]

Open Library.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know that this book is anything special, but it sure does have a lot of nostalgia from my childhood.