Cat Poems

by Dave Crawley, Tamara Petrosino (Illustrator)

They wake you up at dawn, nap on your lap, perch on the book you're reading, and sometimes act as though they don't know you. They are a constant source of puzzlement?and joy. In this collection of poems, Dave Crawley pays tribute to the fabulous, finicky felines he has known and loved since childhood, capturing classic cat antics with affection and humor. Tamara Petrosino's watercolor illustrations amplify the humor and depict cats' expressions, postures, and mischievous ways as only a devoted cat owner could.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Cats, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2005

Reviews

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I happened to see this book at the library book sale and I couldn't resist buying it. We are suckers for books about cats anyway, and these poems are a lot of fun to read. The illustrations are colorful and cartoonish and complement the poems nicely. We all read this book separately and it's a fast read.

I belong to the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads. For June 2013, we selected Poetry books and for July 2013, we selected Cats and Dogs. So even though this book wasn't nominated or selected for either month, I was excited to find a book that celebrates both.

The 24 poems vary by topic, but overall, they truly capture what it means to be a cat or have a cat as a pet. Some discuss different breeds, but mainly they cover the myriad personalities and humorous traits that we love so much about our pets. Now we'll bring this back to the library, so they can sell it again...

[Laney Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This entire book is filled with poems about cats. They were all very fun to read and I enjoyed them very much! I had a great time reading these poems. They were mostly easy reads, some were a little more challenging than others. But, none of them were bad and I think kids will enjoy them as much as I did.

[Lisa Skripps · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cat Poems, is a fun and whimsical book of poetry about cats by Dave Crawley. The book is broken down into poems about 24 different types of cats; all the way from cats who sleep to cats who help. Children will laugh as they read the poems and think about all of the mischief that their own cats get into. Crawley does a wonderful job of keeping the reader interested in the book through fantastic word choice and through the incorporation of illustrations by Tamara Petrosino. This book is geared toward children in the younger grades.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Discovered this book in a Little Free Library and I love all things cat...so the book came home with me.
Its a very fast read and its fun for all ages.
It's funny, and the rhymes are purrrrfectly written. Great illustrations too.

[Alisha Ptacek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal Reaction- I really liked this book because the cats in the poems remind me a lot my cats. These poems would be really engaging to young children that cats. The illustrations go along well with the poems, which only adds to the realistic behaviors of cats.

Purposes:
Read aloud to 1st-3rd grade children for several potential purposes:
The poems are very lyrical and easy for children to recognize as poetry. Most of the poems have an almost musical like rhythm to them. All the poems contain a lot of rhyme. A couple of the poems in the book contain some onomatopoeia as well.
Curriculum: Read aloud
-Discussion of poetry
-Discussion of the shape of the poems and their organization on the page.
-Discussion of the rhythm of poetry.
Independent reading for grades 1st-3rd for several purposes:
Children with pets and particularly cats will enjoy these poems. They will help the children to grow to love and appreciate poetry.

[Lv2readB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crawley, D. (2005). Cat poems. Homesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press.

Summary:
A collection of Dave Crawley’s poems about cats: their amusing and humerous antics, with child-appealing watercolor illustrations by Tamara Petrosino.

Reviews/Awards:
School Library Journal 6/1/2005
Booklist 4/1/2005
Publisher's Weekly 3/14/2005

Curriculum Connection:
* Great for rhyming poems
* Children can relate to these simple poems, even if they have never had a cat! 1st-2nd graders would have fun memorizing or readers theater-like acting out the poems in front of an audience.

Grades:K-4

[Jessica Wenninger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an hilarious read and I really think children will get a kick out of the poems and the pictures. The poems tell about the life of cats and the various things they do on a daily basis. I really enjoyed the illustrations found in this book.

[Heather Ledet · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good model for how to write poetry.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and funny.