Click!

by Frank W. Dormer

Things are not at all what they seem in this picture book mystery filled with rhyming wordplay. "It's a perfect day to catch a cat," muses a dog. But to his annoyance, all he seems to find are things that rhyme with cat. Rat. Bat. Gnat. Why can't he catch a cat?! In a fascinating and delightful twist, we 'click!’ to see the the cat has been telling the story all along!

Genres: Picture Books, Humor, Childrens, Dogs, Cats, Fiction, Animals

48 pages, Hardcover

First published April 19, 2016

Reviews

[Lynn]

Boy, was I taken by surprise! I totally missed what "click" meant - I was even quite agitated as the story moved along. I sure did laugh at myself when I got to the clever ending!
Simple line drawings against lots of white space set inside a frame that should provide some clues to the reader as well, but I missed that, too!
Great job, Mr. Dormer!

[Christine Turner]

Favorite Line: "Read my lips!! Cat! C-A-T!! Feline! Cattus-pain-in-the-neckus!!

"There's a Cat on the loose! Fluffy the dog is determined to find it. Click! Click! But while everything Fluffy finds rhymes with cat, it's definitely not a cat? And what's up with all these clicks? Here is a book, a mystery, and a game all wrapped into one. Perfect for the curious cat in all of us!"

Subject: Dogs -- Fiction -- Juvenile fiction.
Cats -- Fiction -- Juvenile fiction.
Picture books.
Humorous stories.

[Kim]

Mini-Me just howled at this one, making it a super-fun read. Now that I realize what all the clicking was about, I know I'll enjoy the re-reads even more.

*Upgrading this to 5 stars based on the fact that Mini-Me wants it as one of her bedtime stories every night now - and laughs just as hard every time.

[Kate Hastings]

Grades K-4. A dog is looking for a cat. Instead he finds random things that rhyme with cat. And then there is the click noise. What is going on? Seriously. Kids will have fun thinking about the possibilities and trying to make sense until all is revealed.

[Jon Nakapalau]

Sometimes you can loose yourself in searching for something...great lesson for everyone!

[Baby Bookworm]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our book today is Click! by Frank W. Dormer, a surreal yet fun tale of a determined dog and an especially savvy cat.

Nose buried in a newspaper, a dog named Fluffy hears that a cat is still on the loose. So today is the day: Fluffy’s going to set out and catch that ca-CLICK! And suddenly, a large hat is obscuring Fluffy’s view. CLICK! CLICK! Now a small creature named Pat has appeared, irking Fluffy (he was looking for a CAT, not a PAT). CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! As the infernal clicking continues, Fluffy is beset with appearing and disappearing clothes and companions, furthering his frustration. Where is it coming from?! The answer will surprise the reader as much as Fluffy the dog…

Flat out, this one is weird, but it’s meant to be. The final twist is definitely a bold one for a picture book, and for kids old enough to understand it, it’s a pretty darn funny one. In fact, the wacky minimalist illustrations and slightly surreal humor make it a great one for clever young readers who are looking for something unexpected. However, it’s also these very elements that may go over the heads of younger readers like JJ – she enjoyed the sound effects and some of the art, but otherwise wasn’t super engaged. But, if you’ve got a reader who has enjoyed books like Mac Barnett’s or Jon Klassen’s, definitely give this one a read. Baby Bookworm approved!

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[raccoon reader]

Who can understand the mind of a three year old boy? Certainly not me.

While I would have pegged this book as a dud, my son absolutely adored it. I had to check it out twice. He found it hilarious and engaging. Oh the giggles. Oh the confusion. He didn't quite understand *what* exactly was going on, but he knew he loved it. I'd recommend checking it out from you r library to see if your preschooler falls in love with the book two. This is one we might have to end up buying if he keeps asking for it lol.

[Sadia Mansoor]

Hahahaha... the frustration of the dog was just too much! :D
The funniest line was "Read my lips!! Cat! C-A-T!! Feline! Cattus-pain-in-the-neckus!!" :D

Enjoy the book https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnL3E...

[Cheryl]

I get it. I can see how the humor and the art would appeal to some. I actually should like it, because of the word-play and the twist at the end. But actually it does not 'click' with me at all. Sorry. Still, I'm not the target audience, and other reviewers say that their littles love it, so, go ahead, try it, if you're interested. I won't rate.

[Pamela]

Simple, fast but original read that surprisingly jarred me at the end, ripping me away from the story I thought I was in and taking me into another one. I like how it works as a metaphor for the power a story can have (no matter the format) to take you out of the here-and-now and into a world fueled by your imagination.

[Zara]

Honestly I am not able to get the point of this book at all. What did the writer would say? Can anyone explain further???

[Rylea Baumberger]

Click! has some advantages and disadvantages. The first time I read it I was not thrilled but then when I read it to some kids they laughed and thought it was very funny and enjoyed the book a lot. I used this book to talk about a more friendly version of predator- prey relationships, and also to have a small discussion about rhyming. One of the main reasons I did like this book is because for a response technique I had them rewrite the book based on the pictures using though and quote bubbles on sticky notes. The pictures are simple and the text is in speech bubbles itself so this response strategy allowed students to be creative and was right in line with how the author write this book. Although this is not my favorite post modern picture book, I do like how it has a twist at the end and includes the game into the story but does reveal that until later in the book.

[Jessica]

I usually like a book where you think one thing is going on, but it turns out something that is going on entirely, but when it has to do with a cat playing a computer game, I am not a fan. Kids are on their screens too much already without putting it in books, too.

[Mandy]

(3.5 stars)

[Heydi Smith]

So the dog is a character in a computer program but he's sentient?

[J]

A dog is trying to catch a cat. But random things keep happening, and what's with all the clicks? Prepare for a plot twist!

[Omar Syed]

I liked this book because it had funny sentences.And because it had jokes too.And there were soo many characters.

[Elizabeth S]

I can tell that it was supposed to be clever, but I was thoroughly confused.

[Jonathan]

I found it to be quite plain and strange.

[Viviane Elbee]

The best part about this book is the end - when you finally realize what is going on.

Kids laughed when we got to the end.

It's a clever concept.

Before reaching the end though we were a bit confused by all the clicking and couldn't quite figure out how this dog was going to find a cat.

I think this is for the older kids (older preschoolers and elementary) rather than young children, and can be used to discuss rhyme.

Illustrations are done in a scribbly looking style.

[S]

The misuse of words/rhyming word play was a nice thought but somehow it didn't come together for me. Possibly because I disliked the illustrations? I can't really explain it other than a rather extreme feeling of 'meh'.

[Katie]

Genre: picture book
Plot: A dog is desperate to catch a cat. Some mysterious "clicks" are preventing him. He finds things that rhyme with cat, or have cat in the name.
Readers' Advisory:
Recommended age: 4-7

[Britt, Book Habitue]

I have no idea how to rate this. It wants to be really clever... and in some ways it is.... but at the same time it just doesn't quite work.

[Miss Janis the Storytime Lady]

no. withdrawn from circulation.

[Robin]

Enjoyed the mixed-media illustrations more than the storyline.

[The Book Box]

Mama read this to me the other night.