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Describes the life cycle, behaviors, and physical characteristics of cats.

32 pages, Hardcover

First published July 31, 2003

3 people are currently reading
55 people want to read

About the author

Anna Milbourne

223 books49 followers
Growing up in North West England and in Germany, Anna wrote plays about talking animals, and stories about naughty children, and drew on every available surface. After school, she did an Art Foundation course, then a degree in German Literature & Philosophy at Oxford University. In 1998 she found her perfect job at Usborne in London, writing about everything from curious penguins to trips to the Moon. Usborne.com

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5 stars
46 (52%)
4 stars
30 (34%)
3 stars
11 (12%)
2 stars
1 (1%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Profile Image for Bionic Jean.
1,396 reviews1,593 followers
June 22, 2017
Cats is a very attractive early reading book in the "Usborne Beginners" series of of almost 50 factual books. Each is a slim hardback, a little bigger than a typical paperback size. They are illustrated profusely within the text, using both photographs and beautiful realistic artwork. The series is overseen by a reading consultant, and it shows.

What makes this book stands out from other cat books for children, is its clarity and accuracy. Of course it is beautiful to look at, and any cat lover of any age will be tempted to pick it up and have a look for a moment or two! This one also uses very clear bold text, in a "sans serif" font style, and
using the simple written letter "a" which children themselves write, and find easier to recognise. Here is an example taken from part of the back cover:



There 14 sections, each consisting of a double page spread, covering areas such as "Cat talk", "Keeping Clean", "Nightlife", "Kinds of Cats" etc. Each title is listed in the table of contents, as is the glossary and index, which are both at the back of the book.

Although this would be suitable for a child of around 5 to 7, a much younger child will enjoy hearing it read to them, and looking at the pictures. You may even find that you learn something new about cat behaviour yourself, from this attractive little book!

"If a cat partly closes its eyes and purrs, it means it feels happy."

"A cat's tongue is very rough. When a cat licks its fur, its tongue works like a comb."

"Most cats hate water, but Turkish Vans love swimming."
Profile Image for Metin Yılmaz.
1,090 reviews127 followers
October 8, 2017
Tübitak yayınlarının çocuklar için bilim kitapları seriainden bir kitap. Kediler hakkında bilgilerin yer aldığı ve neyi neden yaptıklarına dair güzel bir kitap. Fakat az biraz daha bilgi olabilirdi. Örneğin kedilerin bırakın sadece kedileri, hayvanların yaşam haklarının hiçe sayıldığı ülkemizde onların da en az bizler kadar hakkının olduğunu, birer can olduklarını çocuk yaşta anlatmalıyız diye düşünüyorum.
Profile Image for Allison boozy bookworm.
170 reviews107 followers
April 30, 2020
Little One's Book Review: "Cats" (Usborne Beginners Series) by Anna Milbourne, designed by Michelle Lawrence

Read together April 25, 2020

Rating: 5 / 5 ⭐️

Book #25 in our 1000 Books Before Kindergarten challenge

This Usborne book is a great children's introduction to the exciting world of kittens and cats. It's a detailed book, heavy on the science and biology of the feline species, but still elementary enough for little people. (Note: At almost 8 months, Logan is definitely not the target audience for this title -- or most of the titles we read -- so it is much more appropriate for an older child).

The book is interesting and full of facts, and I read some things that I didn’t know about cats, even as a cat owner. The graphics include both photographs and artwork and fill out the book in a streamlined way. It's a good primer for cat newbies and lovers alike, or for anyone eager to learn something new about their feline friends. We will revisit this one when Logan is older, maybe about 4-5.

5 / 5 ⭐️ for being richly informative and entertaining.
Profile Image for Alana Robinson.
205 reviews
May 4, 2021
I really liked this book and it inspired me to make a book about cats.
Profile Image for Cameron Lazenberry.
113 reviews1 follower
May 12, 2022
I mean, easy 5 for me, I'm bias as hell because I love cats but also I found a lot of the info new and neat. I think this is a great kids (and some adults) book to get aquatinted with what it's like owning a cat and how to interpret their mannerisms. Very fun read.
Profile Image for Marcia.
3,807 reviews15 followers
August 5, 2024
This nonfiction early reader was a huge hit with my 5-10-year-olds. Interesting facts told in an accessible, engaging way. A good addition to the nonfiction pet section.
Profile Image for Joni.
127 reviews5 followers
May 12, 2011
This book was surprisingly very good, very on target with what children find interesting. The coolest parts to Benjamin were the brief, simple explanations of cats' behavior ("If a cat rolls onto its back, then it feels safe with you." etc.) The pictures are all fantastic, the language is just right for young ones and beginning readers, the whole book is just extraordinarily well made. And, a beautiful hard back that only cost me $4.99. I will be ordering more.
Profile Image for Cris.
449 reviews6 followers
February 13, 2014
My advanced beginning reader is really loving the Osborne Beginners Set. It is really excellent non-fiction that uses simple vocabulary but does not dumb it down. It is peppered with silly/strange facts at the end of each page and there are a lot of drawn pictures. The whole set is really great.
Profile Image for Candis.
131 reviews2 followers
March 1, 2016
My 3 and a half year old loves cats. And this book.
Profile Image for Debesuota.
253 reviews
August 9, 2018
Çok hoş bilgiler öğreten bir kitaptı.Gerçekten bir sürü yararlı bilgi öğrendim.Güzel okunabilir bir kitaptı.Beğendim.Fotoğrafları da güzeldi.
Profile Image for Melissa.
872 reviews91 followers
July 23, 2016
Cute and informative, though short! Good for kids & adults.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews

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