What do you think?
Rate this book
Cat in the Manger
Long ago in a faraway land, a cat lived in a barn… The wonder of the Nativity story is captured through the eyes of a cat in this beautiful picture book.
32 pages, Paperback
First published September 28, 2000
1 person is currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Michael Foreman
345 books42 followersMichael has worked on magazines, book jackets, animated films, TV adverts, and even for the police, sketching criminals described by witnesses. As well as illustrating many of his own books, Michael has illustrated over a hundred books for authors such as Shakespeare, J. M. Barrie, the Brothers Grimm, Charles Dickens and Oscar Wilde. Michael has travelled widely - to Africa, Japan, the Arctic Circle, China and Malaysia, the Himalayas, Siberia and New Zealand - to research his books. "I do a lot of research when I'm travelling - I find it thrilling to discover the particular 'art' of different landscapes and work them into a book. But I find I have to travel by myself, otherwise I'm constantly getting involved in other people's impressions of a place... I try to be invisible when I'm travelling, so I tend to listen in on conversations rather than participate in them - I just want to look and draw."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 3, 2024
Cat in the Manger is a large landscape book for mainly pre-school children. It is a quirky retelling of the Christmas Nativity story, seen through the eyes of one little farmyard cat. We can tell this cat has attitude, by the very first sentence:
“Now, I’ve got nothing against cows. They may be a bit stupid and clumsy, bumping into each other as they do, but at least they are warm. On a cold night they heat the old barn up a treat. And if I sleep in the manger, I don’t get trodden on.”
We look across at the almost double spread watercolour, and sure enough there s/he is, clearly a hunter of a tabby-and-white cat, by the wide-eyed insolent gaze:
“It was really cold that night, I remember. A dusting of snow, and bright, bright stars, so I was glad the old cows were there to keep me warm.”
Sure enough the cows too have their own expressions, slightly worried and self-conscious, as if they are suddenly aware that we are looking at them.
The cat goes on to have a little grumble about goats too, before admitting:
“Of course I’m not meant to sleep. I’m supposed to be catching mice.”
Already then, on this first open page, we feel as if we are present at this scene. Michael Foreman’s skilful illustrations convey the closed-in stable, warm bodies jostling against each other, and a pungent animal aroma. The muted shadow tones increase the cosiness, or claustrophobic effect, depending on your personal reaction. Anyone who is familiar with the Nativity story will be able to see how this will develop, and imagine some of the cat’s reactions, although not all of the humorous tweaks that Michael Foreman includes:
“Don’t talk to me about donkeys. I can’t stand donkeys. They look at you with those big eyes as if they’re friendly, then they turn around and kick you. You have to watch out when there are donkeys about.”
The door flies open, and in come a man and a woman, to take shelter from the snow. Here the illustrations take on a new, beautiful bluish tone, which cleverly reminds us of associations with Middle Eastern art. Something odd was happening, but the cat just minds their own business. S/he is more bothered about the donkey:
“The donkey did the usual donkey thing, looking all meek and mild and doing his ‘big eye’ thing, but he wasn’t fooling me. I kept out of the way, safe in the manger.”. After a while, the cat hears the cry of a new-born baby:
“That’s all we need. A crying baby!”
Not only that, but the cat is unceremoniously tipped out of the manger! We are witness to the indignity of it!
The cat has a little grumble about the bleating sheep, and the subsequent visitors, whom we knew full well would come to kneel before the family. And:
“The camels were the last straw. They are as clumsy as cows but have much bigger feet, bad tempers, and they spit.”
The outside watercolour scenes are infused with a gorgeous mid-blue, with a soft glow emanating from the warmth and comfort of the stable. And to the small cat, to whom the visiting shepherds were a surprise, albeit familiar folk, these three new strangers look exotic and “fabulous. They looked as rich as kings.”
By now the stable is very crowded, and every face is turned towards the tiny infant. The cat is aware of the strange quiet which has developed, despite all the people, cows and goats, chickens, doves and even … mice! (The expression on the cat’s face as s/he spies the mice is simply priceless.) “‘Just this once …’ the cat graciously allowed, and all the mice scampered forward …”
And, turning the page, we are cleverly transported to being inside the manger itself. We are looking out, past row upon row of mice, to the viewers beyond. And all are illuminated with a lovely glow, which suffuses the foreground, highlighting them against the dark stable beyond:
“Everything was silent. It was as if all the animals held their breath. We looked at the baby, and the baby looked at us.”
The cat reminisces that it all seems a long time ago now, and we see the distant scenes of Bethlehem, with the cat watching everyone’s departure wistfully.
The final scene ends with a poignantly meaningful “twist-with-a-message”, of peace.
The cat, musing, seems as baffled as anyone, by such a extraordinary change wrought in him by the events of that night.
This is a pretty near perfect way of telling the Nativity story, purely as a magical story, and engaging both very young children and the adults telling the tale. Michael Foreman is a prolific British children’s author and artist. He has illustrated more than thirty of his own books and over a hundred by authors as varied as Shakespeare, J.M. Barrie, the Brothers’ Grimm and Terry Jones (originally of Monty Python fame). He is now regarded as one of the world’s leading illustrators, particularly of children’s books, and has won numerous prizes, including the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal, twice. Interestingly, although Michael Foreman works in London, he lives in Cornwall, in the house which used to belong to the famous painter Ben Nicholson.
There are many critical accolades for this book. Here are a few:
“Appealing … gorgeous, shadowy watercolours of the Middle East are awash in the soft, holy light generated by the infant in the manger.” — Publishers Weekly
“Foreman’s illustrations effectively capture the interplay between the everyday life of the animals in the barn and the wondrous events surrounding the birth of this very special baby.” — School Library Journal
“The simple words express the wonder … That feeling of awe is also in the pictures … the small cat’s viewpoint also brings intimacy to the momentous event.” — Booklist
But perhaps the highest praise of all, comes from Michael Morpurgo, who is another prolific children’s author. He called Cat in the Manger:
“the best Christmas story since Dickens”.
“Now, I’ve got nothing against cows. They may be a bit stupid and clumsy, bumping into each other as they do, but at least they are warm. On a cold night they heat the old barn up a treat. And if I sleep in the manger, I don’t get trodden on.”
We look across at the almost double spread watercolour, and sure enough there s/he is, clearly a hunter of a tabby-and-white cat, by the wide-eyed insolent gaze:
“It was really cold that night, I remember. A dusting of snow, and bright, bright stars, so I was glad the old cows were there to keep me warm.”
Sure enough the cows too have their own expressions, slightly worried and self-conscious, as if they are suddenly aware that we are looking at them.
The cat goes on to have a little grumble about goats too, before admitting:
“Of course I’m not meant to sleep. I’m supposed to be catching mice.”
Already then, on this first open page, we feel as if we are present at this scene. Michael Foreman’s skilful illustrations convey the closed-in stable, warm bodies jostling against each other, and a pungent animal aroma. The muted shadow tones increase the cosiness, or claustrophobic effect, depending on your personal reaction. Anyone who is familiar with the Nativity story will be able to see how this will develop, and imagine some of the cat’s reactions, although not all of the humorous tweaks that Michael Foreman includes:
“Don’t talk to me about donkeys. I can’t stand donkeys. They look at you with those big eyes as if they’re friendly, then they turn around and kick you. You have to watch out when there are donkeys about.”
The door flies open, and in come a man and a woman, to take shelter from the snow. Here the illustrations take on a new, beautiful bluish tone, which cleverly reminds us of associations with Middle Eastern art. Something odd was happening, but the cat just minds their own business. S/he is more bothered about the donkey:
“The donkey did the usual donkey thing, looking all meek and mild and doing his ‘big eye’ thing, but he wasn’t fooling me. I kept out of the way, safe in the manger.”. After a while, the cat hears the cry of a new-born baby:
“That’s all we need. A crying baby!”
Not only that, but the cat is unceremoniously tipped out of the manger! We are witness to the indignity of it!
The cat has a little grumble about the bleating sheep, and the subsequent visitors, whom we knew full well would come to kneel before the family. And:
“The camels were the last straw. They are as clumsy as cows but have much bigger feet, bad tempers, and they spit.”
The outside watercolour scenes are infused with a gorgeous mid-blue, with a soft glow emanating from the warmth and comfort of the stable. And to the small cat, to whom the visiting shepherds were a surprise, albeit familiar folk, these three new strangers look exotic and “fabulous. They looked as rich as kings.”
By now the stable is very crowded, and every face is turned towards the tiny infant. The cat is aware of the strange quiet which has developed, despite all the people, cows and goats, chickens, doves and even … mice! (The expression on the cat’s face as s/he spies the mice is simply priceless.) “‘Just this once …’ the cat graciously allowed, and all the mice scampered forward …”
And, turning the page, we are cleverly transported to being inside the manger itself. We are looking out, past row upon row of mice, to the viewers beyond. And all are illuminated with a lovely glow, which suffuses the foreground, highlighting them against the dark stable beyond:
“Everything was silent. It was as if all the animals held their breath. We looked at the baby, and the baby looked at us.”
The cat reminisces that it all seems a long time ago now, and we see the distant scenes of Bethlehem, with the cat watching everyone’s departure wistfully.
The final scene ends with a poignantly meaningful “twist-with-a-message”, of peace.
The cat, musing, seems as baffled as anyone, by such a extraordinary change wrought in him by the events of that night.
This is a pretty near perfect way of telling the Nativity story, purely as a magical story, and engaging both very young children and the adults telling the tale. Michael Foreman is a prolific British children’s author and artist. He has illustrated more than thirty of his own books and over a hundred by authors as varied as Shakespeare, J.M. Barrie, the Brothers’ Grimm and Terry Jones (originally of Monty Python fame). He is now regarded as one of the world’s leading illustrators, particularly of children’s books, and has won numerous prizes, including the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal, twice. Interestingly, although Michael Foreman works in London, he lives in Cornwall, in the house which used to belong to the famous painter Ben Nicholson.
There are many critical accolades for this book. Here are a few:
“Appealing … gorgeous, shadowy watercolours of the Middle East are awash in the soft, holy light generated by the infant in the manger.” — Publishers Weekly
“Foreman’s illustrations effectively capture the interplay between the everyday life of the animals in the barn and the wondrous events surrounding the birth of this very special baby.” — School Library Journal
“The simple words express the wonder … That feeling of awe is also in the pictures … the small cat’s viewpoint also brings intimacy to the momentous event.” — Booklist
But perhaps the highest praise of all, comes from Michael Morpurgo, who is another prolific children’s author. He called Cat in the Manger:
“the best Christmas story since Dickens”.
November 23, 2020
A retelling of the nativity story from the viewpoint of a cat. I didn't find the illustrations or the text very interesting and there are so many better versions of this story, this wasn't any more than a 2 star read for me.
December 4, 2022
Il gatto nella mangiatoia è un grande albo illustrato per bambini, magico e poetico che narra il mistero della natività dal punto di vista di un micio curioso. Una riscrittura piena di humour e poesia del più grande mistero di tutti i tempi. https://ilmondodichri.com/il-gatto-ne...
December 30, 2008
Okay, but I thought it was pretty boring. Much preferred the story along similar lines, "The Witness" by Robert Westall
November 27, 2018
The Nativity Story is retold from a cat's perspective in this picture-book from Michael Foreman, the prolific British children's author and artist who has twice won the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal for his illustrations. Recalling a particularly cold night, when he was thankful to have a warm barn in which to live, the cat unfolds the tale of the human couple who sought shelter there, of the baby that was born, and of the many visitors, both great and humble, that came to see him. He concludes with the extraordinary change (for a cat!) that the events of that night worked in him...
Although I wouldn't describe Cat in the Manger as one of my favorites, when it comes to picture-books describing animals involved in or witnessing the birth of Jesus - I much prefer titles like The Friendly Beasts: A Traditional Christmas Carol , or The Animals' Christmas Carol - it is still fairly engaging. The artwork is quite lovely - I liked Mary's face, as she was looking down at her newborn baby - and I thought it was sweet (albeit completely unlikely) how the infant's message of peace is enacted in the cat's life. Recommended to young readers looking for Christmas stories featuring cats.
Although I wouldn't describe Cat in the Manger as one of my favorites, when it comes to picture-books describing animals involved in or witnessing the birth of Jesus - I much prefer titles like The Friendly Beasts: A Traditional Christmas Carol , or The Animals' Christmas Carol - it is still fairly engaging. The artwork is quite lovely - I liked Mary's face, as she was looking down at her newborn baby - and I thought it was sweet (albeit completely unlikely) how the infant's message of peace is enacted in the cat's life. Recommended to young readers looking for Christmas stories featuring cats.
December 7, 2012
Cat in the Manger is the retelling of the Baby Jesus Christmas story from the perspective of a cat who happened to live in the barn where Mary & Joseph came to stay.
I loved this picture book so much! It brought tears to my eyes when the cat-protagonist "mentions" at the close how ever since the night when the Baby was born --he had an encounter with Jesus-- he never caught/killed another mouse. The cutest way ever to share the miracle of Christ-mas.
Having known this story all my life, I found it especially refreshing to hear it from this new angle of how the innocent animals experienced what happened. After all, there would certainly have been animals in the barn watching this scene play out.
The pictures are adequate & altho I was wishing the cat had been depicted a little prettier, I guess he is a barn cat & not a pampered kitty.
Highly recommend this book for people who want to introduce the very young to the Baby Jesus story. Especially good in December.
I loved this picture book so much! It brought tears to my eyes when the cat-protagonist "mentions" at the close how ever since the night when the Baby was born --he had an encounter with Jesus-- he never caught/killed another mouse. The cutest way ever to share the miracle of Christ-mas.
Having known this story all my life, I found it especially refreshing to hear it from this new angle of how the innocent animals experienced what happened. After all, there would certainly have been animals in the barn watching this scene play out.
The pictures are adequate & altho I was wishing the cat had been depicted a little prettier, I guess he is a barn cat & not a pampered kitty.
Highly recommend this book for people who want to introduce the very young to the Baby Jesus story. Especially good in December.
August 12, 2018
The book could be used to give the children an understanding of the birth of Jesus and how he was born in a barn with animals and was still the son of God. It may also teach children about kindness and generosity; the cat was generous letting the different animals and peoples arrive at the barn and he allowed the baby to sleep in his manager this therefore teaches children about being kind to others instead of thinking about themselves. I would recommend this story because it helps children to look at the nativity story from a different perspective of a cat. I enjoyed the story because the illustrations helped the reader to see what the cat was seeing in the Christmas story
November 16, 2019
I just read this with my five year old son and two year old daughter.
Cat in the Manger is the retelling of the Baby Jesus Christmas story from the perspective of a cat who happened to live in the barn where Mary & Joseph came to stay. A beautifully illustrated and beautifully written story.
All questions answered by my son (Nicholas).
Do you like this book?
Nicholas said "Yes"
What do you think of the cover?
Nicholas said "Cool"
Do you want me to read it again?
Nicholas said "Yes"
Cat in the Manger is the retelling of the Baby Jesus Christmas story from the perspective of a cat who happened to live in the barn where Mary & Joseph came to stay. A beautifully illustrated and beautifully written story.
All questions answered by my son (Nicholas).
Do you like this book?
Nicholas said "Yes"
What do you think of the cover?
Nicholas said "Cool"
Do you want me to read it again?
Nicholas said "Yes"
April 11, 2019
This was the sory of Jesus being born. I know about the 3 Wise Men.
April 14, 2021
This is a cute little story with some charming "find the cat" photos.
December 23, 2021
Beautiful illustrations. A lovely book to teach children the Christmas story and the birth of Jesus
February 5, 2022
A bit long for young readers, but pretty art and very unique as it's told from a cat's perspective.
December 23, 2024
A childhood favourite
March 23, 2017
There are way too many white people in this version of the manger story. Also, the end annoyed me. The cat meets Jesus and suddenly stops wanting to eat mice. So basically the book is saying that Jesus made this cat lose its will to live, since it no longer wants to hunt and feed itself.
January 4, 2021
My kids could not get into this book as much as we all wanted to. We love the famous Christmas story and it being the true reason for Christmas. I felt like this story was lacking in the story-line. My kids loved the illustrations but could not get into this book. I don't recommend checking this book out.
December 18, 2011
A charming Christmas story told from a barn cat’s point of view. The cat, who lives in a barn with other animals, is all prepared to curl up in a warm spot for the night when some unexpected visitors arrive and need a place to stay. Although initially the animals seem a bit upset by their routine being disturbed, they soon all come together to experience the wonderful event that is about to take place that night. Complete with three "masters" (kings), camels, and an array of other barnyard animals, Cat in the Manager, is a charming story about the Nativity, yet it never mentions, Mary, Joseph or Baby Jesus by name.
The watercolor illustrations were lovely; a unique take on the Nativity told from the perspective of a cat.
December 16, 2020
I love to read this book aloud to my students each year, whether they are very young or a bit older. This retelling of the Nativity of Jesus has great appeal because of the narration by a cat who was present at Jesus' birth. Lovely illustration are appealing.The book promotes the theory that Jesus was born on a snowy night, which may be unlikely, but it is close enough to my biblical knowledge for my purpose. It is a charming book.
January 18, 2018
I love cats, breastfeeding, and Christmas, and this book includes them all! However I also love biblical accuracy, and this book shows the magi worshipping newborn Jesus with the shepherds. But overall a very lovely Christmas book. I just love the page of Mary nursing Jesus, because that's just what you do with a newborn baby!
January 1, 2025
A really neat story of the manger from an animal's perspective. It even has the more realistic picture of the baby Jesus crying, and Joseph trying to arrange some clean straw. Inaccurately, the wise men are there, but it is a Christmas story after all. Absolutely beautiful drawings, though!
January 1, 2015
The Nativity scene through the eyes of a cat. Cute!
December 18, 2016
A beautifully illustrated and beautifully written story.
December 21, 2016
Written from the point of view of a cat in the stable.
Read
January 2, 2019Beautiful artwork.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews