Telling Time with Big Mama Cat

by Dan Harper, Barry Moser (Illustrator), Cara Moser (Illustrator)

A snack at 9:00, a nap at 10:00, sneaking onto the forbidden chair at 11:00--telling time is the only way Big Mama Cat can remember all the important things she has to do. Follow Big Mama Cat from sunrise till day's end, and you can learn to tell time, too! A sturdy fold-out page at the front of the book reveals a clock with movable plastic hands. Young readers can change the time as Big Mama Cat moves from one adventure to the next in her busy day.

Genres: Picture Books, Mathematics, Childrens, Cats, Storytime, School, Fiction

36 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 1998

Reviews

[Tayler K · Rating 3 out of 5]

We follow Big Mama Cat throughout her day of doing typical cat things (lots of eating and sleeping!). In each illustration there is a clock which helps us learn to tell what time it is, and the clock seen through the cover folds out and has movable hands so readers can change the time as the story goes on.

What a fun way to learn analog clocks, especially for cat lovers!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Couldn't have found a better option to introduce time to my 4-year-old. He LOVES cats. He responds so well to hands-on education. We will be reading this one many, many times for years to come.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

1.Four to seven year old's.
2. The story is told through a cats perspective as he lives out a normal day in the life. Each page illustrates the cat, what she is doing and the time she is doing it with the picture of a clock. The illustrations clearly depict what the text says, and the words are easy for young readers to comprehend.
3. This book has many educational purposes. The book comes with a fold out interactive clock that young readers can interact with and use to help identify the time expressed on each page. When they have moved the clock to the time they think it is, they then can look at the clock presented on the page to double check if they are correct. I also like that the book chows the time digitally and analog style which is extremely beneficial in today's society.
4. This book can be used for students to identify time both digitally and analog style. Pairs or small groups of students can use this book to become aware of telling time.

[Lynetta · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Reading is Fundamental teacher suggested a book on time telling or money counting for her class. Of the ones I checked out, this one was the best for coming in to read to a group of children I don't know. The cover opens up to show a clock that can be set to Big Mama Cat's day. The illustrations are lovely and the clocks that show the time in the illustrations are varied and creative.

Big Mama Cat says she knows how to tell time to keep her busy day on schedule...hint: a lot of sleeping and eating are involved, which are favorites on my list, too. For example, "By 10:00 the sun has warmed up my favorite nap spot," which is a shelf over several cat titles such as "Farewell to Paws." "At 10:30 I wake up and want out." Next page, "At 10:45 I want back in."

Very clever!

[Christian Houseworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great for teaching student s how to tell time. Included in this book is a flap with a clock where the students can manipulate the hands to represent different times. This book is made so that as the Cat tells the reader a certain time, the reader can show the time on the clock in the flip. This is a good book for beginning teaching time and teaching students about hours and minutes. This book would also be helpful for teaching students how to read and follow a schedule. Also, teaching students the importance of following a schedule and how they can keep track of the time and certain times they do certain things each day.

[Deborah Harris · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a sweet book, about a day in the life of a cat. It is very simple and easy for young readers. It not only provides many different times of the day but a manipulative clock, written times and a clock on each page to visualize. The pictures are bright and inviting. The print type is big and clean. I think the author tried to create a book that young, independent readers, unfortunately there are a few challenging words within the text. K -1st grade.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wonderful. I enjoyed reading it and changing the time on the clock that is attached to the book which is also the cover. Great design! The book is about a cat that has a schedule and we follow the cat around and find out what the cat does at what time. It's really cute and the illustrations are great as well! It's a good book to teach children how to tell time and the illustrations help too!

[Hatka Kecalovic · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book describes activities at various times throughout the day from morning to night. This book also features a clock with movable hands. This book is great for lessons on telling time. I did an activity with my students about telling time and used the moveable clock in the book to model each of the times. This book can be used in Pre K-3 grade classrooms.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Because I love cats so much, and it is still so much a thing to have cats drink milk and go outside (neither of which are good for them, though they do like both of those things), I kind of have that problem with every cat book. Regardless, this book catches cat attitude nicely, shows a wide variety of clocks and times, and includes a clock with movable hands allowing some time-telling practice.

[Gracie {_a_court_of_books_} · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for my Elementary Education math class and made a lesson plan on it for telling time for a 2nd grade class. This books was absolutely wonderful for introducing time to 2nd grade. I loved the illustrations and how time is used throughout the book. Will definitely be recommending to all my teacher friends.

Solid 4 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teach your kids to tell time as they follow the cat's day. Cat lovers will relate to this cat's behavior! Includes a clock with movable hands for kids to practice with. This story was so cute I had to buy a copy for myself!

[Mandy J. Hoffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the cutest way of helping a child learn telling time with a clock! The cat makes it a charming story and the fold-out flap with the clock and movable hands make it interactive and fun for the children.

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book the children can actually touch and manipulate. The book is easy for the students to follow and the cat gives them an adventure on every page. Again a great book to introduce time in math. The children will learn without even trying.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I use this book to teach time with preschoolers and older. Illustrations are so wonderful, watercolor, I thing. And the story is lovely! Children enjoy it and many of them seem to be able to tell time afterwards.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very catlike cat - hungry, lazy, nonchalant. Good way to introduce telling time.

[Andria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big Mama Cat has to keep her day scheduled. She goes over each part of her day and what time it happens. This book would work great with a class learning to tell time.

[Jasmin Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Children will learn from this book how to use a clock to measure time. They can use their experience of using a clock to help them maintain a schedule with the examples in the book.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

(concept book)in notebook

[Natalie Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

i LOVE THE CLOCK THAT THE KIDS CAN USE to set the time

[Christine Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Countdown to Kindergarten: Time.

This story follows Big Mama Cat throughout her day. I gave out small clocks for the kids to follow along throughout the story.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a built-in toy clock with moving hands, so kids can take a fun, active role in learning to tell time. The artist shows a keen ability to capture the movements and expressions of cats.

[Nichole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute. A cat's day with accompanying clocks to teach time. Fun for cat lovers.

[Sarah Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s the illustrator. It is Barry Moser that we love.

[Alana Arlequin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book to integrate math and literature, focusing on time.

[School For Wayward Children]

Really terrific for telling time (there is a clock in the book that you can adjust for every page). Mostly focuses on the hour and half our but does start to touch on other times as well.