["What Is That?" Said the Cat] (By: Grace Maccarone) [published: June, 1998]

by Grace Maccarone, Grace Maccarone

"I found a box", said the fox. "I heard", said the bird. This simple, rhyming, Level 1 "Hello Reader" features the very first sight words new readers learn. Full color.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Fiction, Childrens

Paperback

First published October 1, 1995

About the author

Grace Maccarone is an American children’s book editor and author, notably of Miss Lina’s Ballerinas, illustrated by Christine Davenier, and its sequel Miss Lina’s Ballerinas and the Prince. She has also worked as an editor at Scholastic, Wireless Generation, and currently Holiday House.

Reviews

[Kelly Wickham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a simple book created to help kids learn to read. The animals have a lot of questions about a mysterious box that says, "Do not open."Then the open the box and all chaos breaks loose as the animals rush to get away from the alligator that steps out. A cute book that kids like and helps them learn new vocabulary.

[Vivian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great for a story time featuring BOXES, ALLIGATORS, TROUBLE or CURIOSITY. It is silly. Its rhyming text makes it predictable. Among the many curious critters are a FOX, a BIRD, a CAT, a CROW, a PIG, a BEE, a PUP, a COW, a HORSE, a RAT, and a FLY.

[Morgan Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think since me & Owen read 4-6 AR books a week, I should be able to count them towards my reading goals. I mean, come on!!! 🤣🤣

For real, this is an adorable (CHILDREN’S) book that literally had me laughing out loud at the end!! Perfect read with my boy! 😉

[Oona · Rating 4 out of 5]

"see you later, alligator" ... makes me think of how we got that idiom started. could it be similar to the "ba-bye felicia" saying?

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fun read for little kids but doesn't teach much of a lesson

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun rhyming read! I quite liked it. Interesting and sparks curiosity. is there a sequel?

[Robert Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very cute book 📙.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

A picture book for the beginning reader, this 32-page publication offers plenty of repetition of simple words as well as rhyming words to help the new reader. The illustrations have plenty of blank space and are also simple, yet engaging. The humor at the end is delightfully appealing for this age group, even offers a chuckle for adults. For full comprehension there is a need for cultural literacy instruction as most young readers today might not be familiar with outhouses. Without this concept, the humor of the book is lost. The plot is very basic with little character development, and the pictures are engaging. A text feature especially strong for this book is the evidence of motion in the illustrations.

Ages 4-7 years
Rhyming
Familiarity of different animals
Repetition of sight words

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 6-year-old thought this book was so funny, and I thought it was a great Level 1 book. It has larger print and cute illustrations. I recommend this for Kindergarten students and beginning readers.

[Armanda Campbell]

This is a great book to teach the children about rhyming words. On each page, the words are about two lines, and each ends with rhyming words. This could be great to use when introducing poems, seeing that some are written that way.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun, rhyming early reader with a sense of humor!

[Andrew Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

it is pretty funny

[Tricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Major hit for my beginning reader...who read it multiple times and then my pre-reader also wanted to "read" it (her style). great ending! an easy reader with a sense of humor, whooee.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the rhymes

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an adorable book for preschoolers or even younger to start them on rhyming words. My niece loves it.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute rhyming easy reader. Great for a flannel board.

[Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

funny level F reader

[Yasuko · Rating 2 out of 5]

2013.4.17 118words

[Kristin Bossley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute! Love the rhymes.

[Jesica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Será infantil, pero es una maravilla.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

AR 1.4

[Jalen Tranbarger]

"What is That?" Said the Cat is a level one easy to read book. The book begins by a fox finding a box, and other animals coming to him and asking what the box is. The author does a great job of finding rhyming words for each animal to match with the box and the questions they ask the fox. In the end, an alligator comes out of the box after the animals open it. This solves the mystery of what is in a box with a "Do Not Open" sign on it.