The Cat in the Hat/Le Chat Au Chapeau

by Dr. Seuss

Book Overview

Cat lovers and francophiles rejoice--The Cat in the Hat in English and French is back in print Perfect for teaching beginning readers simple, conversational French or English, the story is here on each page in the language the reader already knows, to guide him or her in the language they are learning. The repetition makes it ideal for learning new words, and the hilarious plot makes it easy to read again and again. Learning a new language...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0394801717
• ISBN13: 9780394801711
• Release Date: September 1967
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
• Length: 72 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.5" x 9.1"
• Age Range: 3 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

My daughter is obsessed!

My 5 year old and I are frequent visitors to Universal Orlando where an entire land is dedicated to all things Seuss. One of her favorite rides in that area is The Cat in the Hat one. When I told her the ride is inspired from the book she was intrigued. I immediately went to the bookstore in the area and read her the entire story. Needless to say I ended up buying over 20 Dr. Seuss books that same day from here. The animations and rhymes on each page are brilliant. They keep my 5 year old entertained and she loves for me to read her Seuss books.

great translation, too small for 1 year olds

This is a great translation - they really translated the spirit of Dr. Seuss. There's a good rhythm, lots of rhymes and word play, etc. I grew up with Dr. Seuss in English and this translation feels like Seuss to me. I've seen another version of Chat Chapeaute that translates the original literally and it is terrible! Completely misses the point of Dr. Seuss. My only complaint is that this book is paperback and it is small - difficult for my nearly 2 year old to hold while I read. The only big hardback version of Chat Chapeaute I have found was the literal translation version which I don't think is worth buying at any price, so we'll have to get by with this.

Great!

I really enjoy The Cat in the Hat and now I can share it with kids who only speak French!

Appeals to any audience

Having studied Latin throughout high school, I could appreciate the innovation and creativity necessary to translate Dr. Seuss' classic story while still preserving rhyme and meter. However, my little sister, who has just recently learned to read on such classics as "The Cat in the Hat," perhaps enjoyed "Cattus Petasatus" even more than I did. Not automatically looking to identify subject and verb, she giggled with delight at the new words that roll off the tongue with the catchy meter and bragged to my parents that she was able to speak Latin! Because the pictures are the same as the English, she was able to follow the storyline and give expression to the words. Whether as an introduction to Latin or an amusing twist of the Dr. Seuss classic, "Cattus Petasatus" is a wonderful variation that will make the reader and audience smile.

Subversive, disturbing, and brilliant

Dr. Seuss was one of those rare creative geniuses who both entertained us and challenged us to open our minds. "The Cat in the Hat" is an indispensable part of the Seuss canon. A bizarre blending of Seuss's trademark illustrations with an eerily Kafkaesque plot, "Cat" will delight both children and adults.The plot is simple: The narrator, a small boy, is left home on a rainy day with his sister Sally. But their boring day is interrupted by the Cat in the Hat, a weirdly anthropomorphic, talking feline who proceeds to turn their house into a chaotic playground. The illustrations--think Salvador Dali meets Beatrix Potter--are marvelous.This book is simple enough for beginning readers, yet full of subtle touches that could keep an army of literary critics and psychologists busy analyzing it for decades. And that is the brilliance of Dr. Seuss. Buy a copy of the book for your favorite child, buy a second for your favorite adult, and keep a third for yourself.

Have realistic expectations

This book is as cute as the English version in its story line--not in the flow of the language. Of course it doesn't SOUND as good as in English--it's a direct translation! It is entertaining nonethless and can make for great family bonding time in a bilingual household.