Elemenopeo

by Harriet Ziefert

Book Overview

Introducing the charming and lovable Elomenopeo--no ordinary cat. Elomenopeo has a strict daily routine. First he goes outside to play in the garden and to wistfully observe the flying birds, then he... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0395904935
• ISBN13: 9780395904930
• Release Date: January 1998
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 1 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 9.0" x 12.4"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

I hate cats but I LOVE this book

If you still love a book when you've read it upwards of 200 times it's a great investment. My daughter is two and loves animals. I'm forty (plus) and an artist (and not a cat fan). We're both intrigued by this wonderful, and wonderfully illustrated, story of a resourceful cat who, thwarted in his daily birdchasing activities decides to become an artist instead. I particularly appreciate his (lack of) humility in assessing his work: "Then I step back to take a look at my picture. Wow! It's good. I like it. I'm an artist!"Get this book!

Sort of like a Seinfeld episode . . .

Elemenopeo isn't my favorite children's book, but it's in the top twenty. I'm kind of surprised by the lukewarm reviews this book has received. While no one seems to hate this book, it is consistently faulted for being fluffy or boring or bland. While I can't completely disagree with any of those adjectives, I don't see it as a problem. In fact, the gentle simplicity of this story is what I like best about it. My kids(2-7)love this book - I think because it seems so authentic to them. Elemenopeo is a regular cat and that forms the basis of this story. Cats are usually pretty set in their ways, but they will risk an occasional - very careful - adventure if they're sure it won't put them in an undignified situation or get their fur wet. Cats also feel that they are entitled to their own set of eccentric whims, such as eating bagels and lox for breakfast every morning. Like Seinfeld was a sitcom about nothing, and this cat story is just the same. My older kids know that cats hate adventures, so this 'boring' story about a cat who has a wonderful day doing very little makes sense to them. I wouldn't say that it's necessary to be a cat person in order to enjoy this book, but it helps. Elemenopeo gets a great deal of pleasure from the ordinariness of her day, and anyone can understand that. But I suspect that only people who really like cats will see that there is humor in this story. Even if this book really is boring (don't think sparse . . . think spare!), the wonderful illustrations make up for it. The paintings are vivid and colorful - lots of fun for kids and grownups to look at. BONUS: If you are familiar with modern painting you'll probably notice an uncanny resemblance between the pictures in the book and the art of Marc Chagall. I think that using "Serious Art" to tell such a simple story adds to its charm. -The kids don't get it, but it's fun to have a private joke with the illustrator.At the very least, this is a great bedtime story. It's calm, involves sleeping and sweet dreams, and does not have any content that even remotely encourages kids to stay awake. My kids always seem pensive after we read this story - I think they're wondering what our cats do when we're not around. If you wish you enjoyed this book as much as I did, you might consider brushing up on your cat psychology. I recommend "Three stories to read to your cat." This will open a window into how cats think.

Wonderful Short Story

It's a short story about a cat who gets trapped inside for a day and decides to paint a picture. Yes, its simple, but its also magical. The illustrations are original, bright and fun to look at. My three children love it!I'd ignore the Horn Book review. A pointless story? Only for those who believe simple things are pointless. Some people still find simple things beautiful.

Moderately charming

Ziefert and Saaf have collaborated on a number of books; Saaf's fluid paintings possess a marvelous charm that imbue Ziefert's quirky characters with wonderful personality. Such is the case here, though Elemenopeo is not Ziefert's most inspired tale. Elemenopeo is an artistic cat with an active imagination, whose own talents are surprisingly childlike and convincing. But the story is a little lightweight, whimsical but on the fluffy side. This book is part of our collection, and always evokes a smile when it's pulled off the shelves. Nonetheless - perhaps because I'm not a cat person - it's the Ziefert/Saaf books about Pushkin the dog which get a lot more use in our household.Your child, and you, will probably enjoy Elemenopeo. But be sure to check out the other collaborative efforts of this writer/artist team as well.

Elemenopeo PLEASE!

Love this book at our house! We found it at the library and our young daughter had a hard time bringing it back. Thanks to a gift, this book is in our permanent collection now! Elemenopeo is a great book about a sweet cat who is very set in her ways. When her daily routine is interrrupted, she has to get very creative! It's fun for the kids and fun to read out loud!