Temple Cat

I almost didn't buy this book for my children, but I am so glad I did! It has turned into a constant at readaloud time. It is a simple story about a cat who is worshipped as a god by the Egyptians. He has his own temple with servants who pamper him and wait on him. But, he gets tired of not being able to do as he pleases, and so he leaves. He has a wonderful adventure that ends with a fulfilling surprise. Through a simple story of a cat, we are shown what is important in life. We are also given a glimpse into Egyptian society.

A beautiful and enlightening book. This is a simple little story of a runaway cat, set in ancient Egypt, but its subject is really nothing less than the purpose of life, equally applicable to cat or human. Is it better to be pampered, eternally exalted, but apart, or to live in the world and be free to eat fish heads in the sand? The temple cat finds his answer. Less, maybe, for those who want their children to seek everlasting happiness in an afterlife, then, but for those who want them to see eternity here and now in the mud huts of everyday existence, this is an excellent bedtime story. For this Dad, Temple Cat is a favorite book. I mean a favorite for myself. My seven-year-old daughter likes it too: "It's nice that he found a nicer home. The illustrations are really beautiful."

This is a wonderful book, and a great teaching tool. As a teacher, I am always looking for new ways to teach. This book was recommended by Crayola magazine on the subject of Ancient Egypt, so I checked it out at the library. I fell in love with the book because of the illustrations and original story line and will now buy this book. Most if not all of my students enjoy animals and they like that the main character is a cat who is worshipped and lives in her own temple cared for night and day by servants. It really was interesting to learn history through the eyes of an exalted feline. They enjoyed it immensely.