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No Cats in the Library
A stray cat follows her love of books all the way to a new library home in this charming debut picture book, perfect for fans of The Library Fish and Kitten and the Night Watchman .
Clarisse is a clever cat who loves books. She may not understand the dark, squiggly lines, but she can’t get enough of the pictures. One day, she stumbles upon a magical building where people walk in empty-handed and come out with an armload of books. She has to find a way inside!
There’s just one NO CATS are allowed in the library! That’s not going to stop clever Clarisse, though. Once she sneaks in, she stumbles upon exciting new stories and even helps a little girl practice reading aloud. But when the librarian comes looking, will Clarisse be allowed to stay?
Clarisse is a clever cat who loves books. She may not understand the dark, squiggly lines, but she can’t get enough of the pictures. One day, she stumbles upon a magical building where people walk in empty-handed and come out with an armload of books. She has to find a way inside!
There’s just one NO CATS are allowed in the library! That’s not going to stop clever Clarisse, though. Once she sneaks in, she stumbles upon exciting new stories and even helps a little girl practice reading aloud. But when the librarian comes looking, will Clarisse be allowed to stay?
32 pages, Hardcover
First published March 5, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
April 5, 2024
Now this was cute!!! 🥰
March 27, 2024
Now I want a cat for our library.
March 25, 2024
Adorable! Especially loved the illustrations.
March 16, 2024
Reminds me a little of Dewey...a cat really likes the pictures in books and tries to sneak into to the library...and becomes their read aloud to cat!
March 10, 2024
this book made me tear up it was adorable 🥹 read it at the library and i wish so badly that we had a library cat
April 17, 2024
If I could have a library cat, my life would be complete.
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March 7, 2024
A sweet story about a cat who loves books but doesn’t understand words. Studies show reading to animals can actually be really helpful to the child and the animal so I love that this books bring that together. The illustrations are also bright, vibrant and engaging.
Thank you Simon Kids for gifting me a copy to review.
Thank you Simon Kids for gifting me a copy to review.
March 20, 2024
This made me cry 🥹
March 31, 2024
There is no better picture book than a picture book about a cute cat. In this essay I will
March 18, 2024
This story is so sweet. Now I want to have read-aloud cats in the library!
Kids that are learning to read or struggling readers will appreciate that Clarisse just wants to make sense of the squiggly lines in books. Plus, the little girl reading aloud models that although the process of learning to read can be difficult, there is joy in it too.
Kids that are learning to read or struggling readers will appreciate that Clarisse just wants to make sense of the squiggly lines in books. Plus, the little girl reading aloud models that although the process of learning to read can be difficult, there is joy in it too.
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April 1, 2024Not 100% realistic, but a cute story. I liked the illustrations and reading all the book titles, but I was somewhat distracted that some of the titles had misspelled words. (Not that the argument can't be made that the spellings are totally intentional and I shouldn't question the imaginary authors' artistic visions.)
Read
April 2, 2024Another nibling book. Very sweet, cats for every library
March 25, 2024
Where’s my library cat? I need a library cat to read to during my breaks and lunches!
March 3, 2024
LET HER IN
September 15, 2023
I adored this book! A great story about the power of being read to and the feeling of belonging a library can bring.
November 20, 2023
Sooooo cute!!!
February 18, 2024
Clarisse loves books, but not the ones with squiggly lines. She likes to look at all the pictures and doesn't know what the squiggly lines mean. When she sneaks into the library, she has found her dream place, but the book keeper shoos her away because cats don't belong in a library. After toppling through the book return, Clarisse stumbles upon a little girl reading and is intrigued as the girl reads out loud to her. Now she loves books even more and the book keeper gets a great idea to encourage other children to read too.
NO CATS IN THE LIBRARY is an adorable story that encourages reading in younger children, especially those who love cats. It shows how reading out loud to others, including animals, can help children read better because it encourages them to practice more. The illustrations are so cute and I love how the librarian is referred to as "the keeper of the books" because this gives it even more of an adventurous feel for Clarisse and her journey to the house of books.
Final Verdict: Overall, I would recommend this to children aged four and older who love cats and books. It's a sweet and endearing story about a cat who enjoys books and finds out they're even better when the squiggly lines form words as she tries to learn to read too. My daughter and I read this one over and over and it's one that doesn't get old for her.
NO CATS IN THE LIBRARY is an adorable story that encourages reading in younger children, especially those who love cats. It shows how reading out loud to others, including animals, can help children read better because it encourages them to practice more. The illustrations are so cute and I love how the librarian is referred to as "the keeper of the books" because this gives it even more of an adventurous feel for Clarisse and her journey to the house of books.
Final Verdict: Overall, I would recommend this to children aged four and older who love cats and books. It's a sweet and endearing story about a cat who enjoys books and finds out they're even better when the squiggly lines form words as she tries to learn to read too. My daughter and I read this one over and over and it's one that doesn't get old for her.
January 30, 2024
Clarisse the cat is fascinated by stories. When she notices that there’s “a magical building” where people borrow books, she is intrigued. She makes her way into the building through the door, but the “keeper of the books” gently shoos her out. Finally, when she endures a comical tumble through the book drop and finds the children’s books, she is thrilled. And when a child reads a picture book to her, she is in heaven. Once the keeper of the books notices that reading to a cat really helped the child, Clarisse’s life changes. She becomes friends with the librarian and is a regular visitor in a “Read to our Cat” program.
This charming story shows what many librarians know: that reading to animals is a big help to many children learning to read. The moment when the child reads aloud to Clarisse is transformative for both kid and cat. It’s fun to think of cats as a gateway to reading! The author has truly made the story’s library feel like a magical, welcoming place. The warm, appealing digital art shows kids and their adults with a variety of skin colors, abilities, ages and gender presentations. Body types are noticeably diverse as well. This is a winning title for story times or as a precursor to programs where kids read to animals.
This charming story shows what many librarians know: that reading to animals is a big help to many children learning to read. The moment when the child reads aloud to Clarisse is transformative for both kid and cat. It’s fun to think of cats as a gateway to reading! The author has truly made the story’s library feel like a magical, welcoming place. The warm, appealing digital art shows kids and their adults with a variety of skin colors, abilities, ages and gender presentations. Body types are noticeably diverse as well. This is a winning title for story times or as a precursor to programs where kids read to animals.
April 4, 2024
This colorful picture book opens with Clarisse, a stray cat who absolutely loves books, even though she can’t read the words inside. She loves to watch people reading in the park so she can see the fun pictures inside, and even better, one day she stumbles onto a building where people keep coming out with books: a library! Thus begins Clarisse’s attempts to get inside this amazing building, but unfortunately, she’s stopped every time by the “keeper of books”, a library staff member. Finally, she gets in through the book drop and finds a young girl reading a picture book. Perfect! While the little girl has fun practicing reading to Clarisse, Clarisse has the joy of listening to a wonderful story in a wonderful place. When more kids find Clarisse, will she be allowed to stay? You’ll have to read to find out!
I absolutely loved this picture book! It is such a fun picture book for children, and for most librarians and adults reading it, it’s a fun way to imagine what the perfect library would look and feel like. I also really appreciated that it packed a powerful real-life message about the proven benefits reading to animals has on children, so that more adults reading it can open their minds to the wonderful (and often missed) opportunity animals in the library presents.
I absolutely loved this picture book! It is such a fun picture book for children, and for most librarians and adults reading it, it’s a fun way to imagine what the perfect library would look and feel like. I also really appreciated that it packed a powerful real-life message about the proven benefits reading to animals has on children, so that more adults reading it can open their minds to the wonderful (and often missed) opportunity animals in the library presents.
January 11, 2024
In this heartwarming picture book, a stray creamsicle kitten named Clarisse discovers “a magical building where people walked in empty-handed and came back out with books!” That’s right - it’s the library! Clarisse is determined to get inside, but the children’s librarian is having none of it. Finally Clarisse discovers the book drop, and with a few acrobatic maneuvers, she’s in! Disappointed that she can’t read the books that are full of squiggly dark lines, Clarisse finds a girl in the children’s book section who is happy to read aloud to her. The magic of a read-aloud turns lines on a page into fabulous stories! Knowing a good idea when she sees one, the librarian announces that read-aloud cats are welcome in the library and just like that, Clarisse has a new home! Repeated readings will reward readers with little details such as the collar that appears on Clarisse after the librarian makes her announcement!
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an advance e-galley of this book.
Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an advance e-galley of this book.
March 15, 2024
Super cute!
Clarisse is a cat who loves the pictures in books, and tries to infiltrate a library as a result. After an initial unsuccessful attempt, she sneaks in through the book dump and ends up unintentionally encouraging a child who's having difficulty reading, which earns her a job as the library's new reading cat.
The ending is a little quick to resolve and it's not like there aren't tons of books about cats and libraries, but I was still really charmed by this. The art is really lovely - it feels warm and bright and uses complementary colors to their best advantage (blue and orange you will always be an iconic duo). Books don't need to be brand-new to be good, after all, and by my standards, this is definitely a good book.
Of course, I may be a little biased, as an owner of a cat who also happens to be named Clarisse.
Clarisse is a cat who loves the pictures in books, and tries to infiltrate a library as a result. After an initial unsuccessful attempt, she sneaks in through the book dump and ends up unintentionally encouraging a child who's having difficulty reading, which earns her a job as the library's new reading cat.
The ending is a little quick to resolve and it's not like there aren't tons of books about cats and libraries, but I was still really charmed by this. The art is really lovely - it feels warm and bright and uses complementary colors to their best advantage (blue and orange you will always be an iconic duo). Books don't need to be brand-new to be good, after all, and by my standards, this is definitely a good book.
Of course, I may be a little biased, as an owner of a cat who also happens to be named Clarisse.
February 29, 2024
I received an ARC of this book for my honest review.
Clarisse is a stray cat who loves looking at the pictures inside of books but how is she going to be able to see more when the Book Keeper at the library doesn't allow cats? This charming book is an ode to books and cats. I love the clear, artful illustrations and following Clarisse on her journey to find books and a home. I also thought it was a clever and meaningful way to show a popular way of helping reluctant readers gain confidence in their reading, for what is better than a good book and a cat on your lap? A great book for classrooms, libraries, and homes that want to encourage reading or are cat lovers.
Clarisse is a stray cat who loves looking at the pictures inside of books but how is she going to be able to see more when the Book Keeper at the library doesn't allow cats? This charming book is an ode to books and cats. I love the clear, artful illustrations and following Clarisse on her journey to find books and a home. I also thought it was a clever and meaningful way to show a popular way of helping reluctant readers gain confidence in their reading, for what is better than a good book and a cat on your lap? A great book for classrooms, libraries, and homes that want to encourage reading or are cat lovers.
March 15, 2024
Clarisse is a stray cat who is fascinated by the pictures in books. Once she notices people coming out of the library with books, Clarisse is determined to go inside. However, the "keeper of the books" keeps her out so Clarisse sneaks in through the book drop. The double page spread of Clarrisse's journey through the book drop is hilarious! This picture book is very similar to Jack the Library Cat by Marietta Apollonio. In both books, the cat becomes a much appreciated reading buddy. A lovely story with large, heartwarming illustrations that will be a delight to read and share!
"Read-aloud cats are welcome in the library!"
"Read-aloud cats are welcome in the library!"
April 2, 2024
3.5
Very cute, and I really liked and appreciated the diverse illustrations. This seems like it would be readable to a large group, and I loved the incorporation of small patrons reading to furry creatures. But I live with folks who are allergic-to-cats, and there is a dissonance in the idea that a public space could have a permanent cat. I might just need to think of this as fantasy instead of realistic fiction.
Very cute, and I really liked and appreciated the diverse illustrations. This seems like it would be readable to a large group, and I loved the incorporation of small patrons reading to furry creatures. But I live with folks who are allergic-to-cats, and there is a dissonance in the idea that a public space could have a permanent cat. I might just need to think of this as fantasy instead of realistic fiction.
April 13, 2024
A cozy story for all children and cat lovers. Readers will fall in love with this adorable cat as she explores the world of books and finds a surprising way to be included in her local library. A great lesson teaching children to explore new places and stories. Sometimes our furry friends can help us in ways that we cannot imagine. I work in a library so this book has special meaning for me. People of all ages will enjoy these delightful colorful illustrations as well.
April 20, 2024
Clarisse might just be the cutest little stray kitty illustrated in a children's book yet! To add to her cuteness, she loves books... the kind with pictures of course! When Clarisse finds a magical building FILLED with books, she becomes determined to find a way in there, but will the keeper of the books allow Clarisse in?
Cats, libraries, beautiful illustrations AND a sweet ending? What more can you ask for in a children's book?
Cats, libraries, beautiful illustrations AND a sweet ending? What more can you ask for in a children's book?
March 16, 2024
5 stars (I love it!)
Library, books, cats. This book was basically made for me!
I love the plot. It's so sweet!
I also was so drawn into the illustrations. I love the color scheme that the book has.
As soon as I finished the book, I brought it close to me to give it a hug and I think I'm going to go to Amazon now and buy myself a copy (this is big for me, I don't buy many books!).
Library, books, cats. This book was basically made for me!
I love the plot. It's so sweet!
I also was so drawn into the illustrations. I love the color scheme that the book has.
As soon as I finished the book, I brought it close to me to give it a hug and I think I'm going to go to Amazon now and buy myself a copy (this is big for me, I don't buy many books!).
April 13, 2024
This book was adorable! I love that it touches on the theme of kids reading to animals; it might be cool if it had a informational page in the back about how it can be beneficial for kids to read to animals because they're less self-conscious, and how some libraries do offer this with therapy dogs and such!
April 20, 2024
Interesting art--rather than use 6 zillion colors, the artist primarily uses teal blue and a rust brown, giving the book a retro feel. Many, many libraries have live in cats, and while I've never had a "read to a cat" time, we used to regularly host kitten visits from a local shelter. A sweet story.
March 5, 2024
Super cute text and illustrations! My only worry would be the number of kids at a storytime who may end up asking why the library doesn't have a library cat for them to read to.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews