The Fat Cat Sat on the Mat: A Silly Rhyming Animal Story for Children (Ages 4–8) (I Can Read Level 1)

Cute book! Good for first time readers!

The Fat Cat Sat on the Mat is a delightful little book that delivers exactly what it promises: fun with simple words and playful rhythm. If you’re introducing a young child to reading or reinforcing early literacy skills, this one hits the mark beautifully. The story is built around short, predictable sentences and a cast of engaging animal characters that keep kids interested without overwhelming them. My child loved hearing the repeated phrases — and because the sentences are so straightforward, it’s empowering for beginners to try reading them aloud. What makes this book stand out for early readers is its rhythm and repetition. Young children quickly pick up the patterns, which builds confidence and makes each reading feel like a small success. It’s a great way to practice phonics and sight words without turning learning into a chore. The illustrations are simple but charming. They support the text without being distracting, and the bright, friendly characters help hold kids’ attention page after page. Even after several readings, my little one still giggles at some of the playful scenes. It’s also a durable, kid-friendly book — the pages hold up well to enthusiastic page turning and repeated reads. The length is just right for short attention spans: long enough to feel like a complete story but short enough to keep kids fully engaged. Pros: Excellent for beginning readers and early literacy practice Simple, repetitive text builds confidence Fun, friendly illustrations Short and engaging for young attention spans Great for read-aloud sessions Cons: Very basic — not as engaging for older or more advanced readers Little plot depth (which is intentional but worth noting) Overall, The Fat Cat Sat on the Mat is a wonderful early reader book that combines simplicity with fun. It’s ideal for preschoolers, kindergarteners, or any child taking their first steps in independent reading. Highly recommended for families and classrooms alike.

The Fat Cat Sat on the Mat is one of my granddaughter's favorite books. I've read some of the reviews and understand that some parents are concerned about some of the language--stupid, brat and hate. I'm careful about choosing books that have appropriate language for children. Her parents have taught my granddaughter(as have I) that it is not okay to call people "stupid." We also have taught her that it is important to love others--even when they seem hateful or unloving. We want her to be kind and considerate of others and understand that you don't call people names. At the same time, most children are confronted with these thoughts and words at an early age in the world we live in, so occasionally having these words in books to explore and to talk about with our children can be helpful. When I chose this book to buy, I had been working with my granddaughter on the "at" words the book aims to teach to young readers. I had made a simple diorama with pictures of a cat and a mat and the words to place with them, and my granddaughter had learned these words, so I was thrilled to find Karlin's book. I remember vividly the first reading with my granddaughter. I read it with a great deal of dramatic emphasis because it's the kind of nonsensical but funny, funny book that you can read this way. One of the funniest scenes for my granddaughter is when the hat (with his friends the rat and the bat parading behind him), tries to entice the cat to get off the mat. He brings him a fish on a dish but keeps it just out of the cat's reach. The cat says, "Bring it closer!" (I read it slooooowly and with lots of emphasis!) Then the hat says, "Come and get it!" Of course, my granddaughter wondered what the cat would do--would she jump off the mat to get the fish on a dish? Would she be silly enough to fall for this? We slowly turned the page... The cat says, "You think I am stupid!" My granddaughter howled with laughter. She loved that the cat was too smart for the hat! He wasn't stupid after all! We read on and enjoyed the rest of the book and then she insisted I had to read it over and over. This child memorized the book and began reading portions of it by recognizing the words from her memorization. As I read she would put out her hand and stop me at portions of the book so that she could show me she could read the funny parts. By the end of kindergarten, she was reading the entire book by herself. I have looked and looked for other books by Nurit Karlin like this one and haven't found them. I personally think she has written a whimsical book for children to enjoy reading. So many books for new readers are just not as imaginative and not at all fun to read. Children who are old enough to understand the nuance of language and the motive and intent of characters will understand this book. It's not a storybook for very young ones in my opinion (1-4 year olds). It's an "I can read book" for young readers. I am purchasing one today for a friend's child who at five hasn't begun to read. I fully expect he will love this book as we have.

We love cats and my grandson loves reading this book. Short, but great for a beginner reader.

Easy to read book

Funny book!

This book has been such a great tool for helping my kindergartner get excited about reading. The words are simple and repetitive, which is perfect for building confidence, and the pictures really help with context. We read a few pages together each night, and I’ve already noticed she’s starting to recognize sight words on her own. It’s short enough to keep her attention but still gives her a sense of accomplishment when she finishes a story. Highly recommend for any parent working on early reading skills — especially if you're not sure where to start. It's been a lifesaver during our bedtime routine!

Great Book for Kindergarten or Preschool level. The pictures are very engaging and the words are on course for what my child is learning in school.

一枚のmatをめぐって、 catとratとbatとhatが大騒ぎします。 果たして、お話のオチはどうなるのでしょう。 韻を踏んでいるので リズムよく音読を楽しめます。 感情をこめて台詞のように言うと、 子どもたちも気持ちたっぷりに音読してくれます。 mat、cat、rat、bat、hatの繰り返しで、 子どもたちも楽しみながらおぼえていくようです。 イラストもかわいらしく、 よく見ると、 動かないはずのものが毎回違った表情を見せています！

Ideale per iniziare con l'inglese. La bimba gradisce e leggiamo assieme. E il gatto somiglia al nostro.

me gusta. es una historia corta, fácil de leer por los peques y tiene rima, es entretenido! para llevar a cualquier lado y leer con los niños.

This is a fun silly little book. My boys and I were laughing so hard reading this. Lots of repetitive sounds make it a great book for beginning readers.

Great reading book for little ones, my boy is five, and just finished reception. It's a good starting book for reading on their own. I would recommend this, he loves it.