The Cat in the Hat

Seuss, Dr. (1957). The Cat in the Hat.

The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss is about Sally and her brother who are sitting at home alone with their pet goldfish on a rainy day. They are bored to death until the Cat in the Hat shows up with Thing One and Thing Two at their door. Their goldfish tells them not to let the three strangers in, but they do anyway, and they want to play. Sally and her brother run around the house with Cat in the Hat, Thing One, and Thing Two, causing all kinds of problems and making a mess of the house. Although this book is old, it has become a classic and a favorite of kids over the years and it is still found on bookshelves today. The easy rhyming flow of the book, the repetitive words, and Cat in the Hat's mischief makes this book enjoyable for kids all of all ages (even the really old ones!). Dr. Seuss books are great to teach kids to read with. I think it is still popular today because it is funny, but also educational, becuase it teaches kids 225 basic vocabulary words and is not as ordinary or boring as the usual basal readers and basic books used to teach kids how to read.

Martin, Bill. (2004). Chicka Chicka 1,2,3.

Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3 by Bill Martin is about 101 numbers that climb an apple tree. Some bumble bees try to cause the numbers trouble and zero has to save the day. This book reminds me of a contemporary The Cat in the Hat because it rhymes, repeats information, and helps children remember numbers. Just like Dr. Seuss' unconvential "basil reader" which taught sight words, this book uses repitition, clever rhymes, and funny quotes to help students remember important information.