They All Saw A Cat by Brenden Wenzel
Release Date: August 30, 2016
Review:
Each animal has a different visual perception of the world around them. The
illustrations created by Brendan Wenzel in They
All Saw a Cat display the unique view of a cat through a variety of species.
As a cat prows through the world with his whiskers, ears and paws, the animals
see him in a variety of ways: as colorful dots as a bee has a limited vision,
or in the colors they are themselves--black and white like a skunk. The worms
merely see a dark shadow cross their path as they are under ground and the cat
is passing them above on the ground. Each different animal sees the cat as a
friend, foe, or possibly a mere part of the passing scenery.
As
you turn the pages, the reader is given the opportunity to also see how the cat
is viewed. It isn't until the end of the story, when the reader is asked the
simple question, how does the cat view himself?
In the
Classroom:
As you turn the pages of this book, you can ask your young reader (actually
this book would be a great read for the Middle School age as well as the
elementary audience) why the cat is viewed in this manner? The illustrations
differ from page to page, so the discussion should vary base on the drawings
given on the pages associated with the different species.
The
given perspectives of how the different animals "All Saw a Cat" leads
itself to a simple classroom discussion: how do we see ourselves verse how
others view us? Ask multiple questions defining "others." Others can
be peers, teachers, parents, family members, etc. Do these perspectives differ
based on the environments of our relationships?
As
the reader concludes the book, your audience will have differing opinions on
how the cat views itself. Will the cat see itself as a shadow, as spots, as a
black and white vision? These answers can also reveal how your reader views
themselves. These discussions (or journal entry for your older audience) can
allow you to see into the heart, brain and soul of your student. I love
activities giving you access to the souls of your students. You can be the
difference in a life. A story can open discussions which don't get answered
from a direct morning question, "How are you?" Fine is a common
answer, but with a story about a cat and views of animals, you may find a
different answer is given other than fine.
It was bitter sweet to take the Hollands to the pool. We would take the kiddos to the Augusta pool and McDonalds the past few summers and our friendship grew leaps and bounds. I had never had a mom who I saw eye to eye on parenting until I met the Hollands. The kids are the same ages and are being raised in similar environments with similar rules, morals and values. It is a breath of fresh air to hang out with them. It makes me miss the days of ole. I'm glad they are still in our lives and hope to keep it this way.
