I Won’t Eat That by Christopher Silas Neal

Cats are notoriously picky eaters, and the yellow cat in Christopher Silas Neal’s I Won’t Eat That is no exception. Our feline friend shuns dry, dull, and boring cat food. But if Cat won’t eat cat food, what will it eat? Using a repetitive and cumulative structure, Cat seeks dietary advice from a variety of animals (Turtle, Fox, Chimp, Lion, Elephant, Whale), but nothing is appetizing. Cat is about ready to give up when Mouse asks turns the question around on Cat, “What does a cat eat?” Suddenly, Cat is sure it knows the answer!

The thoughtfully constructed guessing game structure creates an excellent page-turning dynamic with helpful visual context clues on the same page as the text. Additionally, the expressive and humorous mixed media illustrations are detailed and employ eye-catching variety. Most importantly, visual supports are always easy to spot on the thick, creamy pages.

Word repetition is strong throughout, due mostly to the cumulative nature of the story. There are just two words that present a bit of a sticky wicket: bioluminescent phytoplankton. That’s 10 syllables in just two words! While it’s a great concept to explore and discuss as a read aloud, it could prove much more intimidating for an independent reader.

I’ve read this book (with roaring success) to preschool through first graders. But I’m curious, has anyone given this book to an emerging reader? How did they react to those tricky 10 syllables?