Inside Cat by Brendan Wenzel

Jayce Senter is the lead librarian at Fort Worth Christian School. She has taught primary aged students for 16 years.

Inside Cat sees the world through a very narrow lens. Every window from his home gives him a different view. Brendan Wenzel plays with words and ideas by using one word sentences and alliteration. “Wanders. Wonders.” Inside Cat is sure he knows it all. And then he wanders outside. Of course, nothing is what he had thought from his limited view out the windows. It’s a wonderful book. It’s entertaining and fun, but also a great springboard for discussions about perspective. We can discuss with little kiddos and big kids alike how what we see from our limited view is not the whole picture. Ever. I had 1st and 2nd graders read Inside Cat. Some felt that it was too hard. I can understand some of the confusion in very early readers because Wenzel says things like “roaring flies” but pictures a helicopter. The picture does not help the reader figure out the words. This does make this book harder for emergent readers. I asked students what they did not like about the book. “It was hard to read.” “All the windows” But most felt it was fun and if they couldn’t read the words, they loved the pictures. I asked students what they liked most about the book. Some responses were: “All the windows. The windows showed funny stuff.” “I like the cat. He’s cute.” “fluffy rats!” (This is what the cat thought squirrels were.) “When it was rhyming.” Overall, It is a wonderful read-aloud even if some words may be too difficult for them to read on their own. It is a wonderful spring-board for conversation. However, I do not think it is easy enough or the text predictable enough to be considered for the Geisel.