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Andy Griffiths
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The Cat on the Mat Is Flat Kindle Edition

by Andy Griffiths (Author), Terry Denton (Illustrator) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars 257 ratings

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Day My Butt Went Psycho!, comes a collection of ten slimy, rhymey, easy-to-read Dr. Seuss-style short stories.

Muck! Uck! Yuck!
It is just bad luck
When the truck of a duck
Gets stuck in the muck?

Wacky rhymes that won't bore!
All of this and so much more;
What are you waiting for?

With silly rhymes, sound effects, and hilarious art on every page, Andy Griffiths and illustrator Terry Denton capture slapstick physical comedy in a book so easy to read that early elementary school students can read it themselves!

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  1. Reading age
    5 - 8 years, from customers
  2. Print length
    176 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    Preschool - 4
  5. Publisher
    Feiwel & Friends
  6. Publication date
    September 1, 2009
  7. Page Flip
    Not Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Not Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Not Enabled
  10. ISBN-13
    978-1466836617
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for "The Cat on the Mat is Flat":

"Imagine the outcome if Dr. Seuss, Dav Pilkey, and Lane Smith were locked in a room until they came up with a book for beginning or reluctant readers. These nine rhyming stories have action galore, plenty of dialogue, and ample pen-and-ink illustrations, all wrapped up in humor . . . Even young people who are struggling to get the hang of reading may happily handle all 176 crazy pages." --"School Library Journal"

"Griffiths's innovative book for beginning readers collects nine short, intentionally silly snippets propelled by kid-pleasing, tongue-tripping verse . . . Denton's edgy, stick-figure-filled sketches enhance the zaniness factor and the offbeat, ironic humor." --"Publishers Weekly"

"Take one part Dr. Seuss, one part Edward Lear, place in a blender with a dash of Dav Pilkey and a bit of Cartoon Network juice . . . meant to be read as pure joy. It's a piece of candy eaten in secret between meals." --The Excelsior File (blog)

"Definitely not your parents' easy reader, but perfect for fans of Lane Smith's "Happy Hockey Family,"" --"Kirkus Reviews"

"This collection of stories is fun albeit with a touch of mayhem . . . This is a good book for beginning readers, in the same vein as "The Cat in the Hat" and "The Cat in the Hat Comes Back," It will likely spark a new rhyming nation of happy youngsters, some of whom will grow up to write their generation's outrageously funny advertising jingles . . . Any beginning reader will find it charmingly slapstick and fun." --Armchair Interviews

"As a teacher, I have already found this book an excellent starting point for children to understand rhyme. In class, the children wanted to try their own funny stories." "Griffiths's ("The Day My Butt Went Psycho!") innovative book for beginning readers collects nine short, intentionally silly snippets propelled by kid-pleasing, tongue-tripping verse...Denton's edgy, stick-figure-filled sketches enhance the zaniness factor and the offbeat, ironic humor." - Publishers Weekly .,."meant to be read as pure joy. It's a piece of candy eaten in secret between meals." - The Excelsior File / blog .,."perfect for fans of Lane Smith's Happy Hockey Family." - Kirkus

"Imagine the outcome if Dr. Seuss, Dav Pilkey, and Lane Smith were locked in a room until they came up with a book for beginning or reluctant readers. These nine rhyming stories have action galore, plenty of dialogue, and ample pen-and-ink illustrations, all wrapped up in humor....Even young people who are struggling to get the hang of reading may happily handle all 176 crazy pages."--"School Library Journal" "Griffiths's innovative book for beginning readers collects nine short, intentionally silly snippets propelled by kid-pleasing, tongue-tripping verse....Denton's edgy, stick-figure-filled sketches enhance the zaniness factor and the offbeat, ironic humor."--"Publishers Weekly" .,."meant to be read as pure joy. It's a piece of candy eaten in secret between meals." - The Excelsior File / blog "Definitely not your parents' easy reader, but perfect for fans of Lane Smith's "Happy Hockey Family,"" - "Kirkus Reviews"

Praise for "The Cat on the Mat is Flat":


"Imagine the outcome if Dr. Seuss, Dav Pilkey, and Lane Smith were locked in a room until they came up with a book for beginning or reluctant readers. These nine rhyming stories have action galore, plenty of dialogue, and ample pen-and-ink illustrations, all wrapped up in humor . . . Even young people who are struggling to get the hang of reading may happily handle all 176 crazy pages." --"School Library Journal"


"Griffiths's innovative book for beginning readers collects nine short, intentionally silly snippets propelled by kid-pleasing, tongue-tripping verse . . . Denton's edgy, stick-figure-filled sketches enhance the zaniness factor and the offbeat, ironic humor." --"Publishers Weekly"


"Take one part Dr. Seuss, one part Edward Lear, place in a blender with a dash of Dav Pilkey and a bit of Cartoon Network juice . . . meant to be read as pure joy. It's a piece of candy eaten in secret between meals." --The Excelsior File (blog)


"Definitely not your parents' easy reader, but perfect for fans of Lane Smith's "Happy Hockey Family,"" --"Kirkus Reviews"


"This collection of stories is fun albeit with a touch of mayhem . . . This is a good book for beginning readers, in the same vein as "The Cat in the Hat" and "The Cat in the Hat Comes Back," It will likely spark a new rhyming nation of happy youngsters, some of whom will grow up to write their generation's outrageously funny advertising jingles . . . Any beginning reader will find it charmingly slapstick and fun." --Armchair Interviews

About the Author

Andrew Noel "Andy" Griffiths is an Australian children's book author and comedy writer. He is most notable for his Just! series, which was adapted into an animated television series called What's with Andy?, and his novel The Day My Bum Went Psycho, which was also adapted into a television series.



Terry Denton is an Australian illustrator and author. He is married and has three children. He is the second youngest of five boys, he was born and grew up in Melbourne, Victoria. Denton now lives in Mornington, Victoria.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00BYFBUS6
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Feiwel & Friends; 1st edition (September 1, 2009)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 1, 2009
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 32.7 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Not enabled
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 176 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 257 ratings

About the author

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Andy Griffiths

Andy Griffiths

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Andy Griffiths is Terry's best mate. He is also Australia's number-one children's author. His books, including the popular Treehouse series, have been hugely successful internationally, winning awards and becoming bestsellers in the UK and the USA as well as in his homeland, Australia. Andy thrives on having an audience: he has worked as a high-school teacher, been the lead singer in a rock band and a stand-up comedian. He is a passionate advocate for literacy, has two daughters and lives in Melbourne, Australia.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
257 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book great for early readers, particularly noting its suitability for second grade and dyslexic third graders. Moreover, the book is super fun to read with its rhyming text, and customers mention their children love reading it over and over. Additionally, they appreciate its readability and story length, with one customer noting it includes moral lessons.

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15 customers mention "Reading level"15 positive0 negative

Customers find this book suitable for early readers, particularly second and third graders, including those with dyslexia, with one customer noting it was their daughter's first independent read.

"...This is fantastic! Right at his level, so he can read alone, and so hilarious! I love hearing him giggle as he reads!..." Read more

"This is the first book my daughter read alone! She has struggled with dyslexia and low confidence due to reading delays...." Read more

"Loved this book, was great practice for my granddaughter's reading!" Read more

"i enjoyed reading it to my kids and my kids also love reading it themselves (age 5, 6)...." Read more

14 customers mention "Enjoyment"14 positive0 negative

Customers find the book super fun to read, appreciating its rhyming style and humor, with children loving to read it over and over.

"...I love hearing him giggle as he reads! Finally something he can get excited about and not moan and complain about reading!" Read more

"...My students love this book because of its silliness. I love it because it uses the same rhyming sounds for the whole chapter...." Read more

"100 times better that See Spot Run and that other stuff! This content is funny and some of the stories even have morals and stuff. Great book!" Read more

"...This is huge! Thank you for helping her see the magic and joy of reading." Read more

10 customers mention "Readability"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable, with one mentioning it's better than using an iPad.

"...She loved this book and read it straight through the first night she got it...." Read more

"...Books at his reading level are too babyish. This is fantastic! Right at his level, so he can read alone, and so hilarious!..." Read more

"...Great book!" Read more

"Loved this book, was great practice for my granddaughter's reading!" Read more

3 customers mention "Story length"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the story length of the book, with one mentioning that the stories are longer and even include morals.

"...This content is funny and some of the stories even have morals and stuff. Great book!" Read more

"...like the cat on the mat better than the big fat cow... the stories are longer and rhymes more entertaining." Read more

"My 7 year old loved the story and read it to his 5 year old little brother." Read more

Great Book For New Readers!
5 out of 5 stars
Great Book For New Readers!
This is the first book my daughter read alone! She has struggled with dyslexia and low confidence due to reading delays. This "big kid" book boosted her confidence so much! She couldn't put it down and carried it with her everywhere. I also ordered The Big Fat Cow That Goes Kapow. She has read them both in two days! This is huge! Thank you for helping her see the magic and joy of reading.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • DMR
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Cat in the Hat is Flat
    Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2010
    Verified Purchase
    I ordered this book for my daughter who is in 3rd grade. She is a struggling reader and it is hard to find books that she can read easily that actually hold her interest. She is also starting to get self-concious about how a book "looks" - wants it to be a "chapter book" but can't always read them. She loved this book and read it straight through the first night she got it. It took her about 40 minutes, which is twice as long as she normally reads, and she didn't stop every 5 minutes to ask me how much longer she had to read for! She told me she wants to read it again which is also something I have a hard time getting her to do and even asked me to order more of the series. Thank you Andy Griffiths!
    9 people found this helpful
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  • tallmama
    5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect For Profound Dyslexic
    Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    We love this book. It's hard to find interesting reading for a dyslexic 12 year old. Books at his reading level are too babyish. This is fantastic! Right at his level, so he can read alone, and so hilarious! I love hearing him giggle as he reads! Finally something he can get excited about and not moan and complain about reading!
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • Robyn R. Cooper
    4.0 out of 5 stars Early readers love this book
    Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    I am a reading tutor for elementary grades, mostly. My students love this book because of its silliness. I love it because it uses the same rhyming sounds for the whole chapter. Very useful tool for encouraging reading.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • James L
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for kids who are learning to read.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    100 times better that See Spot Run and that other stuff! This content is funny and some of the stories even have morals and stuff. Great book!
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • HeatherR
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book For New Readers!
    Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    This is the first book my daughter read alone! She has struggled with dyslexia and low confidence due to reading delays. This "big kid" book boosted her confidence so much! She couldn't put it down and carried it with her everywhere. I also ordered The Big Fat Cow That Goes Kapow. She has read them both in two days! This is huge! Thank you for helping her see the magic and joy of reading.
    Customer image
    HeatherR
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Great Book For New Readers!

    Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2016
    This is the first book my daughter read alone! She has struggled with dyslexia and low confidence due to reading delays. This "big kid" book boosted her confidence so much! She couldn't put it down and carried it with her everywhere. I also ordered The Big Fat Cow That Goes Kapow. She has read them both in two days! This is huge! Thank you for helping her see the magic and joy of reading.
    Images in this review
    Customer imageCustomer image
    5 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • Zoe Ross
    3.0 out of 5 stars The Cat on the Mat is Flat
    Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2013
    I like it but please make it free because I have no money to buy books from you.
    Hi my name is Zoe and i love my kindle
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  • Judy Peterson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Loved this book, was great practice for my granddaughter's reading!
    Helpful
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  • M&M
    5.0 out of 5 stars we loved it....
    Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    i enjoyed reading it to my kids and my kids also love reading it themselves (age 5, 6). It's fun, not any less than Dr Seuss, and the illustrations were fun too (so what if not in color). i personally like the cat on the mat better than the big fat cow... the stories are longer and rhymes more entertaining.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Robyn B
    3.0 out of 5 stars Good stories but not the best format
    Reviewed in Australia on December 5, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I teach a literacy intervention program to primary school students. As they learn their letters and sounds, we read decodable readers together. This book was recommended for students who are moving away from decodable readers and starting to read 'real' books. I plan to use it with Year 1 and 2 students but haven't yet. Most of the stories are quite short but I think they would be entertaining for young kids. Even though there are simple, decodable words (eg. cat, mat), there are other words that they would struggle to read without help (eg. around, enough), but I guess that's the point of moving to these kinds of books.

    What I don't like is the paper and printing used in this book. As you can see in my photo, the pictures and text from the other side of each page bleed through, which detracts from the funny pictures. I think it would be better as separate colour picture books. That would also make it easier for me to use with kids because I don't think I will bother to buy class sets, and the size isn't good for me to hold up in class. It's a shame.
    Customer image
    Robyn B
    3.0 out of 5 stars
    Good stories but not the best format

    Reviewed in Australia on December 5, 2024
    I teach a literacy intervention program to primary school students. As they learn their letters and sounds, we read decodable readers together. This book was recommended for students who are moving away from decodable readers and starting to read 'real' books. I plan to use it with Year 1 and 2 students but haven't yet. Most of the stories are quite short but I think they would be entertaining for young kids. Even though there are simple, decodable words (eg. cat, mat), there are other words that they would struggle to read without help (eg. around, enough), but I guess that's the point of moving to these kinds of books.

    What I don't like is the paper and printing used in this book. As you can see in my photo, the pictures and text from the other side of each page bleed through, which detracts from the funny pictures. I think it would be better as separate colour picture books. That would also make it easier for me to use with kids because I don't think I will bother to buy class sets, and the size isn't good for me to hold up in class. It's a shame.
    Images in this review
    Customer image
    Report
  • Amazon カスタマー
    5.0 out of 5 stars ありがとうございました
    Reviewed in Japan on December 10, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    思ったより早く楽しみにしていた本が娘が面白いと読んでました。
    Report

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