Mrs. Crump's Cat

by Linda Smith

Book Overview

From Linda Smith and David Roberts comes a funny, heartwarming tale about the wonderful things that can happen when you open your door to friendship. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060283025
• ISBN13: 9780060283025
• Release Date: May 2006
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.5" x 11.0"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

my grandsons really liked this story

After reading this to my 6 and 3 year old grandsons, they wanted me to read it again. The story of a woman who has every excuse not to keep a stray cat after it arrives on her doorstep; but day after day she keeps doing loving acts for the cat. My grandsons had fun saying the cat had to go at the end of a page, knowing that at the end, she would keep it. This story teaches unconditional love and compassion for a stray, and how a animal brings joy to a person's life.

The great book! SPOILER ALERT

(as dictated by my 7 year old son (and as agreed by his mother)!) This is a great book. If you find this, you should buy it. It is a very strong buy. There were a lot of great adjectives in this story and it sounded like she was going to give the cat away at first. But she never did. She loved it way too much. There was a funny part in the story where she said it was a clear night starrry sky, and then she said that I smell rain and she slammed the door shut and kept the cat. The last part of the story Mr. Henry actually said "How did you get along without it?" and she kept it. This cat looks like one of our kittens. (from Mom) I agree with the above and want to add that the illustrations are hilarious and the cat, although cartoonish, somehow looks real!

A Great Book for Older Readers and for Parents to Work Through with Younger Readers

Mrs. Crump is minding her own business when a dirty cat shows up on her doorstep. She doesn't want a cat. She doesn't need a cat. But the cat is hungry so Mrs. Crump takes pity and sets out in the rain to get the cat some food. After a meal, she'll be sending the cat back out into the world. Mrs. Crump isn't convinced that night that the cat should go, though. She thinks it might just rain so the cat gets a night in front of Mrs. Crump's cozy fire. She spends so much time telling herself she doesn't need a pet but in the back of her mind she becomes quite fond of the yellow cat. Mrs. Crump even tries to find the owner but secretly hopes he or she won't come forward. In the end, Mrs. Crump finds all that trouble of putting up with the cat isn't so bad after all. The "sneaky, finicky, troublesome, wet, yellow cat with fleas" becomes a new friend for life. Mrs. Crump's Cat is a fun, challenging read for ages 4-8. The story itself shows children how you can always change your mind and open up your heart. The illustrations help tell the story for younger readers wanting to follow along as parents read to them.

Shoo cat, don't bother me

A reputable source brought this book to my attention by declaring it a cat book for those people who don't like cats. Don't get me wrong, I like cats. I think that they are fine frolicsome creatures and I wouldn't mind owning one of my own someday, weather permitting. That does not, however, mean that I always like cat picture books. Books that attempt to show cats as they are, too often have the kitties come off as stand-offish or difficult to endure. What "Mrs. Crump's Cat" does so well as show the good of cats, the bad of cats, and present both in a uniquely endearing way. Add in an illustrator of hitherto unsung talents and you've got yourself what I consider to be one of the loveliest little cat-minded picture books of this or any other year. On a wet, rainy, relatively miserable day Mrs. Crump found, "an exquisite golden cat", ah-sitting on her porch. Mrs. Crump is a logical woman. As she tells the unwanted visitor right off the bat, "I have no use for a cat". Be that as it may, it seems cruel to send it out before it's dry. And then once it's dry it seems cruel not to give it something to eat. With each moment with the cat Mrs. Crump pushes back the time when she'll let the cat go. Maybe when it's dry. Or fed. Or when it's a sunny day. Or when the rest of the cream she bought for it is gone. By and by Mrs. Crump advertises the cat at the local shop with the note, "Found: One Sneaky Finicky Troublesome Wet Yellow Cat With Fleas". And by the end no one has claimed the animal and, as the local shop owner says, "Before you know it, you'll be sitting by the fire with the cat on your lap, wondering how you ever got along without it". Which is precisely what occurs. Author Linda Smith was especially clever in this story distinguishing the difference between what a person says and what a person does. Some kids reading this book will pick up on the fact that the woman actually likes the cat right from the start (it would be hard not to). I, myself, enjoyed how Mrs. Crump would reinforce her own stereotypes of what a cat is like by almost making the cat fall into them. When she leaves the door open and the cat walks in out of the rain she says, "Cats are sneaky by nature". And when it refuses to eat the slice of bread she gives it she adds, "Cats are finicky as well". And should you ever need a title to illustrate the phrase, "One thing leads to another", you couldn't do better than this. Credit illustrator David Roberts as the real force behind this book's inescapable charm, though. Ms. Smith's writing has its beauty, but Roberts is why you'll have just as hard a time letting the book go as Mrs. Crump had letting the cat go. Here we see an animal of a uniquely amiable nature. Adorable to several decimal points, the cat (never named) comes across as a perfect companion. Then there's the layout of the book. Roberts isn't afraid of switching the perspective of the images or even doing a several panel layout for kicks.

You will love Mrs. Crump ... she's just like us! A fun read!

The catchy cover attracted me to this book, so I bought it for a friend who baby-sits five young children, and just HAD to read it first, of course. I really enjoyed the story-line and fell in love with Mrs. Crump AND her new pet. Not to ignore the sweet little cat, but Mrs. Crump is a delightful character and is very much like the average person in that she pretended not to want the cat, but kept buying little things for it. I relate to that! Like a ray of summer sunshine, reading this book will put smiles on the kids' faces ... and yours too!