Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 1-2. The problem begins when Wilma the witch is out for the evening, leaving at home her pet rat (whom she calls a brat) and her big fat cat. You see, the rat sits on the mat, while the cat sits in the vat, but as soon as Wilma is out of the house, the cat takes over the mat, and since he's so big and fat, he can't be budged, not even when the rat tries to lure him with a fish in a dish. New readers will enjoy the fun of the simple wordplay, even if the book tries too hard at times (the talking hat doesn't really make it). Each page is dotted with the characters, with the big, impervious tabby taking up most of the space. Suitable for readers just starting out. (Reviewed Sept. 15, 1996)0060266732Ilene Cooper
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Short on plot and long on rhyming words, this series entry is another book of singsong verse that stretches to create a cohesive text. When a fat cat sits on a rat's mat, the rodent tries to convince the animal to move, but to no avail. He calls in his friends bat and hat to help, but it is only after Wilma the witch returns home that the cat moves from the mat. Karlin's illustrations show a golden plump feline just quietly waiting for a confrontation, a timid but determined rat, a somewhat determined bat (the animal variety), and a nondescript hat with two legs and two arms. Soft, gentle colors wash the characters in sunny shades but do not lessen the intensity of the personalities. Emerging readers may have some difficulty in predicting the less-than-logical story line, but the repeated sounds and rhyming words will reinforce their decoding skills. While there are many stronger easy-to-read texts by authors such as Lillian Hoban, Arnold Lobel, and James Marshall, this title is an acceptable offering for those libraries that never seem to have enough beginning readers.-Sharron McElmeel, Cedar Rapids Community Schools, IA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
A fat cat sits on a mat, and a rat, who hates the cat, orders the cat off. The cat refuses, so the rat enlists a bat, a hat, and a fish on a dish to help. Wilma the witch and her 'crazy broom' return home to further stir up the rivalry between the cat and rat. A silly minimalist plot told in simple rhyme is enlived by bouncy rhythm and expressive, uncluttered illustrations that add visual humor. From HORN BOOK 1996, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Karlin (Little Big Mouse, 1991, etc.) sets off words like stones skipping across water in this nimble I Can Read. Wilma the Witch's household equilibrium is disrupted when the fat cat takes up residence on the green mat. ``That is MY mat,'' says the rat. ``So what?'' ``So get off!'' ``No I won't.'' So the rat enlists the help of a bat and a hat and a fish in a dish to dislodge the interloper. Threats are to no avail, nor enticements, nor the broomstick's buzzing antics. Wilma enters, settles the question of property rights by telling the rat, ``My dear little brat, what makes you think this is YOUR mat?'' while the mat gets the last word. With a cat (who's fat), rat, bat, hat, and mat (not to mention the vat where the cat typically dozes) in leading roles, the rhyming scheme is set. Children will love the word dance and the lyric connections, as well as Karlin's feisty cartoon characters. (Picture book. 4-8)
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
