Review - Splat the Cat Sings Flat

Splat the Cat Sings Flat (Splat the Cat)
by Chris Strathearn
illustrated by Robert Eberz
Date: 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Splat's class is preparing to sing on Parents' Night, but Splat has stage fright! What will it take for him to overcome his fear?

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Well, that was weirdly awful.

This may be classed as a Level 1 I Can Read! title, and the reading difficulty may be at that level, but the story is so juvenile and childish that I really kind of hated it. There really isn't any lesson, and I don't understand what the whole point of the book is. Is he trying to sing flat? Is this a good thing? Why does singing a note make him fall off the mat? Or is the book just trying way too hard to make kids laugh? (This is my first encounter with this character. Based on his name, though, I'm wondering if he falls a lot.)

The pictures are kind of weird. The cats all look super soft and plush, but there's a sort of strange, CGI look to some of them that seems a little hokey. I'd like to know what the original illustrations are like (since this story is simply based on the creation of the original author).

Meh. I don't think I'll be bothering with any more books about Splat. If I'm going to be reading Level 1 books in the I Can Read! series, I'd much rather pick up a Fancy Nancy or something. This just doesn't hold much appeal for more advanced readers (unless they like looking at pictures of fuzzy cats).

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 2/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall: 1.67 out of 5