Review - I See a Cat

I See a Cat
by Paul Meisel
Date: 2017
Publisher: Holiday House
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

A dog barks at everything he loves--a cat, a squirrel, and his favorite boy! This Level A book is perfect for new readers.

I see a cat. I see a bird. I see a fly.

Easy-to-read text and fun pictures follow a dog through his happy day. Sitting inside his house, the dog watches other animals pass by the glass door... until his beloved boy comes home, and the two pals dash outside, determined to get up close and personal with all the backyard wildlife!

2018 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
American Library Association Notable Book
Junior Library Guild Selection

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This book may be perfect for new readers... but it's probably not going to appeal to anyone else. It's literally just a dog seeing stuff around him and occasionally barking his head off. Kids may feel accomplished when they finish reading this book all by themselves, but they're probably not going to be very satisfied by the story. I actually kept trying to turn the pages on my e-book copy when I got to the end because I thought there must've been more! It just ends. That's all, folks!

The illustrations are somewhat amusing, even if a little rough. I probably enjoyed them more than the "story".

While this might be fine for absolute beginners, I can't see it having much appeal beyond that. It's too simple even for a book you'd read out loud.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall: 2 out of 5