Explores the world of Dr. Seuss, the author of "The Cat in the Hat" and "The Cat in the Hat Comes Back," and explains how his works teach reading to young children, but could also be seen as commentaries on politics, ethics, comics, and history.

Racism is resilient, duplicitous, and endlessly adaptable, so it is no surprise that America is again in a period of civil rights activism. A significant reason racism endures is because it is structural: it's embedded in culture and in institutions. One of the places that racism hides-and thus perhaps the best place to oppose it-is books for young people. Was the Cat in the Hat Black? presents five serious critiques of the history and current state of children's literature tempestuous relationship with both implicit and explicit forms of racism. The book fearlessly examines topics both vivid-such as The Cat in the Hat's roots in blackface minstrelsy-and more opaque, like how the children's book industry can perpetuate structural racism via whitewashed covers even while making efforts to increase diversity. Rooted in research yet written with a lively, crackling touch, Nel delves into years of literary criticism and recent sociological data in order to show a better way forward. Though much of what is proposed here could be endlessly argued, the knowledge that what we learn in childhood imparts both subtle and explicit lessons about whose lives matter is not debatable. The text concludes with a short and stark proposal of actions everyone-reader, author, publisher, scholar, citizen- can take to fight the biases and prejudices that infect children's literature. While Was the Cat in the Hat Black? does not assume it has all the answers to such a deeply systemic problem, its audacity should stimulate discussion and activism.

Two children sitting at home on a rainy day meet the cat in the hat who shows them some tricks and games.

The first-ever U.S. edition of this delightful gem based on a letter Joyce wrote to his grandson, revealing the modernist master’s playful side—filled with one-of-a-kind illustrations—the perfect gift for Joyce fans and cat lovers alike. The Cats of Copenhagen was first written for James Joyce’s most beloved audience, his only grandson, Stephen James Joyce, and sent in a letter dated September 5, 1936. Cats were clearly a common currency between Joyce and his grandson. In early August 1936, Joyce sent Stephen “a little cat filled with sweets”—a kind of Trojan cat meant to outwit grown-ups. A few weeks later, Joyce penned a letter from Copenhagen that begins “Alas! I cannot send you a Copenhagen cat because there are no cats in Copenhagen.” The letter reveals the modernist master at his most playful, yet Joyce’s Copenhagen has a keen, anti-authoritarian quality that transcends the mere whimsy of a children’s story. Only recently rediscovered, this marks the inaugural U.S. publication of The Cats of Copenhagen, a treasure for readers of all ages. A rare addition to Joyce’s known body of work, it is a joy to see this exquisite story in print at last.

A cat returns home, it has been away for a long time, but is it her cat that came back? A Childs' pet sleeping in its owner's bed. Do the parents worry what could happen? How do you tell the child what took place? A gothic mansion dark and creepy, a cat yowl! Time to run, run now! True Cat Ghost Stories.

Beware the Cat (1533) is the earliest original piece of long prose fiction in English. It has the distinction of being the first English "novel," far surpassing in narrative sophistication such immediate predecessors as Elyot's Image of Governance or Borde's Scoggin's Jests. This edition, besides providing a modernized text of the novel, also identifies the pseudonymous author of Beware the Cat as William Baldwin, better known as editor and principal author of the enormously popular Mirror for Magistrates (1559). The development of early English prose fiction is thoroughly documented in two informative and wide-ranging appendices. William Baldwin's place in this tradition, as well as his innovative narrative art, is discussed in the introduction, which also provides biographical information on the author, historical background to his novel, and insight into the political and religious turmoil of the middle years of the sixteenth century.

The author describes his detachment from animals before meeting a cat whose failing health and winning personality shifted his scientific perspectives and brought about his understanding of the evolutionary significance of kinship.

The creator of fanciful children’s books such as Green Eggs and Ham, Dr. Seuss is an amazing author. Historic photos and easy-to-read text take readers into the author’s life. Zoom in even deeper with quick stats, a timeline, and bolded glossary terms. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Abdo Zoom is a division of ABDO.

Newbery Award–winning author Marguerite Henry’s beloved novel about a boy who would do anything to paint is now available in a collectible hardcover gift edition. Benjamin West was born with an extraordinary gift—the gift of creating paintings of people, animals, and landscapes so true to life they “took one’s breath away.” But Benjamin is part of a deeply religious Quaker family, and Quaker beliefs forbid the creation of images. Because Benjamin’s family didn’t approve of his art, he had to make his own painting supplies. The local Native Americans taught him how to mix paints from earth, clay, and plants. And his cat, Grimalkin, sacrificed hair from his tail for Ben’s brushes. This classic story from Newbery Award–winning author Marguerite Henry features the original text and illustrations in a gorgeous collectible hardcover edition.

Edited by Jesse Pearson and Glynnis McDaris.