Counting down to Christmas with a new holiday book each day!
Here Comes Santa Cat by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Claudia Rueda
I just got this book Tuesday, and it’s already a favorite! The text and the illustrations of Cat (who communicates by holding up signs) work together perfectly. I don’t know when I’ve ever seen a more expressive cat in a picture book — Rueda just nails it on every page! (I know, I’m gushing again.)
In this sequel to Here Comes the Easter Cat, Cat is worried that he’s been too naughty to get a present from Santa.
After being convinced that dressing as Santa and giving himself a gift is not the solution, Cat tries a few last-minute efforts at being nice. Unfortunately, gift-giving doesn’t come naturally to Cat, and it isn’t until Santa himself steps in that Cat discovers the true meaning of the season.
There aren’t a lot of activities for this book floating around on the internet yet, but two ideas that come to mind are:
- having children make their own pie charts to show where they stand on the “naughty or nice” issue
- using the book as a basis for a Reader’s Theater activity, with the kids making the signs that Cat uses in the story
For Twitter users, take note of this tweet from Penguin publishers:
Use #SantaCat to tell Cat what you want for Christmas & you could win a copy of Here Comes Santa Cat! #Giveaway ends 12/19. US only.
— Penguin Kids (@penguinkids) December 18, 2014
Enjoy the book trailer!