Cat Dog Dog: Activities, Charity Poster Sale

CAT DOG DOG: ACTIVITIES &CHARITY POSTER SALE

Best Users: Librarians, Educators, Early Childhood Educators, Home Learners
Best Audience: Children Grades 00-02

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ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES

Classroom & Home Learning Activities
Standards-aligned activities ask readers to sequence this nearly wordless tale and to make the universal compare and contrast: CAT VS. DOG.
DOWNLOAD Cat Dog Dog: Educators Guide (PDF)

Coloring Pages
Illustrator Andrea Zuill invites readers to color the characters and scenes in the story.
DOWNLOAD Cat Dog Dog: Coloring Pages (PDF)

Finger Puppets
With only five words in the entire book, your read-aloud depends on your inflection and the visual interplay of the characters. With finger puppets, readers can engage with that humorous interplay.
DOWNLOAD Cat Dog Dog: Finger Puppets (PDF)

Note: 99% of what you find on this site is created by Curious City. These activities, though, were created by illustrator Andrea Zuill, Nelly Buchet, Hen&ink Literary, and educator Debbie Gonzales.

“Successful picture books make the best introductions to all manner of topics, from first day back to school jitters to larger social concepts, in this case blended families. What better way to introduce the curious, the concerned and those already in blended families to the joys and challenges of everyday life in a blended family? I am truly looking forward to utilizing this picture book, and “blending” it into my line-ups!”
—Jonathan Dolce, Astor Public Library

POSTER PURCHASE SUPPORTS CHARITIES

A group hug for the world. Now, more than ever we need the message that, “We are all one big (blended) family.” Illustrator Andrea Zuill and Hen&ink Literary are offering a signed, open-edition 11 x 17 poster that celebrates both the characters in Cat Dog Dog and our global community. Proceeds from the $50 poster sale go to a collection of charities including: Global Giving Covid-19 Relief Fund and Austin Pets Alive. Explore More.
 

ABOUT THE BOOK

Cat Dog Dog: The Story of a Blended Family
By Nelly Buchet
Illustrated by Andrea Zuill
Published by Random House Children’s Books
ISBN-13: 9781984848994
Age Range: 3 – 7 Years

Here is the oh-so-hilarious and adorable story of a blended family– using just a few words in various configurations– from the pets’ point-of-view!

Cat and Dog live with their human in a suburban house with a big backyard. Sure, they fight like…. well, cats and dogs, but they’re used to one another. Dog– a different dog– lives a happy only child life in the city with his dad. He has the bed to himself, he never has to share his toys, and that’s the way he likes it. So what happens when the Dog’s dad and Cat and Dog’s mom move in together? Well, it’s chaotic. There’s not enough room on the bed, for starters. But as the seasons pass, the three animals become a trio and learn to (mostly) love one another. Just as they’re settling into a cozy life as a threesome, along comes…a baby! This laugh-out-loud picture book, which cleverly uses two repeating words, is sure to strike a chord with kids dealing with the ups-and-downs of settling into a blended family of their own.

“The minimalist text relies on Zuill’s expressive, funny cartoon illustrations to fill in necessary context. The words and pictures harmonize as pace, rhythm, and layout work together to clearly depict poignant moments of isolation, tension, and togetherness. New words added into the rhythm, such as “Frog” when the animals stare down an amphibian, create laugh-out-loud silliness. The humans, one white-presenting and the other brown-skinned, diversify this beautiful, blended family. A clever, winning read-aloud for modern families. ”
—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
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“This is perfect for kids just climbing aboard the reading train, but it could also work as a comedic read-aloud to younger kids.”
—The Bulletin, Starred Review
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“… a picture book magnum opus about the intricacies of the step family.”
—Shelf Awareness
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“…takes the adult concept of cohabitation and gives it a picture book spin by filtering it through the eyes of its animal protagonists. The animals in the story may serve as a useful analog for children who are members of blended families themselves.”
—School Library Journal

THE GIVEAWAY WINNERS

22 individual copies of Cat Dog Dog were given away in September 2020 to teachers, librarians, or literacy folks serving kids ages 3-7. Our thanks to Random House for the generous donation!