Dr. Seuss Graphic Novel: Cat Out of Water: A Cat in the Hat Story

by Art Baltazar

Overview

Discover Dr. Seuss’s whimsical world like never before in this colorful graphic novel companion to The Cat in the Hat! With all-new illustrations and easy-to-read paneled storytelling, this is the perfect next step for beginner readers transitioning to chapter books!

It’s a normal day with normal chores for Sally and her brother…until everything turns topsy-turvy when the Cat in the Hat arrives! With a whirlwind of fun, and the hilarious but chaotic antics of Thing 1 and Thing 2, the day promises to be anything but boring. Yet Sally’s wise pet, the Fish, warns them about letting the Cat stay. The question looms: Can they wrap up their tasks before their parents return, or will the Cat’s zany escapades throw them off course?

With brand-new illustrations and easy-to-follow paneled storytelling, this graphic novel is an excellent bridge for kids transitioning to chapter books. A perfect must-have for young readers and Dr. Seuss fans alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593703038
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	04/30/2024
Series:	Dr. Seuss Graphic Novels
Pages:	80
Sales rank:	13,793
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 6.30(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	GN380L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Art Baltazar is a super-cartoonist machine from the heart of Chicago! He’s all about peace, love, and joy. He defines cartoons and comics not only as an art style but as a way of life. Artie is a creative force behind the Eisner Award–winning ITTY BITTY HELLBOY and the New York Times bestselling and Eisner  and Harvey award-winning DC Comics’ TINY TITANS, and artist of the DC SUPER-PETS children’s book series.

Editorial Reviews

05/31/2024

K-Gr 2—The basic premise of the original The Cat in the Hat book is present in this graphic novel version. Instead of a boring rainy day for Sally and her brother, it is a quiet, sunny afternoon. The fish in its fishbowl continues to be the voice of reason as there are no adults around to mitigate the Cat's wild ideas of fun. The fun for today is to turn the house into a giant pool so they can all enjoy swimming and playing together while including the fish. Thing 1 and Thing 2 are there as well to speed the chaos along. Soon, the children realize that a totally flooded house is a problem and, along with the Cat, they must put things back as they were before their parents return. Plenty of bright colors and onomatopoeias abound. Varied panel sizes and close-ups move the action along. Unfortunately, the plot is thin, and the dialogue is weak and lacking humor. Sometimes, you cannot improve on the original. VERDICT Graphic novel adaptations of classics can work, but in this case, the result is a watered down (pun intended) version of a great book that the target audience still enjoys immensely.—Elisabeth LeBris

School Library Journal

2024-04-20
The Cat in the Hat comes back yet again—with a new author and in graphic novel format.

The cartoon art is done in a different, less finished style, but the Cat beneath the tottery striped chapeau will be instantly recognizable (if younger-looking). Two children are at home alone when the frenetic feline slips indoors, over the strenuous objections of the kids’ pet fish. The Cat unleashes Thing 1 and Thing 2, who turn on all the taps. Once the house fills with water, the Cat creates soapy chaos until the house is on the verge of exploding. He then brings in a Super Dooper Bubble Scooper to vacuum up the foam while the water conveniently vanishes. Order magically restored, the Cat leaps back out the window. Baltazar writes in prose rather than verse—clunky prose at that (“Having fun, Fish? It still counts. Even on accident”). With no mention of a parent, this narrative lacks the tension of the original books, in which children and fish alike worry that Mother will come home at any moment to discover the Cat’s shenanigans. Though the story is billed as new, the author/illustrator matches the earlier titles beat for beat; little sets this tale apart. Readers who dote on the classic Cat won’t find much reason to return.

An overcautious, underwritten spinoff. (instructions on drawing the characters) (Graphic fiction. 7-9)

Kirkus Reviews