Times have changed. Little kids left home alone and shouldn't they have been told by their parents not to let anyone in?

This is the book that must of led to a lot of wild house parties and may have spawned many party while your parents are away flicks (Risky Business, etc).

A good fun read with a lilting cadence!

I couldn't imagine our children's bookshelf without The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, The Lorax and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

This is, of course, the classic beginning reader by Dr. Seuss.

What can I say about it that has not already been said? Honestly, I can't think of a thing. Just that it is a classic, and has taught many children how to read, and is a fun read-aloud to younger kids as well.

The Cat in the Hat
By Dr. Seuss

The Cat In the Hat was my first book. I remember reading it to my mom in the kitchen while she cooked dinner.

Your children's book collection would not be complete without a copy of The Cat In A Hat.

Jill Ammon Vanderwood, author
Through the Rug
Through The Rug: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)

In my opinion, this is, besides being the most well-known concept of Dr. Seuss, one of the best things he has written save "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" Tis the season of Seuss right now, and as I read this book to my class I was once again enchanted by the sheer awesomeness of this story. The writing has an awesome beat and flow and the pictures are hilarious! Who can not love the banter between Cat and Fish with their surprisingly detailed personalities? Great book for a rainy day.

This is the first book i read to my son that he didn't cry to and listened to the end at only 6 weeks! I'm sure it was just that he was in a good mood though!

When I can, I plan to purchase the entire series of Dr. Seuss books for my child being that his style of poetic prose is so appealing to children. It presents concepts in a way that don't stop to make them "think"; yet encourage a style of their own "brain-storming" that allows them to try to understand how silly chit-chat can become something interesting in a very sensible; yet diverse manner. LLO'C

I have this delightful book in English, Japanese, Spanish, and now in Chinese. Availability in all these languages is magnificent for children for many reasons. It allows children of these linguistic background to enjoy this great book. It is a wonderful attitudinal validation of these languages, especially if read in a school setting where English is the predominant language of instructin. This is valuable for chldren of every linguistic background. It contributes to the appreciation and awareness of these languages. This is so very important for inter-linguistic/cultural harmony and understanding. All of these benefits through a story that is so much fun!!!

This story is not only fun to read, my daughter loves it. I have a stack of children's books, and she most often chooses this one first. The art is cool, so that might have something to do with it. My daughter points at the various objects, and has fun naming them. This book has been a winner since day one.

This story -- as with most Dr. Seuss books -- is great. Kids and adults can enjoy The Cat in the Hat!

When the parental units away, the cat will play. Take a kid, and a cat, and a lot of smaller cats, and a bunch of toys, and many snowballs and other devices of childish warfare, and you get a barrel of laughs and entertainment, indeed.



You just have to be good at the fast cleanup.

When the parental units away, the cat will play. Take a kid, and a cat, and a lot of smaller cats, and a bunch of toys, and many snowballs and other devices of childish warfare, and you get a barrel of laughs and entertainment, indeed.

You just have to be good at the fast cleanup.

What can I say, it's The Cat in the Hat. You remember this book from your own childhood. Let's face it, it's one you have to own. The rhymes, the fun story, it's Dr. Seuss at his best. My kids will pick this book to read over and over, and over! Even my 19 month-old can get into the Rhyming and playful wording. If you don't already own this, you owe it to yourself and your kids to buy it.

The Id in the Hat, by Ryan Haynie

Dr. Seuss began his book, "The Cat in the Hat", with a vision: to exterminate illiteracy by creating a children's book so amazing that it would convince children everywhere that reading was "cool". If he could encourage young readers to start reading independently in their early years it would have a drastic effect on their overall literacy and desire to continue to enjoy literature later in life. His goal was noble, but he didn't account for the psychoanalytical underpinnings. The Freudian structural model explains that we all have three parts of our personality: the id, the ego and the superego. All children are born with the id: the impulsive, driving desire to feel pleasure. This is juxtaposed with the superego, or the societal morals and norms that limit behavior. The ego is left with the task to satisfy the demands of the other two parties and help keep the individual in a realistic mindset. Freud said that the formative years of a child's life are critical to the development of the ego which would be the motivating force to adopt a not-so-physically-gratifying hobby such as reading. Although Seuss creates a colorful and catchy tome in "The Cat in the Hat", he fails to accomplish his goals with his audience due to a misrepresentation of the Freudian structural model as portrayed through the fish, the Cat, and the children.

The first aspect of Freud's structural model as depicted in "The Cat in the Hat" is the superego, represented through the children's pet fish. The superego is related to one's sense of morality, consisting of his beliefs of acceptable conduct and traits and is often referred to as the conscience. The illustration of the superego through the fish is found on page 11 when the fish responds to the Cat's proposition to lolly-gag the day away in play, saying: "Tell that Cat in the Hat/ You do not want to play./ He should not be here/ He should not be about./ He should not be here when your mother is out!" The fish's disapproval of the carnal desire to "have fun", especially in the absence of parental supervision, is a perfect example of superego influence over the children in the story.

In the next page, Seuss takes the legs out from under his "conscience" by humiliating the fish in the Cat's game, "up, up, up with a fish". As the Cat lifts the fish into the air against his wishes, the fish and, subsequently, his will are disregarded. Although this representation of conflict between id and superego does follow Freud's pattern, the undertone communicated to the audience is that the superego is foolish and "wussy" compared to the impulsive id.

The irony of Seuss' dilemma is apparent: he must encourage small children to develop the habit of reading against their dominating id. In Freud's structural model, the id is the impulse-driven influence that we are born with. Its inherent characteristics include a desire to satiate one's physical desires; an influence based mainly on pleasure and instant gratification. Since reading offers no immediate pleasurable gains, it can easily be over shadowed by the powerful id in young people and result in pursuit of satisfaction in other venues such as binge eating or, in more extreme cases, delinquency. Seuss therefore has the task of satisfying the id while encouraging the ego to overcome any residual cravings.

In the case of the "Cat in the Hat", the Cat would personify (or, rather, in-feline-ify) the id: bent on having "fun" no matter the circumstances. This is apparent on page 7, where he states "I know it is wet/ And the sun is not sunny./ But we can have/ Lots of good fun that is funny!" This shows the impulsive desire for "fun" despite the sodden roadblock of a rainy day. The problem with the representation made by Seuss comes in the resolution of the conflict. As the house has been devastated by the gallivanting of the Cat, the children face the dilemma of social conflict in the form of parental discipline for having let id-dominated impulses overcome superego guidelines. Seuss overcomes this obstacle in an irrational, id-driven, fanciful, manner: through what I like to call the "Cat-in-the-Hat-traption". Riding a mysterious janitorial golf cart, the Cat in the Hat instantaneously amends the problem by magically eliminating the mess. This solution lends to the reader's mind a painless solution, or, in other words, a lack of consequences for the indulgence in id-inspired desires. Without the consequences to aid in the development of the ego, children will undoubtedly opt for the paths of least resistance in acquiring their personal pleasures, such as theft or murder, without a concrete understanding of the relationship between real-life "choice and consequence" scenarios. Seuss' solution to the problem completely destroys the Freudian model of an ego that successfully satisfies both id and superego in order to develop personality traits such as a love for reading.

The children's lack of action in "The Cat in the Hat" also misrepresents the function of the Freudian structural model. Seuss presents the children, Sally and the narrator, "I", at the beginning of the book as the main characters with a dilemma of childhood, rainy-day lethargy. As they are placed in the middle of an external struggle, Seuss successfully represents the plight of the ego through them. The ego is the reality-driven aspect of personality, burdened with the task of satisfying the demands of both id and superego while finding plausible, real-life solutions to problems. Seuss, however, gives the impression that the children are afflicted with indecisiveness. This implies to his audience of little people that personality development is hard. This is demonstrated through the lack of action of the children throughout the great majority of the book. They are portrayed as passive observers of the conflict between Cat and fish the first 82% of this book, and ultimately take no action when interrogated by their authority figure as to their most recent dealings. On the final page, we see further encouragement for the same type of apathy in the questions posed by the narrator: "Should we tell her about it?/ Now, what should we do?/ Well.../ What would you do/ If your mother asked you?" This message communicates to the audience a weak ego. With a weak ego, the entire structural model is thrown out of balance, rendering impossible the healthy development of a realistic personality. As the audience is made up of almost entirely ego-developing youngsters, this puts subconscious blocks on their normal development of personality and would encourage them to embrace drugs, sex, money, and foods high in trans fat instead of taking up reading as a healthy past-time

When Dr. Seuss embarked on his literacy-promoting campaign, he was faced by the daunting task of encouraging id-driven little ones to embrace a not-so-satisfying use of time. His attempt at inspiring the young tots to live a life in literature is noble, but poorly executed. Sure, he's sold millions of copies and entertained youthful readers for generations, but parents: beware! Though Seuss attempts to encourage little readers through a simple and colorful rhyme of a lid-donning feline, the subconscious psychological underpinnings might very well have the reverse effect on his audience for a lifetime.

My children's children are enjoying the same Seuss poetry we read at least 30 years ago. Thank you Amazondotcom for offering very reasonable and reliable books for children!

This is a timeless classic. It was both my daughters' favorite book and I couldn't wait to get a copy for my new baby boy. There's just something about the rhyming words that holds their attention. You can't go wrong with this book.

What can one say about The Cat in the Hat that hasn't already been said? It's doubtful there is anyone anywhere in the US that hasn't heard of Dr. Seuss or his most famous of books The Cat in the Hat. Suffice to say this book was a classic when it was written and it remains a classic today, some fifty years later.

What you may not know about Dr. Seuss is that the good doctor was really a gentleman named Theodor Seuss Geisel. Mr. Geisel began his career as a little known editorial cartoonist in the 1920s. As his work evolved, he became known for his intriguing perspectives and fresh concepts. His works moved from basic cartooning to deft illustrations, sculptures and oil paintings that showcased his elaborate imagination. He had a unique artistic vision, and his artwork became the platform from which he delivered dozens of children's books, hundreds of political cartoons, hundreds of advertisements, and many editorials filled with wonderfully inventive animals, characters and clever humor.

Everyone knows this one, yes? Well, I actually didn't until maybe 6 months ago. This book is KING at bedtime and has kept my daughter's interest for longer than expected - especially for a 2 year old. All the Dr Seuss books are engaging and fantastic for developing language skills and a love for books.

I confess I was deeply disturbed by Seuss's parable, which pits the soul-crushing wickedness of a Satanic character ("Cat") against the unspoiled innocence and naivety of two suburban children.

Things come to a head when "Cat" seems on the point of morally subverting the universe itself, in a series of feats so nihilistic that the children are reducing to little more than blubbering idiots.

True, "Cat," in a whimsy, stays his paw at the end. But I can't help wondering if the children were so harrowed by the experience that they were ever after unable to return to the bright world above.

Your child will love this as much as you did in your youth. A sustainable classic. You can't go wrong.

There is lot's of good fun that is funny in this old classic.
The first in Dr. Seuss's "I can read it all by myself beginner books", this book has really stood the test of time.
Revisit this book with your child, you will not be dissapointed.

THE ONLY THING THAT I CAN SAY IS THAT YOU CAN'T BEAT THE PRICES ON THESE BOOKS FROM AMAZON. THEY WERE MY FAVORITES AS A KID AND NOW I GET TO ENJOY THEM ALL OVER AGAIN WITH MY OWN CHILDREN.

I remember reading this way back in the 70s. It is great that this book still helps children to learn how to read and actually introduces it in a way to make it fun. When I think of the books that I read in my childhood, this is the one book I always remember. I thank Dr. Seuss for introducing reading to me at such an early age and inspiring me to also write books years later that are also meant to help others.

Get "The Cat in the Hat" for your children. They will cherish it.

Peace and Happiness,
Patrick Leonardi, Author of
The Ultimate Golf Instruction Guide: Key Techniques for Becoming a Zero Handicap Golfer or Better

I remember reading this way back in the 70s. It is great that this book still helps children to learn how to read and actually introduces it in a way to make it fun. When I think of the books that I read in my childhood, this is the one book I always remember. I thank Dr. Seuss for introducing reading to me at such an early age and inspiring me to also write books years later that are also meant to help others.

Get "The Cat in the Hat" for your children. They will cherish it.

Peace and Happiness,
Patrick Leonardi, Author of
The Ultimate Golf Instruction Guide: Key Techniques for Becoming a Zero Handicap Golfer or Better

The Cat got old? Do not say that!
Do not say that about the Cat!
Fifty years old? It cannot be!
That means I am as old as he!
Am I as old as that old Cat?
That Cat who wears that old top-hat?

It seems like not so long ago
I first began that book to know
And later took it out again
To read to Aly and to Bran
And now it's half a century?
Oh my! How fast the years do flee!

You are not getting old, just better,
Your rhymes inspire our Christmas letter
You may have been born long ago
But into old age you won't go
Your childhood will never end
You'll always be our children's friend

For children everywhere, each one -
Two hundred fifty mill-i-on* -
Will always keep your wondrous verses
In their heads when they converses.
You've little competition. (Damn!
There's just that pesky Sam-I-Am!)

So here's to you, you grand old Cat.
You've aged, but you are still "all that."
Consider this a birthday toast,
To one fine feline, one fun host
Of bedtime stories far and near
A top-hatful of birthday cheer!


(.....)

Dr. Seuss books are excellent for childern. I can still enjoy The Cat in The Hat as an adult.

Item should probably have been labeled acceptable rather than very good condition, due to the fact the inside cover was torn and there was a name written there as well. I did receive the book quickly, however.

The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss is filled with excitement. In this book, there is never a dull moment. It also has great illustrations. The Cat in the Hat is one of the best children's books I have ever read. If you liked The Cat in the Hat, you will love the sequel to it, The Cat in the Hat Comes Back, also written by Dr. Seuss. I also highly recommend a series of books titled Cats are Rascals. If you have never read this book, you must go out and buy this book. Once you have read this book, you will immediately fall in love with it.

My parents read this book to me. Now, I read it to my four year old son.
He loves it. The repetition and rhymes enthrall young children. If you purchase this title, be prepared to read it over and over again to your little ones.

It's a cute book and a fun read, asks kids at end about what they'd do to teach them about responsibility and safety, etc..

It's a bit long for toddlers but most will hold their attention, as usual the pictures from Seuss's books are attention grabbing.

The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss is a terrific book to entertain young children who are learning to read. There is an amusing plot guaranteed to hold their interest and the illustrations are very nicely done. There are inevitably a few words in the text of the book that children will not know; this gives the child a chance to learn new words as they enjoy this classic tale. Moreover, children build self-confidence about their reading skills and intelligence as they read this book and learn some new words. Excellent!

The plot is fairly simple: two children are left home alone while their mother is out during a cold, wet day. They are bored until a huge cat wearing a hat comes into their home. The cat attempts to entertain the children but wreaks havoc instead. Total chaos ensues when the cat introduces his two friends "Thing One" and "Thing Two" to the two young children.

The book is affordable and the writing is so endearing that your child--or children--will enjoy it over and over again. You can also talk with your child about the colors used in the illustrations as a way to teach them names for colors.

One reviewer writes that the fish represents the conscience of the children who know better than to create chaos and wreck the house while their mother is away. This could very well be true; but, then again--who cares? This is a children's book and it is not intended to be interpreted on that level by very young children.

I have fond memories of reading this book with my parents and occasionally a babysitter when I was a very young boy. It brought back memories of a time when I felt protected by my elders; hopefully you can sit next to your child--or children--and help them read this book so that your child will have those same fond memories one day.

I highly recommend this book for children who are learning to read or who have recently mastered the ability to read this relatively elementary type of book independently. It is a fine example of juvenile fiction. Moreover, if you sit with your child as they read you can not only educate them but hopefully the children will have fond memories of reading this book with you when they grow older.

It was very late one weekday night,
My sleep was restless so I turned on the light.
I was looking for something...something to read,

But what on earth would fill such a need?

I searched high and I searched low for just the right title,
Would it be literature?
Would it be non-fiction?
How about the Bible...

I wanted something fun...
something light...
something easy
And then I came across the gift I was given
when I was just three...

The Cat in the Hat, such a delightful tale
No matter how many times I read it
It never seems stale

So I sat on the couch and turned the old pages,
Wishing my wife were awake so we could both laugh,
(Cuz laughter's contagious)
But I persevered and continued to read
Feeling and knowing I had met my heart's need.

I put the book on the shelf in its place
A smile still stretched on my happy face
I went back to bed with that smile still on
And quietly slept until the new morning dawned.

The Cat in the Hat at first glance may seem like a nonsensical text meant merely to amuse its readers. If you stop and ponder this story of two children left at home alone one afternoon, you soon realize there is a more powerful message than first meets the eye. The children clearly know the difference between right and wrong, but with the slightest influence from the Cat, they easily give in. I believe the fish represents their conscience. They choose to ignore its warning time and again, and therefore, find themselves in a mountain of mess. Before the story's end, they are able to right the wrongs, but we as readers are left with this thought and question: "Then our mother came in and she said to us two, "Did you have any fun, tell me what did you do?" Should we tell her about it? Now what SHOULD we do? What would you do if your mother asked you?" (Seuss, 60-61).

This is such a fun clever book. I love to read it to my son. The story gets so exciting- the only problem is it has so much going on in it that some times I think it is not good to read it before bed time. Because if you get too into the characters it could wake your kid up. Love it!

I thought this book was great - it was really colorful. The overall feel reminded me of the book "Now I Know the Ten Commandments". I recommend it to anyone.

This story is all about a cat who like to do tricks.The cat went to a boy and girl house.The little girl and boy were bored and a cat came out and did some tricks but cat brought a red box that had things it was called thing one and thing two. I really liked this book because it had lots of rhymes.

it can teach little kids how to read books and it mskes people laghf.


anessa mire oldfielkd age 10

The children loved this book. I liked reading it to them too, though I was always a bit disturbed by it. The cat -in- the hat's entering the house and making disorder everywhere was if i remember rightly, made amusing by the rhyming humorous language. This was one of the children's books that did not simply fascinated but amused.
Perhaps too children identify with the cat-in- the- hat's total defiance of adult order and rule. He comes into the house when the parents of the children are away, and from then on proceeds to take all a part. The way he rapidly cleans it up before they come home, I think too speaks to children.
They have done something forbidden, defied the order of the world, and yet gotten away with it.
I will admit reading this always made me a bit uneasy. But again the language, the excellent illustrations made for delight. And the children loved it.

The children loved this book. I liked reading it to them too, though I was always a bit disturbed by it. The cat -in- the hat's entering the house and making disorder everywhere was if i remember rightly, made amusing by the rhyming humorous language. This was one of the children's books that did not simply fascinated but amused.
Perhaps too children identify with the cat-in- the- hat's total defiance of adult order and rule. He comes into the house when the parents of the children are away, and from then on proceeds to take all a part. The way he rapidly cleans it up before they come home, I think too speaks to children.
They have done something forbidden, defied the order of the world, and yet gotten away with it.
I will admit reading this always made me a bit uneasy. But again the language, the excellent illustrations made for delight. And the children loved it.

This 1970s video version of Dr. Seuss's classic is a welcome throwback to the days of low-key, low-tech shows for kids. Of all the DVDs in her home video library-which, of course, includes many of the Disney persuasion--this is one of the few that my 3-year-old granddaughter feels totally comfortable with. To quote her, "It's not scary." Need I say more? Simply drawn, with no jarring special effects, and gently narrated in the guy-next-door voice of Alan Sherman, this is a winner. The second feature, featuring sweetly drawn renderings of careers one might choose when one "grows up," is a bonus.

First and foremost, this is probally not one of my favorite Dr. Suess books. I don't really think the plot is really as good, the Cat and that thing one and two weren't really breilliant. Before youi go throw your garbage at me, write hate mail, and give m not helpful votes, I am not saying this is a bad book. It's good, but I didn't enjoiy it as much as the Grinch Stole CHristmas and The Lorax(Kids can learn about politics too!)

The story of couse is the kids are in the house with nothing to do. The cat comes along top play games, along with thing one and thing 2, that go around wrecking havock everywhere. Of course, Suess adds his own touch with the talking fish (who is kind of like a babysitter). As the cat gets too rowdy, the fish evntuially yells at the cat and leaves the house a mess, whihc is entirly the cats fault. The only problem is, it is no ordnery mess. China everwhere, vases on the ground, in short, it looks like an earth quake hit it.

The cat as you know cleans up the mess to make up for the mess, and leaves right before their mom comes home. Yet suess's stories always havae a backstrory, and the mesage in this one really isn't clear, but judging from the actions it's probally telling you that all people can be good at heart.

Onto the opinions that will probally get me hated: Overrated. Really, the illustrations are awesome as usual(It's SUESS!) but the story really is just a ply story. The cat isn't exaclty a classic character in my opinion, but of course it made Suess famous. I really Don't know, I like this story, but it's not my favorite. It's far.

Even though I don't particually think it's the best book ever, it still is a suess classic, just not my favorite. Buy it of coures. But of course, Do Not buy the live action remake that looks like a cheap hollywood movie. The live action movie is about as bad as the Grinch remake

The character development in this novel was lacking at best. It felt as if all the characters were plot devices and none was the protagonist. Obviously, the work draws inspiration from Dickens and Melville, but the imitation seems more like a parody than a tribute. On the whole, this work represents a rather lackluster attempt at surrealism in the vein of Dali and Garcia Marquez, sans the emotional investment. I myself recommend such works as War and Peace, Catcher in the Rye and The Color Purple for schoolchildren.

THIS is CAT IN THE HAT. IT IS A VERY GOOD BOOK. I THINK IT HAS VERY GOOD DETAILS IN IT AND I LIKE THE PART WHERE HE IS STANDING ON THE BAII AND HOLDS CAKE. THIS IS FUNNY AND THE CHARACTERS DO VERY SILLY THINGS.

I love the story called The Fat in the Scat on the Cat! It's GUD TI EAT A REESE'S!!!!

This book is great for young children learning to read. The words in it aren't very hard and it has some childish humor. The rhyming that Dr. Seuss incorperates into his books is very catchy.

I liked the book because it is cool and it is old.I don'tlike this book because one part of this it is sad!

the cat in the hat was a classic kids book it was funny and had humor for young kids. It was very furnny to me because of the tricks the things do.

this book..and all dr.suess books.. are great books for kids to read. the rhyming in the story really catches the childs attention.

A classic book, this movie is a disaster. By the way, I dont remember the book talking about dirt hos.

A Dr. Seuss classic, and there is no other book to touch this one. People of all ages will fall in love with this funny book.