Stack the Cats by Susie Ghahremani

“Crisp, bold illustrations introduce simple math concepts…A simple yet clever lesson that there’s more than one way to stack some cats.” (“School Library Journal” – Starred Review)

I’ve had dogs and cats pretty much my entire life, usually at the same time. There has been the occasional gerbil; two large white rats, yes, rats; two hamsters (the first was used by my son as a fuzzy ball which didn’t work out so well, neither for the hamster nor my son), and one Siamese Betta Fighting Fish during grad school named Raphael. He was an intense color of cobalt blue and he lived to the grand old age of 2 years. But no one has ever proven to me that for all the above-mentioned domestication, any animal is more intelligent, or amazing, or cozy, or impossibly independent than the house cat.

“Eight cats try, but…eight cats can tumble. Nine cats agree to three, three, and three.” This book introduces concepts in math not usually seen in children’s learning books. Different than other counting books, this wonderfully simple telling of how cats might want to do everything cats do, play, romp, sleep, and chase yarn creates an easy to follow narrative for beginning mathematicians. The unusual color palette of mostly teals, orange, black and white compliment the cats and their antics in a fresh way. Again, usually in learning books, primary colors are used. “Stack the Cats” use of black outline intensifies the subtle deviations the author wants to make from other stories which came before.

For anyone who has owned more than one cat, there certainly is more than one way you can stack cats. In a picture book no less. Warning: try these strategies at home and you will learn other valuable lessons you can achieve in no other way. Simply put, watch out for all those claws and teeth.

“Stack the Cats” by Susie Ghahremani is one of the great books included in the 101 Picture Book Challenge.

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