By Emma Lazell (author) , Emma Lazell (illustrator)
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April 2019 Debut of the Month | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month April 2019
An ebullient debut picture book with a great twist which young readers will love spotting as the story unfolds. When Grandma loses her glasses, Isobel sets about helping her to find them. Searching in the garden they find a very big cat… Grandma loves cats and she is always taking in strays.
Without her glasses she can’t really see just how big a bundle of orange fur that this new cat is! Nor can she work out why so much cat food is getting eaten. Young readers will spot that she is reading a story about a tiger which is probably very familiar to them. And they will realise that this cat is actually very closely related to the two tigers who come looking for it! Bold cats in strong colours are at the heart of this great story.
Find colouring in and puzzle pages in this Big Cat Activity Pack - download here!
Isobel's grandma has lost her glasses and she can't see a thing without them. While Isobel and Gran are in the garden searching for the specs, they come across a cat. A very big cat. A very big and friendly cat. The big cat moves in with them, much to the disgust of all gran's other cats. He might be good fun, but he takes up lots of space and eats every scrap of food.
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Eventually the new cat's mum and dad turn up, looking for their missing son. And they just happen to have found gran's glasses too. The tiger family are delighted to be reunited - and gran now sees that she's been sharing her house with... a tiger!
Emma Lazell, a recent graduate of the Cambridge School of Art, has been tipped as a rising star by The Bookseller, and was one of only eight illustrators selected for the magazine’s Bologna 2018 Illustrator showcase.
`This surreal romp is reminiscent of children's classic from the 1970s, with splendid humour and beautiful illustrations.' - Cambridge Edition magazine
`A quick heart-warming read for the young ones, with bright illustrations.' - Creative Steps magazine
'There is real energy and humour in newcomer Lazell's art.' -- Fiona Noble - The Bookseller
'A captivating, fast-paced debut ... Big Cat is a chaotic & witty story, filled with humour. Immerse yourself in Emma Lazell's lively & vibrant illustrations and keep an eye out for Emma, we have a feeling she's going to make a real impact on the picture book scene.' - Picture Books Blogger
Emma Lazell is a UK-based illustrator and author. Her work is linear, expressive, and sprinkled with irony and playfulness. In 2018 she completed the hugely prestigious MA in Children's Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University, graduating with a distinction. In 2014 she graduated with an undergraduate degree in Illustration from The University for the Creative Arts.
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There were lots of giggles and the children thought it was really funny that the 'big cat' was reading The Tiger Who Came for Dinner! A thoroughly enjoyable book.
I read this book to my class of 29 Reception children. They were totally engrossed from the word go just by the front cover.
Lots of shouts of, "There they are!" when they could see Grandma's glasses. As the story progressed, there were lots of giggles and they thought it was really funny that the 'big cat' was reading The Tiger Who Came for Dinner. When asked at the end who enjoyed the book, all 29 hands went up.
For me, as a teacher, the pictures were bright and there were lots of opportunities for me to change my voice and to use lots of expressions, which will hopefully encourage the children to do the same when they read.... Read Full Review
This is a book that's bursting with colour, fun and expressiveness! Sure to be a family favourite in many homes...
We all loved this book and its vibrant illustrations. We had a good giggle over the funny cat names ("Hufflystink" and "Gertrude" were particular favourites) and spotting Grandma's various cats on every page. The little placards were inventive and we loved reading the cat complaints -- especially "More fish?"! The "big cat" was adorable and we loved the moment when Grandma discovers what her new cat REALLY is! We also loved the funny ending with the elephant trunk just edging into view.... Read Full Review
Scott-Sentance family
The lovely, colourful illustrations are quirky and eye-catching and compliment this delightfully funny story.
Big Cat by Emma Lazell is like a fresh, funny new take on The Tiger Who Came to Tea. Isobel's grandmother has lost her glasses and this is when all the trouble (and fun) begins! They find a cat although he's not your usual variety of house cat.
The lovely, colourful illustrations are quirky and eye-catching and compliment the funny story. Older readers like my daughter Amatullah will catch the subtle clues in the pictures.... Read Full Review
Abidah and Amatullah Khatun
Isobel's grandma has lost her glasses and she can't see a thing without them. While Isobel and Gran are in the garden searching for the specs, they come across a cat.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Big Cat and determined it is suitable for children aged 0-4 years old
Big Cat features in the following genres: Animal Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Bedtime Stories for Children, Picture storybooks, Children’s picture books, Children’s: picture books, activity books, early learning concepts, Books for Babies and Toddlers, Recommendations, Debuts of the Month, Funny, Julia Eccleshare's Picks of the Month, Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, Featured Books for 3+ readers
Paperback. Not Available.
Big Cat was written by Emma Lazell and published by Pavilion Children's Books an imprint of Pavilion Books
Big Cat has 32 pages
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