Children's Book Review: The Christmas Cats Chase Christmas Rats By Constance Corcoran Wilson

THE CHRISTMAS CATS CHASE CHRISTMAS RATS

By: Constance Corcoran Wilson

Illustrated By: Gary McCluskey

Published:  October 22, 2013

Children's Fiction

The Christmas Cats are at it again is Book #2 of the Christmas Cat series.  In the first book, THE CHRISTMAS CATS IN SILLY HATS, children learn that it is best to get along with others in life.  In Book #2, the Christmas Cats are teaching us another lesson.  Through rhyming prose and silliness, we learn to keep an open mind and reserve our judgement of others.

The Christmas Cats in Silly Hats are sent to chase some squeaky clean rats who live in a laboratory.  These rats have a very important job and decide to run loose one day.  The Christmas Cats who assume rats are not fun, find out that the rats have important jobs and can be silly too.  The story reminds us to keep an open mind about others and by getting to know someone we may just find something we didn't know about them.

Even though the wording is simple, I think this book can work for both preschoolers as well as elementary age children.  The illustrations are fun and will get the kids laughing over the antics of the rats and cats in their silly hats.  For the older children, it can encourage a discussion about being kind and considerate to everyone.  This book is available both as an eBook and in print.

I love featuring writers from Iowa and was thrilled to find out Constance lived just 45 minutes from me growing up.  I am happy to support her writing career by spreading the word about her newest book.

Constance with her granddaughters 

Constance Corcoran Wilson grew up in Iowa, (Independence to be exact) and graduated from the University of Iowa.  She furthered her education and has spent her years teaching and writing.  She has received many awards including one of the "10 Most Creative Teachers in America" and a Bi-State Literacy Award for her reading program for poor children from First Lady Barbara Bush in 1993.  Constance lives in East Moline, Illinois (just across the Iowa border) with her husband Craig.  For more on Constance, visit www.WeeklyWilson.com.  You can also find Constance on Twitter, HERE, Facebook, HERE, and Pinterest, HERE.

This review is part of Virtual Author Book Tours. For more about the book and see other reviews and giveaways offered by other stops on the tour, click HERE.

I will be linking up with BOOKING MAMA for her Kid Konnection feature that shares links of other children's book reviews.  Click HERE to see other kid's books featured this week.  (New links are posted each Saturday.)

I received a copy of this book for this review. This review is my honest opinion.  I was not compensated in any other way for this review.