Name: How many cats?
ISBN: 9781423108016

Lauren Thompson

From zero to twenty, a house becomes filled with frolicking cats, who then leave alone or in groups.

How many cats?

Sarah Sammis

How Many Cats? by Lauren Thompson is a counting forward and backward book framed around the story of a golden retriever's home being invaded by a clowder of cats.

The cats come in groups, first one and then a few at a time. Each page asks the child to count the cats and to see what they are doing as they make a mess in a room in the house. By the time they reach the master bedroom there are twenty cats in all.

Then just as they came, they leave until the dog is left by himself. The dog who at first was happy for the company looks sadly at the mess they have left. Clearly he knows he'll be blamed for what they have done. For as much as I love cats, I have to say, poor dog.

Harriet though loved the book. She loved seeing the cats misbehaving. She loved the illustrations. She loved counting the cats and seeing all the different kinds of cats (including the calicos).