| Title | : | Annie and the Wild Animals |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0340403934 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780340403938 |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 28 |
| Publication | : | First published February 25, 1985 |
Annie and the Wild Animals Reviews
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A rather odd story and yet I do like it. Annie has been through a long winter and everything is covered in snow. She plays with her cat and one day the fat lazy cat runs away. Annie misses someone to play with so she begins making corn cakes and leaving them by the edge of the wood trying to lure something to play with. In the borders, we see Annie’s cat living in a tree about to give birth. Annie, before long, has a herd of unruly beasts eating her corn cakes and wanting more.
Jan’s artwork is amazing here. I love the moose and the bobcat. The artwork is so beautiful as you would expect from Jan. She has such an eye for those tiny details. I just love her artwork. Never fear, Annie gets her cat back.
The nephew thought the story was pretty good. He likes seeing all the interesting animals and he wants some snow like Annie had. He’s ready to build a snowman. He gave this 2 stars. He said it would be cool if he could leave food and get a moose in his yard. -
Well... This time I actually thought Brett did a good job with illustrating cute little Annie. And, of course, the animals are great. I just thought the story was really boring and just really unbelievable. The mother cat leaves her warm home to go outside (in the snow! In a hollow tree!) to have her kittens? Bears and wolves and moose and bobcats all congregate together to eat corn cakes, with no thought of eating one another, even though the winter is harsh and food scarce? I know, I am being an annoying "grown-up" about this, but it was a really cute idea for a story it just had trouble in the execution!
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A sweet end-of-winter story about a little girl who wants a fuzzy companion. Would be fun to read when learning about wild animals or cats having kittens.
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Ok. Story doesn't make a lot of sense, and, again, the art is self-indulgent & just so so much. But I can see why she's popular, so I'll just let myself enjoy the cute bits and not worry about the flaws.
Second read; this time I found it rather darling... Annie is younger than most Brett characters, and the text is shorter, with a simpler plot. Almost a 'my first Brett' book. And I figured out one thing that I must've missed the first time - spring came, so the wild animals (fortunately, just in time) went back to their normal territories and foods. -
My daughter's favorite; she loved moving through the winter with Annie, the wild animals, the cats, and the forest. Beautifully detailed illustrations.
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2.5 stars -- Beautiful illustrations, as always from Brett, but a bit of a problematic storyline.
As others have noted, Annie's reaction to her cat running away was "I'll just get another pet." So she sets about trying to trap and tame a variety of forest animals, albeit in a very gentle and fantastical way.
The story ends with a surprise litter of kittens from the missing cat, which, for a decent part of history before the advent of spay/neuter, was indeed something one could expect from the family pet. However, the intended audience of small children normally struggles with seeing things in a historical context, so this content could be seen as irresponsible.
As long as everything is kept strictly in the realm of fairy tale, however, the book definitely has its charm. -
I appreciate Jan Brett's busy borders, and I liked the woodland creature vibe of this book. To be honest, books where cats mysteriously have kittens sort of bother me. I understand that once upon a time this was not necessarily considered very irresponsible pet ownership, but now it certainly is very irresponsible pet ownership. It's also very irresponsible and cruel of Annie to plan to trap a wild animal for a pet. Let them be, Annie. And it's also a bit odd the way Annie just hangs around by herself. Where are her parents?!
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Annie needs to learn how to show a little gratitude. Regardless, Huzzah! 4 stars for the cutie animals!
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Annie's cat has disappeared. She thinks that if she puts out food for the wild animals in the woods behind her house, she will be able to find a new pet. But all the wild animals that come each day are too big to be a pet. A surprise ending brings Annie the perfect pets.
Easy read for young readers that has beautifully drawn colored pictures that bring each of the wild animals that visits to life. -
Synopsis: When Annie's cat disappears, she attempts to find her by putting out corncakes which attract a variety of different animals. Friendships with a variety of woodland animals results.
Review: Board book format does this story and it's wonderful illustrations a bit of a disservice. When Annie's cat is no where to be found, Annie sets out to find a new friend. Thus begins the introduction of a parade of forest creatures (moose, bear, wildcat,etc)which children are sure to enjoy. Annie has high hopes that corn cakes are going to lead to a wild animal becoming a furry pet and quickly learns that while some may be soft and fluffy, a house pet they do not make. The humor of having all the woodland animals descending upon Annie's house is very clever. A good lesson for little children that wild animals are wild and that feeding them is not proper. The collection of illustrations are beautiful and better served in a larger format. Observant children will see clues in the borders of this story that literally illustrate Taffy's own adventures. A great story book reflecting natural animal behavior.
Critical Reviews: Children's Literature agrees with my observation that board book format does this story and it's illustrations a bit of a disservice. "When a real story is being told—as is the case here—this reduction process makes for very small print and also minimalizes the border marginalia, a very important part of Brett's storytelling." -
Jan Brett's books are exquisite! You could look at each page for hours taking in the colorful and detailed main illustration as well as the clever border illustrations. This story itself is rather simple. On a cold winter's day Annie's cat, Taffy, runs away and Annie is lonely. She places a corn cake at the edge of the woods to see if a small, furry animal will come and she can tame it for a pet. But despite several attempts, all that her corn cakes attract are wild animals. The border pictures show what wild animal will eat the corn cakes next, and also what is going on with Taffy. As winter melts into spring, changes will come to the wild animals and to Annie's life. -
I just love
Jan Brett! Her frames are my absolute favorite parts of all of her stories. This one is especially sweet! B really liked it. -
Great book that exemplifies the power of kindness.
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So cute! I love Annie and her corn cakes haha. I also love how Brett highlights what’s to come next in her intricate borders. There’s always something to look at!
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incredible book!!!!
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Summary:
Annie’s cat Taffy has run away, leaving Annie lonely in the snowy woods. To get Taffy to return, Annie leaves snacks at the edge of the wood, but ends up attracting all sorts of wild woodland creatures- none of which measure up to the cuddly Taffy. But when will her beloved kitty return? This book is filled with simple drawings of only a few figures at a time, emphasizing the loneliness of the cabin in the snow, and accented with illustrated frames depicting, if you look closely, what might just happen on the next page.
Response:
The book’s illustrations are what make this story such a standout. Jan Brett is known for her intricate page-frame designs that engage young readers and even serve as foreshadowing for later pages in the book. The illustrations deserve 5 stars all on their own; they fully enhance the reader’s experience of the story through both realistic line work and complex details. The storyline on it’s own is simplistic enough for young children to understand, although it does not ultimately hold any deeper meaning or profound insight. It is simply a short, sweet story, made magnificent by the artwork.
This book could be used in a classroom setting possibly to help children with context clues or simple reading exercises. -
Annie adored her pet cat, Taffy. Taffy liked to curl up in strange places, and one morning Annie could not find Taffy. Day-by-day, Annie would leave corn cakes by the woods. Each day a new wild animal would show up, but no Taffy. Will her beloved cat ever return? Why did she run away? Read this adorable picture book to find out.
This story is about a girl who is missing her dear pet. I feel children will connect with this story because of his or her love for animals. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful and I got captivated by Annie and her love for her friend.
This story reminds me of "The Mitten" by Jan Brett. How the mitten was lost, and all the animals tried to fit into it. Then the mitten returns to the little child. Well that's what happened to Annie. Taffy went missing and all the other wild animals went to Annie. When they finally went away, and winter was over, Taffy came back!
"All that night a warm breeze blew from the south. The snow melted and new buds could be seen in the plants and trees. The wood was coming alive again. By the next morning the wild animals had gone back to the wood. They would find door there, now that spring had finally come." -
A cute winter story ideal for Jan Brett's fans.
Annie was lonely because her cat had disappeared. She baked corn cakes and placed them outside in an attempt to attract a small animal she would tame for a pet. The next morning the corn cake was gone, but Annie got a big surprise when she saw which animal ate it. It was a moose! The following morning a wildcat showed up as well... , followed by many other wild animals.
While the plot is a little far fetched and not realistic (a cat leaving a warm home to go and have puppies in the forest and so many wild animals coming so close to the house), it is cute and funny. The illustrations are in typical Jan Brett's style and allow kids to make predictions as well as follow a story within a story. -
Illustrations are, of course, top notch as they are in all Jan Brett's books, but the story is fun, too.
The little girl's cat wanders off one day (as the adult reader you see the signs that she is about to be a mama cat) and Annie leaves corn cakes at the edge of the wood to find a new friend. After a parade of wild animals that, for one reason or another, are not well-suited for the job present themselves she eventually runs out of corn meal for making the cakes. Spring comes on all of a sudden and so does the cat (followed by her new kittens) and all is well again.
I'm not in love with the text, but it's a fun storyline and there's lots to see on each page...and it's about a cat which always gets points in my book. -
This delightful story book is incredibly illustrated. This is the tale of young Annie who lost her beloved cat Taffy. In the hope of finding a new pet, she places a corn cake at the edge of the woods.
The animals drawn to the corn cake are all wild and large. As the corn is empty, spring arrives. As the wild animals leave to find food that nature provides each spring, joyfully Taffy returns with three kittens.
While this is a simple story, the lovely illustrations carry the tale quite well. -
One of my favorite Jan Brett books. It is about a little girl named
Annie whose cat, Taffy, disappears for a few days in the winter.
When she does come back, Taffy brings with her several surprises.
Sure to delight any little one, this book is one an adult can spend hours perusing as well. The illustrations are nothing less than exceptional!
And in this special edition, you can actually send this book through the mail, to your favorite friend. Let someone else become enchanted with reading and the imagination of Jan Brett! -
Another beautifully illustrated Jan Brett book. I would say this is a beginning readers book.
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One of my favorite Jan Brett books. It is about a little girl named
Annie whose cat, Taffy, disappears for a few days in the winter.
When she does come back, Taffy brings with her several surprises.
Sure to delight any little one, this book is one an adult can spend hours perusing as well. The illustrations are nothing less than exceptional! -
This one was my favorite of the Bretts so far. A little girl's cat "runs away" and so she wants to get a new animal friend. She leaves food out and various wild animals come to eat it. It gets out of hand quickly, but her cat returns in the end with some surprises.
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Jan Brett writes a beautiful story but the true star of the show are her gorgeous illustrations. I love how the stunning art in the central picture is augmented by the secondary story being told in the images in the side bar. She is a tee master of her craft.
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Lovely art.
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Cute story the kids liked. Brett's illustrations are always the best part. They liked to find the hidden animals in the border drawings.
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Such a sweet story with Brett's amazing intricate illustrations
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An enjoyable read-aloud for the kindergarten set
