For centuries, stories have been used by one generation to pass on morals, truths and lessons to the next generation. In traditional African villages, in the evening, the elders or older family members gather around in a circle to share stories. The vivid, illustrated stories capture the imagination of children and present a simple message. The simplicity of each story is carefully designed to summarize a truth, maxim or moral in a manner that is easily understood or digested by the eager listening children. A well-told story is a powerful communication medium, using imagery to illustrate a lesson or pass on a message. We all remember stories that we heard many years ago – because they captured our imagination, amused and fascinated us. Today, stories are widely used by people in all works of life from conference presenters to spiritual leaders. They offer a great channel of communication and can be used to anchor and effectively pass on a lesson. This book presents 10 stories from the African forest / context. The stories are rich with local African color and involve animals (typical of the African forest). One of the stories provides an amusing explanation for why certain things are the way they are – for instance – Why Mr. Leopard is spotted. In this story, the reader / listener is cautioned about the use and perils of fire. The feature story, How Mr. Cat Fell Out With Mr. Rat, (after which the book is titled) provides an amusing explanation for why cats and rats do not get along – and cats are always chasing rats. Picking the wrong friend, who has different values and focus, will not result in peace. The simplicity and narration of the stories will entertain children in particular and readers of all ages! You are sure to learn something new or see something from a different light after reading each story.

Two children sitting at home on a rainy day are visited by the cat who shows them some tricks and games.

Since the early 20th century, animated Christmas cartoons have brightened the holiday season around the world--first in theaters, then on television. From devotional portrayals of the Nativity to Santa battling villains and monsters, this encyclopedia catalogs more than 1,800 international Christmas-themed cartoons and others with year-end themes of Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the New Year. Explore beloved television specials such as A Charlie Brown Christmas, theatrical shorts such as Santa's Workshop, holiday episodes from animated television series like American Dad! and The Simpsons, feature films like The Nutcracker Prince and obscure productions such as The Insects' Christmas, along with numerous adaptations and parodies of such classics as A Christmas Carol and Twas the Night before Christmas.

This text presents a compilation of the best of ideas from a group of library science graduate students, providing creative and engaging programs geared especially for children ages 0–12. What are the concepts, activities, and topics that will hold the attention of today's children? And what are the best ways to provide a valuable learning experience while they're having fun and being entertained? Many of the most original, creative, and wildly effective ideas in storytime are contained in Storytimes for Children, a collection of fresh and vibrant programs created to be relevant, interesting, and fun for today's youngest generations. This collection of themed storytimes includes suggestions for opening and closing sessions; crafts and activities; songs, poems, fingerplays, and movements; as well as the accompany literature. Several of the included storytimes comprise a series of programs, allowing for related activities that build upon each other. The text is organized into six chapters, each prefaced by an introduction that clarifies the strengths of the programs within. Each chapter covers a highly targeted age range to give practitioners the ability to easily choose the most appropriate storytimes for any given audience.