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The Cat That Walked by Himself

From Just So Stories, by Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling first published this tale in 1902 as part of his Just So Stories, playful explanations of how things came to be. In this story, the clever Cat wins his place by the fire without giving up his independence. The text reflects its era; a few period terms have been modernised. Kipling's story is worth a child's time because it shows that some creatures—and some people—choose their own path, and that cleverness can be as powerful as strength.

Band
Yellow · Emerging readersTypical starting range: ages 6–8
Length
medium · about 571 words in 6 sections · 4 pictures
Source
Just so stories, Rudyard Kipling
First published
1902
Regions
Canada · United States

Included formats

  • · Web reader and PDF
  • · EPUB for e-readers
  • · Home-print sheet
  • · Folded booklet
  • · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
  • · Worksheet
  • · Quick Check (8 questions) with answer key
  • · Read-aloud script
  • · Colouring page
  • · Teacher’s Edition (members)

Lesson at a glance

Reading
about 10 minutes at this band
Pause questions
2
Words to Know
5
Quick Check
8 questions, with the answer key
Let’s Talk
3 questions for afterwards
Worksheet
questions, an activity and a drawing prompt

About 35 minutes with one story, all of it.

Readers are engineered from the original public-domain text with AI under HummingRead’s published canon and Content Philosophy, checked by automated audit and sampled by a person. Pictures are made with AI to HummingRead’s brief for each story. How a reader is made.

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The same story

The Cat That Walked by Himself at other bands