Cats on Mats is a gentle and beautifully illustrated first reading book designed to help young children build confidence while learning to read.
Created for preschool, kindergarten, and emerging readers, this beginner reader uses mostly phonetic (decodable) words along with carefully selected sight words for colors, allowing children to sound out words successfully while naturally learning common high-frequency words they will see again and again.
Each page features soft watercolor illustrations of cats resting on colorful mats, giving young readers clear visual clues that support comprehension and help reinforce sight word recognition. When children see the word blue beside a blue mat, reading feels intuitive, meaningful, and rewarding. The calm watercolor artwork keeps children engaged without overstimulation and encourages focus, curiosity, and repeated reading.
Thoughtfully designed with early literacy in mind, Cats on Mats includes:
- Mostly phonetic words to strengthen decoding skills
- Repeated color sight words supported by visual context
- Predictable sentence patterns to build reading confidence
- Rich illustrations that support comprehension
- Opportunities for independent reading and self-correction
This approach aligns with the science of reading, helping children connect sounds, words, and meaning in a natural, developmentally appropriate way.
At 26 pages, Cats on Mats is ideal for preschool, kindergarten, and early Grade 1. It works beautifully for read-alouds, guided reading, or independent practice.
Parents appreciate how confident their children feel. Teachers value the natural support for early literacy skills. Kids love the cats-and the excitement of saying, "I can read this!"
Part of the YOU GOT THIS - Little Reader Series, a confidence-building phonics and sight word series created to make learning to read feel encouraging, joyful, and achievable.
Diena Martin is a children's author, illustrator, and certified AMS Montessori pre-primary teacher (ages 3-6) with a passion for helping young children develop confidence through joyful early learning.Drawing on her classroom experience and love of children's literature, Diena creates books that support early literacy in engaging, developmentally appropriate ways. Her work combines gentle storytelling, thoughtfully chosen beginning-reader language, and warm watercolor illustrations designed to encourage curiosity, independence, and a love of reading.As an AMS-certified Montessori educator, Diena values hands-on learning, child-led discovery, and creating meaningful opportunities for children to build skills with confidence. These principles shape her books, which are created to feel calm, inviting, and achievable for young learners.Diena's early reader series, You Got This - Little Reader, is designed especially for preschool, kindergarten, and emerging readers. The series blends phonics, repetition, and carefully selected sight words with playful animal characters and beautiful illustrations to help children connect sounds, words, and meaning naturally.Through both teaching and writing, Diena is dedicated to creating encouraging learning experiences that help children feel capable, curious, and excited about reading. Her goal is simple: to help young readers experience the joy of saying, "I can read this!"
