Simon's Cat In "Christmas Presence"

Christmas Presence - Simon's Cat

"A festive feline goes looking for a Christmas treat"...and boy does he find one! I'm still riding high from my encounter with Simon's Cat creator Simon Tofield last week, and finding a new Simon's Cat film in my inbox this morning was an unexpected snow day treat. It just goes to show that Santa has love for naughty kitties, too!

Simon's Cat In "Christmas Presence"

Meet Simon's Cat Creator Simon Tofield On His U.S. Book Tour This November

Simon Tofield

Simon Tofield, the award-winning illustrator behind the enormously popular Simon's Cat films, is about to embark on a U.S. tour in support of his latest book, "Simon's Cat vs. The World"!



I am excited to announce that Akashic Books has invited me to moderate the New York City stop of the tour, which will be at the Mid-Manhattan Branch of the New York Public Library (455 5th Avenue) on Monday, November 25th at 6:30pm – 8:30pm!

The event is cosponsored by City Critters, Inc. and the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals. You can RSVP on the event's Facebook page here.

I hope you will come out and join us for what is sure to be a fur-tastic evening of fun! If you're not in the NYC area, don't fret; Check out the full list of tour dates below and visit the Akashic Books website to see if Tofield is making a stop in a city near you.

Nov 18, 2013 – Brookline Booksmith, Boston, MA
Nov 20, 2013 – The Book Cellar, Chicago, IL
Nov 21, 2013 – Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati, OH
Nov 23, 2013 – Miami Book Fair International – Wolfson Campus, Miami Dade College, Miami, FL
Nov 23, 2013 – Miami Book Fair International, Wolfson Campus, Miami Dade College, Miami, FL
Nov 24, 2013 – Politics & Prose, Washington, DC
Nov 25, 2013 – New York Public Library, Mid-Manhattan Branch, New York, NY
Nov 26, 2013 – Clinton Book Shop, Clinton, NJ

Meet Simon's Cat Creator Simon Tofield On His U.S. Book Tour This November

Simon's Cat In "Scary Legs"

Scary Legs - Simon's Cat

Just in time for Halloween, Simon's Cat is back with an all new video guaranteed to give you the creepy crawlies!

I've witnessed a similar game in my house, where Charlie will bat around a bug, appear to eat it, and then I'll mysteriously find it crawling across the floor again a few minutes later. I also recently had a traumatizing experience involving Priscilla trying to catch a spider crawling around my bed in the middle of the night, but I won't get into that here!

Do you have any funny stories involving your cats playing with bugs?

Simon's Cat In "Scary Legs"

Simon's Cat In "Mirror, Mirror"

Mirror, Mirror - Simon's Cat

One of my favorite parts of the Simon's Cat videos are the hilariously realistic sound effects. Those licks, purrs, and mreowwws, are all put on full display in his latest romp, where the wily feline finds himself at odds with his own reflection.

Simon's Cat In "Mirror, Mirror"

Simon's Cat Vs. The World Book Review & Giveaway!

Priscilla Cat vs. Simon's Cat vs. The World

Who isn't a fan of Simon's Cat? His videos have racked up hundreds of millions of views on YouTube, and launched an empire based off one mischievous puss.

After the release of Simon's Cat in Kitten Chaos earlier this year, award winning illustrator Simon Tofield is back with the U.S. hardcover release of his newest book, Simon's Cat Vs. the World, due out from Akashic Books in October.


vs...HD TV

Unlike his previous book, which was a wordless black and white comic, vs. the World is a full color adventure that pits the naughty white feline up against some of his biggest foes yet, including snowballs, Saturdays, dogs, and of course, Simon's kitten!


vs...Pug

As a bonus, the 96-page book also includes a color sticker sheet, and how-to drawings from Simon on how to create a Persian cat, Siamese cat, Tabby cat, and squirrel.


vs...Camping

Tofield will be embarking on a national tour in support of the book in November, starting the 18th in Brookline, MA and ending on Nov. 25th in New York City. (Check out the full schedule of appearances here.)

I found the book to be a fun and fast read, and enjoyed how it brought Simon's Cat's online hijinks to the page! Great for bringing the laughs to you or the Simon's Cat fan in your life.

Enter To Win!



Akashic Books has generously offered one lucky Catsparella reader the chance to win a copy of Simon's Cat vs. the World!

To enter, leave a comment on this post with your name, and some way for me to contact you if you win (email, link back to your blog or profile, Twitter, etc.) The winner be will chosen in a random drawing next Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 5:00PM EST. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. One entry per person, please.

Good luck, and be sure to pre-order the book, or check it out when it hit stores October 1!

(If you have trouble leaving a comment, email me at catsparella@gmail.com)

Disclosure: I was provided a copy of this book from the publisher for giveaway and review, but all opinions and whimsical quilts contained in this post are my own.

[Comments are now closed. Thanks for entering!]

Simon's Cat Vs. The World Book Review & Giveaway!

Simon's Cat In "Suitcase"

Simon's Cat - Suitcase

Simon is busy packing for his upcoming trip, but when you have cats, nothing is as easy as it seems. What begins as a classic tale of a cat owner trying to pack a suitcase, quickly escalates into Garfield-inspired shenanigans when Simon's Cat tries to send his kitten nemesis on a vacation of its own.

Simon's Cat In "Suitcase"

Simon's Cat In "Flower Bed"

Flower Bed - Simon's Cat

Poor Simon! His gardening plans go down the toilet (hehe) as his mischievous feline can't resist leaving him a fertilizer surprise in the latest Simon's Cat clip!

Simon's Cat In "Flower Bed"

Simon's Cat in "Screen Grab"

Simon's Cat - Screen Grab

Just days ahead of the U.S. release of Simon Tofield's third book, "Simon's Cat in Kitten Chaos" (check out Charlie's review from earlier this week here), Simon's Cat and kitten have teamed up for their latest clip, to face their most confounding foe yet: a TV!

In the battle of cats vs television, kitties win every time.

Simon's Cat in "Screen Grab"

Charlie's Bookshelf: "Simon's Cat in Kitten Chaos"

Charlie was anxious to check out our advanced copy of "Kitten Chaos"!

Simon Tofield created the original Simon's Cat video, "Cat Man Do," in 2008, when he was teaching himself to use animation software. 

In the five years since then, Tofield has gone on to release dozens of other "Simon's Cat" videos, which have drawn over 280 million eyeballs to date. When you think about it, that's an especially impressive feat, considering that each short clip is simply illustrated in black and white, with no text or dialogue, except for Tofield himself, who provides the cat's signature "Meow." The English animator, who was once told to quit drawing and get a "proper job," now has his own design team, and a growing empire, which includes books, calenders, t-shirts, cat beds, and more. 



His third book, "Simon's Cat in Kitten Chaos," will be released in paperback and digital format in the U.S. by Akashic Books on April 16. The spirit of the animated cartoons is evident in the book of illustrations, which just like the films, uses images to tell stories, without any words needed.


Simon's Cat in Double Trouble

"Kitten Chaos" expands on the storyline (as seen in shorts like "Double Trouble") of Simon bringing his new kitten home, and the immediate conflict it causes with Simon's Cat. Throughout the course of the book, the two cats fight, play tricks on each other, and generally cause mayhem, in a way that will be hilariously recognizable to anyone who has ever had to contend with two pets who don't get along.


Charlie tries his paw at the drawing tutorial.

The U.S. edition includes bonuses such as a sheet of color stickers, along with directions on how to draw all of the characters, including Simon, his cat, the kitten, a mouse, a hedgehog, a rabbit, and more.  


Stickers!!

Some interesting things I learned from the background info I received: Simon Tofield actually has four cats, named Jess, Maisie, Hugh, and Teddy. He draws on inspiration from all of them when illustrating the cartoon, however Hugh is the one considered to be "Simon's Cat." Another interesting fact? While Simon's Cat is portrayed as a plump white puss, Hugh is actually a black kitty! As Tofield told The Guardian back in July, "It had to be white to make the graphics work."

"Simon's Cat in Kitten Chaos" is available for pre-order now through Amazon, and will be in bookstores everywhere on April 16. To learn more about Simon's Cat, visit the website at SimonsCat.com.



Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book to review, but all opinions expressed in this post are mine (and Charlie's). 

Charlie's Bookshelf: "Simon's Cat in Kitten Chaos"

Simon's Cat In "Feed Me"

Feed Me - Simon's Cat

Does feeding your cat sometimes turn into an obstacle course as you maneuver to get the food on the plate without feline interference? 

If your kitty has a familiar song and dance routine they go through during feeding time, you'll definitely relate to the latest Simon's Cat video that perfectly illustrates what happens when you try to get the best of a hungry feline.

Simon's Cat In "Feed Me"

Simon's Cat Gets A Springtime Surprise

Simon's Cat in 'Springtime'

Simon's Cat is back in a new animated short, where he gets his just desserts for trying to paw his way to an easy supper.

The video was released in celebration of Simon Tofield's upcoming book, "Simon's Cat Vs. The World." It's the fourth book of the beloved cat's naughty adventures, but the first to be published in "glorious" color. 

A spokesperson for the publisher tells The Daily Mail, "'The other stories have been about Simon's Cat and his owner, Simon, and have seen new characters being introduced gradually. In this one he takes himself a bit further in the garden and tries to make his place in the world and become the boss of his own story...often failing."

"Simon's Cat vs. The World" hits bookshelves in the UK on October 4.

Simon's Cat Gets A Springtime Surprise

Simon's Cat In "Window Pain"

Simon's Cat in "Window Pain" (Disney Exclusive)

Simon's Cat creator Simon Tofield recently announced that he will be coming to America for the first time ever this week (yay!) to attend VidCon in California. As part of the event, Tofield will participate in Disney's "Tips for Telling Great Online Stories" panel, and even created a new Simon's Cat film exclusively for Disney in celebration of the special event.

Sadly, no Disney characters actually make an appearance in clip, but Simon's cat and his naughty kitten counterpart more than make up for it!

Nominations can be made once a day through June 29th!

Simon's Cat In "Window Pain"

Simon's Cat Can't Have Nice Things In "Shelf Life"

Simon's Cat in 'Shelf Life'

Have you ever heard the saying, "I can't have nice things. I have cats"?

Glass figurines, flowers, and drapes are just a few of the things many cat lovers have to sacrifice for the love of their clumsy felines, who can swiftly take down a mantle's worth of valuables in one fell (tail) swoop.

Despite her girth, my cat Priscilla is able to deftly navigate a cluttered nightstand, but Charlie is more like Simon's Cat - a bull in a china shop, "accidentally" knocking over anything that's unfortunate enough to be in his path. Luckily, neither have broken anything too valuable, but they're both awfully good at "artfully" rearranging anything they feel is out of place.

What is the worst thing your cat has ever broken or destroyed (but you forgave them anyway because they were so cute)?

Simon's Cat Can't Have Nice Things In "Shelf Life"

Catsparella 2011 Holiday Gift Guide: The Pop Culture Pussycat

1. Simon's Cat Badge Set - $5.49, simonscat.com

2. I Am Maru by mugumogu - $10.87, Amazon

3. I Can Has Cheezburger 2012 Desk Calendar - $13.99, Amazon

4. Nyan Cat Ring - $5.00, Hey Chickadee

5. The Big Bang Theory Soft Kitty Singing Plush - $35, CBSstore.com

Previously:

For: The Good Kitty

For: The Cat Man

For: The Cat Lady

Catsparella 2011 Holiday Gift Guide: The Pop Culture Pussycat

Simon's Cat In Catnap, Interrupted

Simon's Cat in 'Catnap'

The last time we caught up with Simon's Cat, he was having a tough time adjusting to his new kitten housemate. In the latest installment of the animated cats' adventures, we see that things have taken a turn...for the worse! Will this precocious pair ever get along?

Simon's Cat In Catnap, Interrupted

Simon's Cat Gets a Kitten Companion

Simon's Cat in 'Double Trouble'

It looks like Simon't Cat has finally met his match! Anyone who's ever introduced a new kitten (or cat) to an established feline can probably relate to to this short, featuring some of the most convincing meowing, scampering, pouncing, growling, and hissing sound effects I've ever heard.

So will the littlest new addition to Simon's family be sticking around for future episodes of the mega-popular series? I guess we'll just have to stay tuned to find out!

Simon's Cat Gets a Kitten Companion