Smitten with Kittens

by Florence Minor (Author) Wendell Minor (Illustrator)

Reading Level: K − 1st Grade
Snuggly, fun, bouncy, and playful--who isn't smitten with kittens? A simple, rhyming story perfect for kitty loving kiddos everywhere! Get smitten with kittens in this rhyming picture book perfect for read-alouds. There's so much to love about kittens--from their cute little mews to their unstoppable mischief-making! Turn to the back of the book for fascinating facts about cat behavior and care.
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Publishers Weekly

Delicate graphite illustrations and gentle rhymes extol playful curiosity in this kitten-smitten picture book by the married collaborators. The cuddle factor is high as the animals' smudgy heads peek around the edges of the book's opening pages: "Who isn't smitten/ with a kitten's sweet MEW// and all the cute things/ that kittens will DO?" Accented with occasional pops of color (a tongue, a nose, a bowl, a bird), sketches show various gray kitties observing a red cardinal, gazing cross-eyed at a monarch butterfly, peering out from a jumble of unspooled toilet paper, and otherwise exploring. A final close-up of one fuzzy feline "all curled up in a cozy lap" is practically pettable. Back matter includes 10 "fun facts" about cat development and care. Ages 3-7. (Mar.)

Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2--The title rhymes and so does the text in this adorable book. In orange capital letters, the rhymes are set off from the rest of the black-and-white text. The words nap, lap, pose, and nose pop off the page, making them easy for early readers to identify. A variety of kittens are lovingly depicted in Minor's charcoal drawings, each one with a cute little pink nose. Their poses have been intricately re-created, although the kittens at rest look more realistic than those in motion. Monochromatic art is accented with an occasional orange monarch or bright red cardinal. Back matter includes 10 fun facts about cats and cat ownership for adults to share with little ones. VERDICT Hand this book to any junior cat lover to read alone or with a friend.--Chance Lee Joyner

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Who isn't smitten

with a kitten's sweet MEW

and all the cute things

that kittens will DO?"

Certainly not the Minors, who explore these appealing creatures in lilting verse and digitally enhanced graphite artwork. They note kittens' penchant for posing, fondness for mischief, and inclination to hide in tight spaces, as well as their need for naps after a busy day. The verses are playful and skillfully rhymed, highlighting behaviors most young readers will recognize. Wendell Minor's lifelike, mostly black-and-white illustrations eschew backgrounds in order to focus on his tabby subjects. He is particularly adept at capturing feline expressions: cross-eyed with a butterfly on its nose; staring at a mirror, back arched in fierceness; wide-eyed innocence peeking out of a pile of toilet paper; and dreaming of chasing colorful balls. Most scenes are brightened by a small spot of color: an orange butterfly, a red cardinal, or a blue ball of yarn. Appended with additional information about cat behavior, this will be welcomed by cat-lovers everywhere.
—Booklist

Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781623541675
Lexile Measure
500
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Charlesbridge Publishing
Publication date
March 08, 2022
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV002050 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Cats
JUV002190 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Pets
Library of Congress categories
Cats
Animals
Kittens
Infancy
Picture books
Stories in rhyme

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