April's Kittens [Hardcover]

Clare Turlay Newberry (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2, 1940 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Since it was first published over fifty years ago, April's Kittens remains a classic cat story and is now made available again in this handsome new edition.

Many children understand April's dilemma when her cat, Sheba, has three kittens. April is thrilled until her father insists that theirs is strickly a one-cat household. April must give up three cats, but which ones? The aptly named Charcoal? Tiger-striped Butch? Sweet-faced Brenda?--or even Sheba?

How April eventually comes up with the perfect solutions makes for a heartwarming story that has appealed to many young cat lovers and will continue to delight generations of children everywhere. Clare's Newberry's enchanting illustrations reflect her fondness for cats; School Library Journal deemed these "beautiful drawings, so real one wants to pet them."

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Clare Turlay Newberry (1903-1970) was born in Eugene, Oregon. She studied art at the University of Oregon, School of the Portland Art Museum, the California School of Fine Arts, and La Grand ChaumiÈre in Paris, France. She received the Caldecott Honor for four of her books: T-Bone, The Baby Sitter (1951); Marshmallow (1943); April's Kittens (1941); and Barkis (1939).

In Ms. Newberry's own words, "Every word of marshmallow is true, even to the drawing of them wrapped in each other's arms. I know people find this hard to believe, but the bunny was so little and was so convinced that Oliver was his mother, what could Oliver do but be his mother the best way he could?"

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (October 2, 1940)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060244003
• ISBN-13: 978-0060244002
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #175,984 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #99 in Books > Children's Books > Travel & Cultures > Where We Live > City Life

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My mother would have loved these heart-warming reviews, March 10, 2001

By 

"trufelice" (Santa Fe, New Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: April's Kittens (Hardcover)

Not many people know that all the Clare T. Newberry stories were "99%" true. My mother felt that just having and loving cats led to wonderful stories that were much more poignant for being real.

Reading the wonderful and deeply felt reviews on this site would have delighted my mom, and they certainly have touched me.

It is very sad that all the other books listed on this site are really in print, but Smithmark Publishers who issued them declared Chapter 11, so to get them you have to do a book search which Amazon also provides. But they are available!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A timeless book to treasure, February 7, 2001

By 

Sylvia Engdahl (Eugene, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: April's Kittens (Hardcover)

This book was given to me in 1940 when I was seven years old. I adored it then, and I have loved it ever since. I'm so happy to see that it's back in print! The illustrations are wonderful, but the story is outstanding too, with emotional depth found in too few picture books. The child's love for the cat and kittens, and the need to make a hard choice in the way best for everyone, was something I never forgot.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What happened to the other two kittens?, October 2, 2004

By 

R, your friendly neighborhood reviewer - See all my reviews

This review is from: April's Kittens (Hardcover)

Young April lives in a "one cat" apartment with her mother, father, and cat, Sheba. The apartmeent they live in is so small that April has to sleep in a crib for a baby(that would be neglect now...)! When Sheba has kittens,April, as any girl, wants to keep all three of the kittlers along with Sheba. her father want let her keep all of them, not even two of them. But she has to think of something. Does she give up the kittens and keep the beloved Sheba? Or does she keep the kitten she affectionatly names Brenda?

Well she kind of does both; she gives away the other two kittens away and keeps Sheba and Brenda. The family decides get a larger apartment( a two-cat apartment). When I read on the back that April finds a perfect solution I thought she would find a cever way to keep all four cats. Is it just me or is this a not-so-perfect solution. But at least the art is perfect.

Clare Newberry's drawings are very beautiful and seem to match the book's text perfectly.