From School Library Journal
PreSchool-K–A curious kitten leaves her mother's side to chase a butterfly under a bench, over a pond, and through the tall grass. When the insect (seen through a goldfish bowl) seems to suddenly grow, the kitten is frightened and runs back to her mother for comfort. While the story line is similar to Kevin Henkes's
Kitten's First Full Moon (HarperCollins, 2004) (Araki even uses thick outlines in her illustrations), this book has neither the simplicity nor the wit of the earlier title. The ink-on-watercolor-paper illustrations are muddy looking, and the text is clunky and awkward. This pales in comparison to Henkes's Caldecott winner.–
Rachael Vilmar, Atlanta Fulton Public Library, GA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PreS. Araki's small, spotted kitten might be a first cousin to the kitty in Kevin Henkes'
Kitten's First Moon (2004), both in its appearance and in its curiosity. In a punchy, abbreviated text that almost has a non-English cadence. Kitten spies a butterfly and creeps from its mother's side. The butterfly leads Kitten on a merry chase, even causing the cat to take a dip in the drink; after the excitement, Kitten is back in its mother's paws, where both observe the butterfly in flight. Using ink washes on watercolor paper, Araki offers an adorable little protagonist, but there's also a clever undertone to the story as Kitten mimics the behavior of preschoolers, who like to venture forth but appreciate the safety of home. For extra fun, a tiny mouse darts in and out of the spreads--though only careful eyes will be able to find it. Good laughs for little ones and those who read to them.
Ilene CooperCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
