From Publishers Weekly
Coaxing Kittycat to sleep, Spinelli's (In My New Yellow Shirt, reviewed above) unseen narrator recounts in rhyme the pet's very busy day: "Sniffing pots of catmint/ Prancing on the chairs/ Knocking over paint cans/ Underneath the stairs." As the narrative progresses, the cat winds down its day, and parents can use the volume's final lines to reassure youngsters: "Should you have a bad dream/ I will be nearby/ Close enough to hold you/ If I hear you cry." Mortimer's (A Pussycat's Christmas) realistic watercolor illustrations make Kittycat's fluffy softness palpable. Children will also get a kick out of the way the feline's mouse sidekick works hard to upstage the title character in one spread, as Kittycat regards the kitchen clock, Mouse swings on its pendulum. The best portraits of Kittycat use the animal's posture to convey personality, just before pouncing, for instance, or washing up paws. At other times, it's hard to believe the cat would knock over a paint can or become tangled in a ball of yarn; there's a blankness in the feline's big green eyes that counteracts the playfulness of the text. Ages 3-6.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
reS-Gr 3-This gentle rhyming poem recalls a kitten's day: "Sniffing pots of catmint/Prancing on the chairs/Knocking over paint cans/Underneath the stairs." The realistic watercolors depict an inquisitive, tiger-striped cat and his companion, a little brown mouse that consistently appears on the right-hand side of the pages. Introduced on the first page when the text mentions the feline "Scaring mice away," the lively rodent often mimics the actions of the cat. Indeed, the two enjoy a peaceful coexistence, and in the last frame are curled up together, fast asleep. Many of the beautiful, detailed illustrations have a static quality, though the kitten looks so soft that children will want to pet it. Best for one-on-one sharing, this soothing lullaby will be enjoyed by young children, cat lovers, and fans of Mortimer's artwork, but it is not an essential purchase.
Robin L. Gibson, Perry County District Library, New Lexington, OH
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
