KITTY UP!

“Kitty fast. / Kitty slow. / Kitty stop. / Kitty go!” Kitty starts moving on the cover and does not settle down until the end of the book, her busyness doubtlessly recognizable to preschoolers and their adults alike. Her cozy adventures take her into the yard, where she is woken from a nap by a sudden thunderstorm; disoriented, she panics before following her ears back home. The two-word rhyming pattern repeats predictably in a fashion that will please young children and allow them to “read” along. This repetition of couplets can also show older readers a format that they can adapt to their own writing. Yoshikawa’s vibrant acrylic-and-pastel illustrations render both the actions and animals in gentle curves, flowing from sequences of panels to double-page spreads seamlessly in visual support of the text. The suburban setting will be familiar to many children, and the adventure’s end makes this a comforting tale, especially at bedtime. (Picture book. 2-6)