Big Cat's expressive antics offer success for children just starting their reading journeys.
The patient and long-suffering orange tabby Big Cat is an ideal companion for beginning readers.
The opening, wordless pages will win new readers over with the charming expressions of this whiskered cartoon feline. The story is told mostly in pictures with just a change in the ending of the single sentence “Big Cat can....” On the verso page at the story’s beginning, Big Cat sleeps contentedly while a pigtailed girl peers over from behind the couch. Subsequent spreads show her increasingly rough handling of the family pet. Maybe Big Cat can hug, fly, and dance, but it is clear from the illustrations that the cat is definitely not having fun, even though the text asserts that “Big Cat can be fun.” The kitty is downright relieved when she finally says, “Big Cat can sit,” with a pat on the head. When a red-haired boy, presumably her brother, shows up, Big Cat runs, only to be caught and clothed in hat, wig, dress, and heels, to the delight of both children. In real life, most cats would claw, scratch, or hide, but Big Cat ruefully allows these indignities. The simple subject-predicate sentence pattern will soon be easily recognized by the youngest beginning readers, offering near-instant reading gratification.
Big Cat's expressive antics offer success for children just starting their reading journeys. (Early reader. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3538-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 7, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2015
A heartwarming reminder to embrace change.
A dog who belongs to an expecting couple adjusts to home life as a new baby arrives.
Pepita, the family pet, is beloved and still so little they call her Bebita (baby girl). But Pepita’s world is changing as her Mami and Papi await the arrival of a baby. Pepita is used to being spoiled “with treats and tummy rubs and my favorite fluffy pillow….But lately, things have been changing.” As the home gets new additions like a crib and gifts from the grandparents, Pepita feels left out, no longer the center of attention. Once the baby arrives, Pepita tries to adjust but is kept up at night by crying and doesn’t get playtime like before. But Pepita’s sweetness shines through as she finds ways to help out and bond with the new baby. “I feel so proud to be the big sister,” she concludes. The book is sprinkled with Spanish phrases, reflecting that Pepita is part of a Latine household; readers unfamiliar with Spanish will find the glossary helpful. Illustrations are warm and cuddly throughout, and the story is highly relatable; soon-to-be big siblings fretting over a new arrival will find it especially comforting. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A heartwarming reminder to embrace change. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2023
ISBN: 9780593566985
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
While the slapstick may appeal to readers, sadly, this book is so confused and arbitrary, most of the humor falls flat.
A beleaguered giraffe tries to communicate that he isn’t a chair.
Poor Giraffe: on his first day in the jungle he’s seen as a chair by the other animals. Of course, giraffes aren’t actually found in jungles, and there’s little evidence of a jungle in the illustrations. While Giraffe does look a little like a chair, the fact that he has eyes and a mouth and nose and other features that distinguish the other animals from their seats makes it hard to understand why he is mistaken for a chair. But it’s all about the gag. Burach uses action-filled spreads to indicate a series of incidents that literally impede Giraffe’s speech, but when he is finally able to speak up for himself, he chooses instead to make a fake chair that looks like him. When that doesn’t work, he’s taken home by a dull-witted human who also uses him for a chair. Upon escaping, he is used as a chair by a lion waiting for dinner. When Giraffe finally decides to speak up and clear up the misunderstanding, he saves his own skin by scaring the lion, who thinks he’s a talking chair. The childlike drawings emphasize googly eyes, silly grins, a multitude of sound effects in emphatic display type, and lots of physical humor.
While the slapstick may appeal to readers, sadly, this book is so confused and arbitrary, most of the humor falls flat. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 14, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-06-236016-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2016
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
