This fresh version of “Fat Cat” features lots of rhyming words and an infectious chorus. A smiling tiger-striped kitty, already chunky-looking in Busby’s bright, unfettered cartoons, sets off down the road in search of food. Swelling as he goes until he crowds the edges of the page, he downs in succession a rat, a dog, a duck, and an old lady—“But was that cat fat enough? No he was not!” Learning the true meaning of indigestion after gulping a bee, however, he hiccups up his tummy’s irritated occupants with a loud, “Meow, ow, ow!” and goes off with the old lady to fatten up on less contentious provender. Destined to be a story-time favorite, this is the most engaging rendition of the tale since Jack Kent’s 1971 classic. (Picture book/folktale. 4-7)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2003
ISBN: 0-439-47195-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Levine/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2003
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Bat (a pipistrelle) wakes up, flies out into the night to eat, and returns home to feed her young. The narrative, in large type, gives much of the information about bats in a voice that can work as a read-aloud (“Gliding and fluttering back and forth, she shouts her torch of sound among the trees, listening for her supper”), while smaller type on some pages elaborates (“Using sound to find your way like this is called echolocation”). The watercolor-and-pencil illustrations, in browns and blues, hint of night, without being too dark. Close-up views of plants and animals show detail, while wider sweeping landscapes give context and a sense of space. The details of Bat’s fur and face do justice to this mammal, which many young kids may still think of as “gross.” This is useful as a very first introduction to bats, but readers will need to go farther to answer some questions (like what kinds of bats do eat “fruit, fish, frogs, even blood!”). And while there is an index of 15 terms, there is no bibliography. Nevertheless, this is a beautifully designed and thoughtfully executed informational storybook. (Picture book/nonfiction. 4-7)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-7636-1202-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2001
It’s become predictable, this story of the pig outfoxing the fox, but Kasza’s version does sport his lively art and a measure of dry humor. When a piglet comes knocking on Mr. Fox’s door, the fox can’t believe his luck; he’s not used to delivery service. The piglet is just about to be tucked in the oven, when he suggests a few improvements to Mr. Fox. Wouldn’t he taste better if he were washed first—“Just a thought, Mr. Fox”—and plumped up and perhaps massaged to tenderize the meat? The fox agrees that he would, rushing madly about scrubbing, feeding, and working the piglet’s tissues, and promptly falling into an exhausted swoon. The pig is last seen back in his pen, thumbing through his address book—Mr. Bear, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Coyote—getting ready to work the same ruse on another carnivore. Fun enough, though no self-respecting four-year-old will be very worried about this little porker’s fate. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2003
ISBN: 0-399-23874-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2003
© 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.
