Simple, relatable cat-centered tales and childlike illustrations add up to a cozy debut.
A debut short story collection for children spins tales of Scottish cats learning life lessons.
Set in various locales along the Scotland’s River Clyde, this pleasant book features six short stories, each featuring an idiosyncratic cat engaged in a mild adventure. Each feline is named for a color (Rhuari Red Cat, Olivia Orange Cat, Ya Yellow Cat, and so on), which determines the book’s graphic design: white pages of text, each outlined in dots that correspond to each cat’s hue. The accompanying, uncredited illustrations are sweet and bright, and they have the untutored but charming appearance of children’s art. Members of the book’s young target audience will have no trouble relating to the felines, who observe and react to their adventures from a childlike perspective. Rhuari Red Cat, for example, is certain that he’s “big, fearsome, and very, very scary” enough to ignore his mother’s warning that he’s too little to go hunting for food away from his home. He feels differently after he has unsuccessful encounters with trash bins and a garbage truck (which he sees as a “monster”). This and other stories are all presented with a light, gentle touch, and they feature pleasant messages involving friendship, empowerment, and the cozy security of home. For example, Ya Yellow Cat attends her owner’s ballet class and, through observation and practice, realizes her dream of becoming a graceful dancer; fire-station resident Peter Purple Cat takes a break from his official mouse-catching job for a too-exciting outing on a fire truck; vegetarian Bobby Blue Cat, who only eats tomatoes, fails at fishing but finds common ground with his meat-eating feline neighbors; and Gertie Green Cat ventures out of her “beautiful little house by the Firth of Clyde” to say hello to the blue sea, the green hills, and the golden sun—and after receiving no reply, she returns to the place she likes best: her owner’s lap.
Simple, relatable cat-centered tales and childlike illustrations add up to a cozy debut.Pub Date: Dec. 12, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-5246-6743-6
Page Count: 84
Publisher: AuthorHouseUK
Review Posted Online: Feb. 13, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
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