PICTURE BOOK FICTION REVIEWS : The Little Kitten by Nicola Killen & My Creepy Valentine by Arthur Howard
ABOUT THE BOOK
Ollie and her cat
Pumpkin are out frolicking on a beautiful fall day when they come upon a
tiny kitten shivering in a pile of fallen leaves. Ollie warms the
kitten up and the three become fast friends, but when Ollie sees “Lost
Kitten” posters hanging on the trees in the forest, she knows she has to
help her new friend get home. As Halloween draws nearer, magic is
afoot, and Ollie’s good deed is rewarded in an unexpected way.
REVIEW
This adorable book follows the adventures of a young girl named Ollie and her cat Pumpkin. As they go to play in a pile of leaves the wind reveals a young kitten hiding therein. After playing with the kitten for a while, the three curl up under a tree to rest. Afterwards, Ollie and the kitten go off to play leaving Pumpkin napping under the tree. Finally, Ollie notices the numerous lost kitten posters on the trees and determines to help the kitten find her way home. In the process, Ollie herself becomes lost. After reuniting with Pumpkin, Ollie finds her way home, never realizing just who the kitten belonged to, although the reader figures it out through clues in the illustrations. Ollie and the cats are cute and easy to root for and the twist with the kitten made me smile. The cutouts and shiny-papered leaves made the book that much more attractive. An enjoyable read for young cat lovers.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Mitzi the witch and her kitten Hoodwink love all of the holidays except one: Valentine’s Day. It’s lovely-dovey, and witches only like things that are creepy-crawly. Then Mitzi meets Spencer. Spencer can wiggle his ears! He plays on the monkey bars upside down! And when he shoots milk out of his nose, Mitzi can’t look away. For the first time, she wants to make a valentine for a special someone. But what message will spell success and get her a valentine in return?
REVIEW
Mitzi, a witch, loves to celebrate holidays, except for Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day is rather too "lovey, dovey" for her tastes. When Mitzi meets Spencer, her dislike of valentines begins to subside. Spencer can blow milk out his nose, build awesome Lego sculptures, and wiggle his ears while upside down. Mitzi decides to send Spencer a valentine, but like herself, it's rather unusual. Will Spencer appreciate Mitzi's uniqueness or will Mitzi suffer her first broken heart? As Mitzi so clearly demonstrates, people celebrate in a variety of different ways, and there is no one right way to do so, but that doesn't mean other people always appreciate those differences. I appreciated Mitzi's courage in reaching out to Spencer in her own way despite the risk it entailed. I also appreciated the fact that it pays off handsomely in the end. This rather unusual story suits it's heroine perfectly creating an enjoyable thoughtful read.
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