PICTURE BOOK REVIEWS : 4 books about unusual pets!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Meet Frankenkitty—a stitched-together kitten with a haunted castle for a home and a reputation that seems to terrify everyone…even his own inventor! Only Olive, the inventor’s brave young daughter, sees the sweet side of this misunderstood kitty.
But when terrible things start to happen at the castle—like mice invading the kitchen, frogs appearing in the bathtub, and Brussels sprouts showing up on the dinner menu—poor Frankenkitty gets the blame and is banished from the castle into the snow. Will Olive be able to rescue the poor kitten before it's too late?
This spooky-but-fun story is perfect for kids who love their monsters cute and their bedtime stories dramatic!
REVIEW
An inventor creates a creature he names FrankenKitty. But when horrible things start happening around the castle, the stitched-together kitten gets the blame. Told from the perspective of a skull who seems to be thoroughly overdramatic, readers get told the kitten is to blame for the appearance of various pests. The kitten gets thrown out resulting in empathy for the cat from the narrator (and hopefully the reader). Luckily Olive, the inventor's daughter, rescues the kitten from freezing. The book ends on an uncertain note however, as the narrator expresses new found doubt about FrankenKitty's innocence. Readers are left to decide for themselves. The illustrations present readers with a spooky seeming castle with various unwelcome animals taking up residence as well as rather unusual ingredients for experiments. FrankenKitty appears to be a combination fox and tiger which children will love pointing out. A fun book about an unusual pet that could also be used to encourage children to avoid snap judgments. Recommended.
ABOUT THE BOOK
When the evil wizard Simpkin Sowerbutts attempts to create a dragon as loyal as a dog and instead spawns a dog as fierce as a dragon, he banishes his embarrassing and so fluffy creation.
Outcast and alone, Dragon Dog roams the land looking for a home only to find foes around every corner. But Dragon Dog prides himself on being fierce—like a dragon—and defeats all who challenge him. Soon everyone in the land of Quatsch is afraid of him.
Everyone except a lost little lamb named Dandelion.
Dragon Dog help his new friend find her way back to her flock, and Dandelion helps Dragon Dog embrace his fluffy side and find a place to call home.
Oh yeah, and along the way they narrowly escape the jaws of the biggest, meanest dragon around.
An exciting and silly fantasy that shows readers we can be both fierce AND fluffy.
REVIEW
After being rejected by his sorcerer creator, Dragon Dog leaves to find a place to belong. But being part dog and part dragon and all fierce, despite his green fluffiness, no one wants to take in the dangerous canine. Until an adorable little sheep comes along and sees only the fluffy dog side of him. She asks him to teach her to be fierce (which makes for a hilarious few pages). After seeing Dandelion, the lamb, home, they discover her family and shepherd have gone missing. A familiar scent sends the duo back to the sorcerer where they face off with an enormous dragon who plans to eat Dandelion's family. The title and cover alone guarantee that children will pick up the book. The amusing contrast between fluffiness and fierceness makes for an entertaining read. Themes of friendship, looking beyond the surface of things, and not being all one thing shine through without being too obvious. Bound to be a hit with young readers. Highly recommended.
ABOUT THE BOOK
MEET VAMPURR.
Her fur shines blacker than a raven’s feathers.
Her eyes glow greener than a witch’s brew.
But most unusual of all are her long, needle-sharp fangs.
This is her story.
Born among tombstones beneath the blood moon's light, a vampire kitten longs to find a loving home like her siblings who were adopted right away. But her unusual appearance and abilities send visitors fleeing the cemetery in fright. Until one night, an eerie fog rolls in, bringing with it an unexpected new friend.
REVIEW
A group of kittens born in a graveyard looks normal, except for one. Readers will quickly pick up on the the vampirish characteristics of the unusual kitty. Victor hears the kitten howling one night and goes to see what's going on in the graveyard. He discovers the kitten who he then brings home and provides with a handsewn cape. After giving the kitten a name and coming to love her, Victor must return the kitten to the graveyard for her to find a permanent home. All the kittens get adopted except Vampurr who scares everybody away with her special skills. But just as it seems that Vampurr might not find a home, Victor returns with his father and readers realize that Vampurr will fit in with them purr-fectly. The florescent pink leaps off the page guaranteeing that kids will pick this book up. Young readers will likely enjoy the story of an unusual character finding belonging. Recommended.
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