Kitten’s First Full Moon

Kitten’s First Full Moon. Kevin Henkes. New York: Greenwillow Books, 2004. 32 pages. $15.99 (Hardcover). ISBN 0-06-058828-4. Grades PreK-K.

My Thoughts…

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww…..too cute! Yes, I realize that is not a very professional thought, but hey, have you read this book?! This book is adorable from the full moon endpapers, to the black and white illustrations, to the comically cute story of this very eager and thirsty cat. I would love to read this story to a group of preschoolers, that’s for sure! I was trying to think of a way to do it with a cat puppet or a flannel board, but I realized it is only as cute as it is because it is drawn so well. The black and white illustrations really make the moon look like a saucer of milk, for one, and it would be a disservice to take that away. I also really liked how the illustrations use simple shapes and large emotions on Kitten’s face. That way the audience could see and enjoy the pictures, but not get too too distracted with them. I love how the words are big too, so the audience could see the words. The story just flows, too, so it would be easy to read and soothing to hear. Even the parts of excitement read like a bedtime story. I think children will giggle and frown at all of the perfect places because not only can they see what is going on in the illustrations, but the writing is clear and understandable too. The repetition of poor kitten is also great and would lend itself to a story time because the audience would know what to expect. Breaking this pattern at the end with a successful meal would not only delight the children, but make for a great attention grabber. I really adored this book and all of its cuteness. I think most children would love it too.