Smitten With Kittens

Delicate graphite illustrations and gentle rhymes extol playful curiosity in this kitten-smitten picture book by the married collaborators. The cuddle factor is high as the animals’ smudgy heads peek around the edges of the book’s opening pages: “Who isn’t smitten/ with a kitten’s sweet MEW// and all the cute things/ that kittens will DO?” Accented with occasional pops of color (a tongue, a nose, a bowl, a bird), sketches show various gray kitties observing a red cardinal, gazing cross-eyed at a monarch butterfly, peering out from a jumble of unspooled toilet paper, and otherwise exploring. A final close-up of one fuzzy feline “all curled up in a cozy lap” is practically pettable. Back matter includes 10 “fun facts” about cat development and care.
—Publishers Weekly

“Who isn’t smitten / with a kitten’s sweet MEW / and all the cute things / that kittens will DO?” Certainly not the Minors, who explore these appealing creatures in lilting verse and digitally enhanced graphite artwork. They note kittens’ penchant for posing, fondness for mischief, and inclination to hide in tight spaces, as well as their need for naps after a busy day. The verses are playful and skillfully rhymed, highlighting behaviors most young readers will recognize. Wendell Minor’s lifelike, mostly black-and-white illustrations eschew backgrounds in order to focus on his tabby subjects. He is particularly adept at capturing feline expressions: cross-eyed with a butterfly on its nose; staring at a mirror, back arched in fierceness; wide-eyed innocence peeking out of a pile of toilet paper; and dreaming of chasing colorful balls. Most scenes are brightened by a small spot of color: an orange butterfly, a red cardinal, or a blue ball of yarn. Appended with additional information about cat behavior, this will be welcomed by cat-lovers everywhere.
—Booklist

The title rhymes and so does the text in this adorable book. In orange capital letters, the rhymes are set off from the rest of the black-and-white text. The words nap, lap, pose, and nose pop off the page, making them easy for early readers to identify. A variety of kittens are lovingly depicted in Minor’s charcoal drawings, each one with a cute little pink nose. Their poses have been intricately re-created, although the kittens at rest look more realistic than those in motion. Monochromatic art is accented with an ­occasional orange monarch or bright red cardinal. Back matter includes 10 fun facts about cats and cat ownership for adults to share with little ones.
VERDICT Hand this book to any junior cat lover to read alone or with a friend.
—School Library Journal