The Little Kitten

June 1, 2020

PreS-Gr 1-Ollie and her pet cat Pumpkin are surprised to find a kitten hidden beneath a pile of fallen leaves. Distracted by her new friend, Ollie absentmindedly wanders away from a napping Pumpkin. Deeper into the woods Ollie discovers lost kitten posters and delivers her new friend home. Now on her own, she suddenly realizes she left her own cat behind. Hurriedly retracing her steps, a lonely and scared Ollie is joyfully reunited with Pumpkin. The soft grayscale color palette includes pops of orange and ocher foil embellishments to create a cozy autumnal setting with subtle nods to Halloween. Several clever peekaboo cutouts encourage repeat page turns and comic-style panels help pace the story. VERDICT The understated use of Halloween imagery allows this sweet, simple story to stand on its own. Recommended for younger audiences and larger picture book collections.-Sophie Kenney, Aurora P.L., IL

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2020
Preschool-G One fall day, Ollie plays outside with her cat, Pumpkin. When the wind blows piles of leaves all around, they discover a kitten who joins their fun. While Pumpkin naps, Ollie follows their new friend deep into the woods, where she sees posters for a missing kitten. So Ollie helps the kitten return home, but becomes lost and separated from her own cat! Fortunately, Pumpkin finds her. Happily reunited, they snuggle together at home (where readers can peer through a window at a kitten and witch flying on a broom). The next morning, they receive a pumpkin as a thank-you gift. The orange of the pumpkin and the autumn leaves stand out on an otherwise monochromatic color palette of grays. Orange foil as well as die-cut shapes on several pages add whimsy to the illustrations. The book is partially illustrated in panels, which introduces young children to the comics format. This gentle story is a sweet option for a Halloween read-aloud and will please young feline fans any time of the year.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

August 17, 2020
Ollie, who previously starred in The Little Reindeer and The Little Rabbit, returns in a cat costume for an autumn adventure. Ollie and her cherished cat, Pumpkin, head
outdoors on a fine fall day and find a shivering kitten beneath a pile of leaves. The three frolic in the woods, “catching falling leaves” and “being explorers” until Ollie, leaving Pumpkin behind, notices “lost kitten” posters. The whistling wind—and maybe a hint of magic—guide Ollie as she returns the kitten to its family. Just when things look dark and spooky for Ollie, meowing Pumpkin arrives to help. Lighthearted action blended with gentle suspense will keep readers on Ollie’s trail. And Killen’s graphite images—a signature of this series—are accented throughout with pops of vivid orange: leaves, pumpkins, doors, and window shutters sustain a crisp, seasonal tone. Ages 4–8.

Starred review from August 1, 2020
Cats and loving homes make for a perfect fall or anytime story. On an autumn morning, cat-suited Ollie goes outside to play with her cat, Pumpkin. Just as she's about to jump into a pile of leaves, the wind blows them everywhere. Hiding underneath is a small, shivering kitten, whom Ollie picks up. She, Pumpkin, and the newcomer play, then rest. When the kitten wants to resume frolicking, Ollie runs into the woods with him, forgetting sleeping Pumpkin. Posters on trees tell Ollie that someone's lost the kitten. Suddenly, another gust of wind reveals a hidden path that leads the little kitten safely home. Tearfully, Ollie now remembers Pumpkin but is herself lost. All ends extremely well, however, and a marvelous surprise conclusion results in happiness for all on this very special night that only sharp-eyed observers might have seen coming--and an unexpected gift the next morning! The simplest of premises brings great rewards in this sweet, heartwarming charmer, narrated with economic, beautiful language. Matching the lovely story is simple, pleasing art, presented in a palette of shades of gray and orange, black, and white. Adding magic to the simple scenes are flashes of shiny orange foil in some illustrations and on the dust jacket. Cutouts on a few pages open up clever new perspectives on following pages. Ollie presents White. Lucky kitten, lucky readers: a sweet, special Halloween story. (Picture book. 3-7)

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