Book Review: KITTEN'S FIRST FULL MOON

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Henkes, Kevin. 2004. KITTEN'S FIRST FULL MOON. United States of America: Greenwillow Books. ISBN 0060588284

2. PLOT SUMMARY
Who knew a story about a kitten and a moon could be so entertaining, but famed author Kevin Henkes manages to create an adventure like no other. In KITTEN'S FIRST FULL MOON, readers are introduced to a female kitten who mistakenly thinks the full moon is a bowl of milk that she so desperately wants. In order to capture her “bowl of milk” she stretched her neck, sprang from porches, climbed up trees, raced through grass, and even leaped with all her might, but she was unable to get her “bowl of milk.” As she walks home, defeated, the kitten is surprised with a bowl of real milk waiting for her on the porch.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Kevin Henkes’s writing of a naive kitten who mistakes the moon for a bowl of milk would be a wonderful picture storybook to share with children in Pre – K through 4th grade. Henkes word choice is simple to understand, yet uses vivid words to describe the actions of the kitten throughout the story. The use of repetitive phrases such as “Still, there was the little bowl of milk, just waiting.”and “Poor Kitten!” helps to make the book an interactive read aloud because children will be able to hear the pattern and participate in the reading of the story.

The Caldecott winning illustrations also add another layer to this story. Stories that occur during night can sometimes appear scary to children because of all the dark colors, but Henkes avoids this pitfall by using pale grays and whites to create the appearance of night without making it intimidating to children. He also uses rounded edges and lines when drawing the kitten features such as her whiskers, paws, , ears, and tale. The plants featured in the story such as leaves, flowers, and trees also are drawn with rounded edges which makes the overall pictures in the book less threatening. The illustrations also align quite well with the text on the page. On several pages he has multiple pictures that where draw in conjunction with the text. Children could very easily use the illustrations along with the text to help them read the story, which is a sign of an effective picture book.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY review: “The narrative and visual pacing will keep children entranced, and the determined young heroine and her comical quest will win them over.”
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: “The rhythmic text and delightful artwork ensure storytime success.”
BOOKLIST review: “…the elemental words, rhythms, and appealing sounds, tells a warm, humorous story that's beautifully extended in his shimmering, gray-toned artwork.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*Discuss the difference between regular verbs (examples: run and jump) and “vivid verbs” (examples: chased and sprang) with students. Read the story and have students find examples of vivid verbs and create a class list for writing.
*Do an author study on Kevin Henkes by completing other read alouds of Henkes’ books and compare plot, characters, and illustrations.
*Other books for children about the moon (recommended by SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL)
Asch, Frank. MOONGAME. ISBN: 9780689835186
Wallace, Nancy Elizabeth. THE SUN, THE MOON, AND THE STARS. ISBN: 9780618263530