Hi Everyone!

It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday, and I’m thinking about how much I love October because of all the wonderful autumn and Halloween picture books there are. 😊 ☢️

This one is new this year from talented author/illustrator Nicola Killen and I think you will be as taken with it as I am!

Title: The Little Kitten

Written & Illustrated By: Nicola Killen

Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, July 21 2020, fiction

Suitable For Ages: 4-8 (though I think kids slightly younger would enjoy it too!)

Themes/Topics: seasons (autumn – with a nod to Halloween), kindness, friendship, doing the right thing

Opening: “It was a crisp autumn morning, and  Ollie was heading outside to play, closely followed by her cat, Pumpkin.“

Brief Synopsis: Ollie and her cat Pumpkin come upon a tiny kitten shivering in a pile of fallen leaves. Ollie warms the kitten up and the three become fast friends, but when Ollie sees “Lost Kitten” posters she knows she has to help her new friend get home.

Links To Resources: Make Your Own Kitty Pumpkin 1; Make Your Own Kitty Pumpkin 2; Kitty Pumpkin Cookies (the recipe shows other kinds of faces, but you can add ears and whiskers 😊); write a haiku about autumn (examples to inspire you on the link)

Why I Like This Book: I know quiet books are not  the “in” thing, but I love them 😊 This book is so sweet and lovely, such a gentle story about friendship and caring on a crisp autumn day.  Ollie, dressed in her cat costume, her cat Pumpkin, and the Little Kitten are three of a kind – perfect playmates.  Ollie’s distraction with the kitten (which makes her lose track of her beloved Pumpkin) is very believable.  Her kind heart helps her get the kitten to its rightful home.  And the moment when she can’t find Pumpkin is touching and saved from being too tearful by Pumpkin’s happy reappearance.  The art is what really makes this story special, though.  Little die-cut windows allow for an interactive experience on some of the pages.  Other pages shine with foil leaves.  The simple color palette lets the warm orange really stand out.  And the combination of text and art makes for a quiet, comforting story about everyone ending up where they’re supposed to be.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific links (and any other info you feel like filling out 🙂 ) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 😊