9. Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

Bibliographic Citation:

Henkes, Kevin. Kitten's First Full Moon. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books, 2004. 40p. ISBN 978-0060588281

Awards/Selection Lists:

Caldecott Medal
ALA Notable Children’s Book
Charlotte Zolotow Award
Booklist Editors’ Choice
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon
Kirkus Reviews Editors’ Choice
Publishers Weekly Best Book
School Library Journal Best Book
New York Times Best Illustrated Book
Book Sense Top Ten Pick

Format Examined:

Hardcover

Annotation:

A little white kitten mistakes the moon for a big bowl of milk.

Personal Reaction:

An adorable white kitten sees the big, round moon in the sky and thinks that it is a bowl of milk. The kitten tries to lap it up, but cannot seem to reach it. Through a humorous progression of events, the kitten continues to "chase" the big bowl of milk, but cannot succeed in her quest. In the end, the kitten is rewarded with a real bowl of milk at home. The simplicity of the text paired with the black and white illustrations bring the story to life. The expressions on the kitten's face will make children chuckle. This book is a charming story that makes a perfect bedtime book for parents and children to share for many nights to come.

Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 2-5 years of age.

Themes/Issues:

Patience, nighttime, humor



Early Literacy Skill Value:

Letter Knowledge: 
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.

Narrative Skills: 
The repeated text, "Poor kitten" invite children to take part in telling the story as it becomes more familiar to them. The simple illustrations encourage children to retell the story in their own words.

Phonological Awareness: 
Phonological awareness is not a direct focus of this book.

Print Awareness:
The simplicity of the illustrations and bold black text on a white background calls attention to the text of the book as the story is told.

Print Motivation: 
This book tells a sweet and simple story which is perfect as a bedtime story. Children will also pick up this book to "read" on their own with simple illustrations to help them retell the story themselves.

Vocabulary:
This book prompts discussion between the reader and the listener as the kitten seeks the bowl of milk. One area of vocabulary that could be an area of focus is in defining the kittens expressions as she continues to meet new obstacles along the way.

Author/ Illustrator Website:

http://www.kevinhenkes.com.php5-25.dfw1-2.websitetestlink.com/