BIBLIOGRAPHY
Henkes, Kevin. 2004. KITTEN’S FIRST FULL MOON. New York, NY: Glenwillow.
ISBN 0060588284
PLOT SUMMARY
Innocence and youthful exuberance come to life in this tale of a kitten’s quest for a bowl of milk. From the porch step one evening, a kitten spies a delicious bowl of white milk shining brightly in the dark distance. Desperate to have a taste, the kitten tries every trick possible from licking and jumping to chasing and climbing. Nothing seems to work and the kitten soon realizes that the gleaming and oh so delicious bowl of milk cannot be reached. Exhausted from these misadventures, the kitten returns home to find that his owners have left him the very treat that he so desired.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
From the very first page, Henkes’ minimal and straightforward use of language immediately draws the reader into the thoughts and actions of a naïve kitten. The young kitten’s character parallels its human counterpart, the experienced young child, who upon spying a desirable object will try various ways to acquire it for himself. The author has strategically placed meaningful repetition throughout the story with the sentence: “Still, there was the little bowl of milk, just waiting.” These words move the story forward effortlessly and tempt readers to turn the page to find out which trick the kitten will try next.
The choice of black and white drawings simply and masterfully complements the story by highlighting the darkness of the night, the aloneness of the kitten, and the shiny white fullness of the “bowl of milk.” The innocence of the kitten’s character is dramatically enhanced through a wide range of facial expressions including surprise, curiosity, fear, and disappointment.
This story is a delight for children of any age who enjoy books about animals. Very young children will enjoy listening to the kitten’s escapades and trying to predict the results of his actions, while older children will more readily catch on to the fact that the bowl of milk is really a full moon. Though not explicitly stated, the story implies several themes including: “Try, try, try, before you give up,” and “There’s no place like home.”
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
2005 Caldecott Winner
From School Library Journal: Age PreS-K
“Kids will surely applaud this cat’s irrepressible spirit.” Wendy Lukeheart, Washington D.C. Public Library, (3/22/04).
From Kirkus Reviews: (Age 3-5)
“Artful in its gracefulness and naiveté, just like a kitten. Simply charming.” (2/15/04).
CONNECTIONS
These two books can be used to guide children’s understanding of the difference between daytime and nighttime.
Tafuri, Nancy. WHAT THE SUN SEES, WHAT THE MOON SEES. ISBN 0688144934
Viola, Karen. GOOD NIGHT SUN, HELLO MOON. ISBN 0794421024
*Have children fold a large piece of drawing paper in half and illustrate “daytime” on one side and “nighttime” on the other. Discuss the specific elements in each picture.
*Through “acting” contrast the activities that take place during the day and at night. You might even contrast human activities with those of nocturnal animals (e.g. owls, raccoons).
*Invite students to contrast their daytime experiences (i.e. going to school, playing in the park, etc…) from their nighttime experiences (i.e. camping in a tent, driving in the car, etc…). Describe sights, sounds, feelings, the sun, and the moon.
Marzollo, Jean. PRETEND YOU’RE A CAT. ISBN 0140559930
Let children “become” other animals through movement. Prior to presentation, locate appropriate musical selections to accompany actions (e.g. “Baby Elephant Walk” by Henry Mancini, etc..).
Two beloved classics also from Kevin Henkes.
OWEN, ISBN 0688114490
CHRYSANTHEMUM, ISBN 0688147321
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
2005 Caldecott Winner
From School Library Journal: Age PreS-K
“Kids will surely applaud this cat’s irrepressible spirit.” Wendy Lukeheart, Washington D.C. Public Library, (3/22/04).
From Kirkus Reviews: (Age 3-5)
“Artful in its gracefulness and naiveté, just like a kitten. Simply charming.” (2/15/04).
CONNECTIONS
These two books can be used to guide children’s understanding of the difference between daytime and nighttime.
Tafuri, Nancy. WHAT THE SUN SEES, WHAT THE MOON SEES. ISBN 0688144934
Viola, Karen. GOOD NIGHT SUN, HELLO MOON. ISBN 0794421024
*Have children fold a large piece of drawing paper in half and illustrate “daytime” on one side and “nighttime” on the other. Discuss the specific elements in each picture.
*Through “acting” contrast the activities that take place during the day and at night. You might even contrast human activities with those of nocturnal animals (e.g. owls, raccoons).
*Invite students to contrast their daytime experiences (i.e. going to school, playing in the park, etc…) from their nighttime experiences (i.e. camping in a tent, driving in the car, etc…). Describe sights, sounds, feelings, the sun, and the moon.
Marzollo, Jean. PRETEND YOU’RE A CAT. ISBN 0140559930
Let children “become” other animals through movement. Prior to presentation, locate appropriate musical selections to accompany actions (e.g. “Baby Elephant Walk” by Henry Mancini, etc..).
Two beloved classics also from Kevin Henkes.
OWEN, ISBN 0688114490
CHRYSANTHEMUM, ISBN 0688147321
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