  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 04/01/2004 PreS-K-An irresistible offering from the multifaceted Henkes. The spare and suspense-filled story concerns a kitten that mistakes the moon for a bowl of milk. When she opens her mouth to lick the treat, she ends up with a bug on her tongue. Next, she launches herself into the air, paws reaching out for the object of her desire, only to tumble down the stairs, "bumping her nose and banging her ear and pinching her tail. Poor Kitten." Again and again, the feline's persistent attempts to reach her goal lead to pain, frustration, and exhaustion. Repetitive phrases introduce each sequence of desire, action, and consequence, until the animal's instincts lead her home to a satisfying resolution. Done in a charcoal and cream-colored palette, the understated illustrations feature thick black outlines, pleasing curves, and swiftly changing expressions that are full of nuance. The rhythmic text and delightful artwork ensure storytime success. Kids will surely applaud this cat's irrepressible spirit. Pair this tale with Frank Asch's classic Moongame (S & S, 1987) and Nancy Elizabeth Wallace's The Sun, the Moon and the Stars (Houghton, 2003) for nocturnal celebrations.-Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information. - Copyright 2004 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Bulletin for the Center... - 03/01/2004 Kitten isn’t astronomically inclined: when she sees her first full moon, she’s positive that it’s a "little bowl of milk in the sky." Determined to reach the milk, she stretches out for it and licks, only to get a bug in her mouth; she jumps for it but only falls down; she chases it but it never comes closer; she sees it in the pond, but only gets soaked. Fortunately, when she returns, chastened, to her home, "there was a great big bowl of milk on the porch just waiting for her." There are gentle overtones of Thurber’s Many Moons in the lunar theme, and the tight focus and neatly expressive text give the simple and appealing kitty adventures their full due. The repetition ("Poor Kitten!") and the toddler-sized tension of Kitten’s unsuccessful efforts will further involve listeners. Henkes’ illustrations evince quite a departure in style here: gouache and colored pencil combine in a palette that seems at first nocturnal blush to be monochromatic, but on closer examination reveals some smoky, ruddy-toned browns softening the charcoal tints. Broad black lines give the drafting a stylized clarity, but there’s enough textured modeling to ensure that the result is emphatic rather than merely flat; framed sequences and creative page layout help keep the momentum flowing and the visual interest high even with the deceptive simplicity of line and palette. The result is a tender but robust little picture book that will be storytime catnip. - Copyright 2004 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. Booklist - 02/15/2004 *Starred Review* Henkes creates another winner in this simple, charming story about a naive little kitten who mistakes a round, shining moon for a bowl of milk. Kitten laps at the sky’s creamy circle, but she is surprised when she tastes bugs instead of milk. Then she chases the milk-bowl moon through the garden and field to the pond, where she climbs a tree, discovers another milk bowl shining in the water, and dives in after it. Finally, “wet and sad and tired and hungry,” she returns home to find, at last, a true bowl of milk, out of the sky and on the porch, waiting for her. Henkes’ text, reminiscent of Margaret Wise Brown’s work in the elemental words, rhythms, and appealing sounds, tells a warm, humorous story that’s beautifully extended in his shimmering, gray-toned artwork. Working in bold black lines and the silvery palette of moonlight, he creates a lovable, expressive character in the determined kitten, and his dramatic contrasts of light and dark capture the excitement of a nighttime adventure. Wise preschoolers may chuckle at the kitten’s folly, but they’ll also recognize the mysterious power of moonlight to transform the familiar world of daytime into something altogether new. - Copyright 2004 Booklist. Loading...
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