Kitten's First Full Moon

Kitten’s First Full Moon written and illustrated by: Kevin Henkes

Greenwillow Books, 2004

ISBN 0060588284

Kitten is enjoying an evening on the porch when she sees what looks like a large bowl of milk in the sky. Her goal: get that milk! However, no matter what she tries, she just can’t seem to reach the large bowl of milk in the sky. After trying everything she possibly can and traveling all over the yard, Kitten heads home feeling sad, tired, and hungry. But wait! There on the porch is a big bowl of milk “just waiting for her.”

Kevin Henkes story is a great representation of a child’s perception of the world. A bowl of milk is a creative way to describe the ever changing moon. Henkes long, compound sentences emphasize Kitten’s actions while the simple vocabulary makes it easy to read. His grayscale illustrations add mystery and adventure to the night with a full moon. Kitten is a very simple depiction of a cat and yet she still manages to be very expressive.

Booklist (Vol. 100 Issue 12)—“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.”

Horn Book Magazine (May/Jun2004, Vol. 80 Issue 3 )—“Anyone who has ever watched a cat spasmodically pounce and chase for no apparent reason will enjoy the imaginative, unpretentiously poetic method Henkes reads into this madness.”

Connections:

Children could discuss what other things the moon can look like, for example: a thumb nail, a smile, etc. Children could also illustrate other ways Kitten could try to get the “bowl of milk.”

Works Cited:

Henkes, Kevin. "Kitten's First Full Moon (Book)." Booklist 100.12 (2004): 1056. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 16 Sept. 2010.

Heppermann, Christine M. "Kitten's First Full Moon." Horn Book Magazine 80.3 (2004): 314-315. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text. EBSCO. Web. 16 Sept. 2010.