Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes (Genre: Picture Book)

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Henkes, Kevin. 2004. KITTEN'S FIRST FULL MOON. Greenwillow Books. ISBN 0060588284

B. PLOT SUMMARY
Young Kitten spies her first full moon in the sky at night and thinks it is an inviting bowl of milk. In typical youngster fashion, Kitten goes all out to get the 'bowl of milk' in the sky but finds her efforts thwarted time and again. Kitten begins to feel discouraged, but just as she is about to give up, she finds a surprise awaiting her.

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Author/illustrator Henkes' writing is sparse with just enough details to keep the reader and audience interested in what happens next. The story, which centers on the exploits of a kitten, is actually reminiscent of a young child who upon seeing and wanting something, tries her/his best to get it. Young children especially, will relate easily to kitten's feelings of curiosity, determination, and frustration.
Henkes' illustrations are in black and white, yet the lack of color enhances the story. The reader's attention is drawn to the large bold illustrations and keeps one engaged with the flow of the story. Each illustration focuses on Kitten and her attempts to get to the 'bowl of milk', and Henkes employs creative methods to illustrate Kitten's efforts. There are also subtle allusions which may be beyond a young child's comprehension, but will appeal to older children and adults. For example, there is a full page with five panels showing Kitten running towards the moon, but in the last panel, Kitten is shown with a perplexed look on her face, as she is yet to reach the moon/bowl of milk! The concept of distance is well illustrated here, and can be a great talking point with eager young minds.

D. AWARDS/ REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Caldecott Medal
Charlotte Zolotow Award
ALA Notable Children's Book
Book Sense Pick
The New York Times Book Review: "There is also an emotional context to Mr. Henkes's picture-book work that is equally rare....His work rings true."

E. CONNECTIONS
*This is an excellent book for reading aloud to young children. Parents, teachers, librarians, and older siblings can read this delightful picture book to young children, and promote a love of reading amongst the young.
*Think-aloud activities can be used with this book, e.g. encouraging children to guess what the story will be about based on the cover art, etc.
*Prediction activities can also be carried out with this book, e.g. by asking children to predict what will happen next as the story is read out loud.
*Preschoolers and kindergarteners can also be encouraged to participate in a lively discussion where they are encouraged to talk about their experiences in trying to get something they really wanted, and how they felt.