Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Lonely at first and then perplexed by sounds coming from the other side of the fence, Mittens responds with scratching, meowing, and digging sounds of his own. Schaefer captures the kitten's confusion and determination to solve the mystery. "Ruff! Ruff! What's that, Mittens?" "Dig! Dig! What's that, Mittens?" The author uses rhythm and word repetition to appeal to new readers, who will giggle when they see what has been making such a ruckus. It's Max in all his huge doggy glory, depicted with an irresistible black nose, pink tongue, and plenty of folds for snuggling. With the gentle underlying message that new friends come in all sizes, this simple adventure joins earlier books about the playful striped kitten and is perfect for beginning-reader sections.-Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Mittens the kitten hears something digging behind the backyard fence. He digs, too, until he encounters a friendly dog. The large print, repetition, and limited vocabulary are geared to the youngest readers, who'll likely keep going to see who's waiting beyond the fence. The uncluttered illustrations avoid monotony by showing Mittens from a variety of angles. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
In the third entry in this series for the newest readers, an inquisitive, gray-striped kitten named Mittens meets his next-door neighbor, a dog named Max. Using a minimal text in a large font, the simple story introduces Mittens, who plays alone in his fenced-in backyard. Mysterious scratching and barking noises from the other side of the white picket fence ensue, with plenty of leading questions and broad hints that prompt the new reader to predict what will happen to Mittens next. Soon the kitten and the unseen critter are both digging away on their respective sides of the fence to mutually beneficial effect, leading to a budding friendship. The author skillfully integrates short exclamations and animal sounds into the text, moving the story along and adding sensory details within the early-reader format. Hartung's soft-focus watercolor illustrations imbue the appealing kitten and the big (but friendly) dog with a perky sweetness that will charm the youngest readers. (Early reader. 4-7) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
