Trio The tale of a three-legged cat

Andrea Wisnewski

Book - 2017

A kitten born with only three legs loves doing the same things as the chickens who share a garage with him, including sitting on a nest.

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Subjects
Genres
Picture books
Published
Boston : David R. Godine - Publisher 2017.
Language
English
Main Author
Andrea Wisnewski (author)
Edition
First edition
Physical Description
1 volume (unpaged) : color illustrations ; 23 x 26 cm
ISBN
9781567926088
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

One night, in a garage, in a worn-out old wing chair, four kittens were born. One was black, one white, one striped, but the gray one was different he only had three legs, so his name was Trio. But nothing could stop Trio. He could pounce, he could sneak, he could even jump. He shared his home with 11 chickens and liked to dig holes, take dust baths, and scratch for bugs, just like they did the only thing he didn't do was lay eggs. But one day when Trio is snoozing on the nest, an egg hatches and the fluffiest little chick pops out . . . with one leg! In a delightful final page, the chick named Uno, of course is perched on Trio's head, and from that day forward, they are always together. The kittens and chickens are endearing without being overly cute. Stunning images surrounded by generous white space in full pages and cameos are created in black linocut and then hand-painted in lush watercolors to produce this unsentimental tale based on a true story.--Gepson, Lolly Copyright 2018 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Part of a litter of four kittens, Trio was born with three legs, but it scarcely has an effect on his life. Trio and his siblings share a garage with 11 chickens, and it's a mostly peaceful existence (though "the chickens didn't altogether approve of the kittens' activities, especially Trio's"). Wisnewski emphasizes Trio's determination in both her matter-of-fact narration and in sturdy linocut images colored in rusty red, warm yellows, and pale blues. Trio loves imitating the chickens' habits, and after figuring out how to get up into their nesting beds ("Trio didn't give up until he found a way"), he incubates a hatching egg. A chick pops out, eventually-"the fluffiest, cutest little chick... with one leg." (Trio names the chick Uno.) Writing with tenderness and understated humor, Wisnewski portrays disabilities as a simple fact of life-the obstacles that Trio surmounts are less about physical limitation than about learning how to use his body to get where he wants to be. An author's note details the story behind the real-life Trio. Ages 3-7. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review

PreS-Gr 2-Having only three legs doesn't stop kitten Trio from pouncing, sneaking, jumping ("well, sort of!"), and causing trouble among the chickens with whom he and his siblings share a garage. Trio loves to imitate the chickens as they roam the garden, dig holes, and eat bugs, but the chickens can do one thing Trio can't-lay eggs. This inability doesn't stop the persistent Trio from climbing into a chicken's nest, though, where one day an egg hatches to reveal a surprise. While the resulting one-legged chick (who promptly becomes inseparable from her fellow "different" feline friend) is fictional, a concluding note and accompanying photograph inform readers that Trio himself is based on a real cat adopted by the author's family. Large amounts of white space, minimal text in a large, serif font, and illustrations that reinforce the words make this title appropriate both for newly independent readers and as a read-aloud. The bold and appealing block print-style illustrations, mostly in reds and grays, add to the country theme, and the gentle humor ("The chickens didn't altogether approve of the kittens' activities") adds a nice folksy touch to the narrative. VERDICT A sweet and fun farm story for storytimes and early independent reading.-Jill Ratzan, Temple B'nai Abraham, Bordentown, NJ © Copyright 2018. 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

This fictionalized story about adventurous three-legged cat Trio, who likes to emulate the chickens he amicably shares a home with, is simply told in spare, large-print text surrounded by plenty of white space. Trio's energy and his disregard of being disabled are apparent in the story but especially in the homey, colorful block-print illustrations. Concludes with a note on the real Trio. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

Despite having only three legs, Trio the cat lives a full, happy life.Trio is born "different." But different is definitely not less-than, as the narration points out. Trio may struggle at times, but in general, he can do what other kittens do: "pouncesneak[and] jump, whoops, well sort of!" Trio and his siblings share their home with a flock of chickens. Trio, in particular, enjoys emulating the chickens' behavior, though he discovers that he does not like eating bugs. After figuring out how to climb up into the nesting boxes, Trio regularly makes himself at home. Then one day his cozy snoozing is interrupted by an unexpected event. Wisnewski's astonishingly beautiful illustrations combine paper cutting, printing, and watercolor to bring Trio's story to life. Her technique works particularly well for texture and shading, as seen on the flowers, fabrics, feathers, and fur. Trio, the other kittens, and Uno the chick are all utterly adorable, and the beady-eyed hens are equally appealing. The matter-of-fact tone of the text keeps the story from sounding sentimental, while gently humorous asides add to its charm. Simple declarative sentences have a pleasing rhythm and conversational tone, allowing the story to flow naturally. Lovely to look at, a pleasure to read aloud, and offering plenty of details to pore over, Trio's story seems destined to become a favorite for many families. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.