Kitten's First Full Moon

Kitten's First Full Moon. written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes. 2004. 40p. New York: Greenwillow Books. 

Author/Illustrator Website: www.kevinhenkes.com

Medium: colored pencil and gouache

Awards and Honors: Caldecott Medal

Audience: 2 and up

Annotation:
When Kitten sees the full moon for the first time, she thinks that it's a bowl of milk and she tries to catch it. 

Personal Reaction: 
When plucky little Kitten sees the full moon for the first time, she thinks that it's a bowl of milk and she tries to catch it. She jumps from the top step of the porch, but she only succeeds in falling down. She tries to chase it down, but it never gets any closer. But Kitten is very persistent. She climbs up to the top of a tree to try to get nearer to the moon and she jumps into the pond to try to catch the reflection, but none of these things work! Finally, she goes back home to find that her owner has left a great big bowl of milk on the porch for her. 

In Kitten's First Full Moon Henkes puts a different spin on his distinctive style of illustration by working entirely in shades of black and grey. It makes sense for the subject matter- a moonlit night- and also helps temper the inherent cuteness of Kitten. The book works well as a read-aloud- kids will enjoy joining in the refrain "poor kitten!".