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TRIO by Andrea Wisnewski Kirkus Star

TRIO

The Tale of a Three-legged Cat

by Andrea Wisnewski ; illustrated by Andrea Wisnewski

Pub Date: Oct. 19th, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-56792-608-8
Publisher: Godine

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: “pounce…sneak…[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)