A QUIETER STORY

A child writes a story about a pet—with some help.

The unnamed protagonist is clearly a creative type who loves this little tiger kitten. Pictured on the title page is evidence of a previous story as well as two larger than life-size portraits of her kitten. Pencils, crayons, and craft supplies spill from a nearby bookcase. Sprawled on the flowered rug, the child begins a new saga. Initial efforts are rejected by the cat, who demands to be referred to as a tiger and advocates for more exciting exploits than chasing yarn and drinking milk. Inspired, the young author is soon wielding watercolors to create a dark jungle, dripping with snakes. Initially enthusiastic, the kitten finds the next few additions a bit intimidating and soon enough declares that it is all “TOO MUCH!” The appealing artwork was created using a variety of media, resulting in a nicely varied, upbeat look. Round eyes and heads, simply drawn shapes, and black outlines give the pictures a cheerful, cartoony feel. Shifts in perspective allow young listeners to become immersed in the story within a story, while subtle details ground the adventure in the cozy real-life setting. Speech balloons and type colors clearly indicate who is speaking in the brief conversational text. The child has pale skin and straight, black hair.

Lively and amusing, this story about making stories will likely find eager listeners—and may just inspire some writing projects, too.