JOY

The exuberant play of a kitten is the subject of Ismail’s latest picture book.

The cover depicts a furry, gray feline leaping in midair while clutching a red ball of unraveling yarn. The loopy, crimson line leads all eyes forward while setting the stage for readers to follow the motion lines in the subsequent action-packed pages. Short, high-energy rhymes and onomatopoeia add to the fun: “ZOOM-ZOOM / ZIM-ZAM / CLIP-CLOP / HIP-HOP /What a trip— / don’t stop!” accompanies the loop-the-loops of the young pet as it follows a bouncing rubber ball and tumbles into a standing lamp. After knocking over the food dish, wreaking havoc with the laundry rack, and crashing into the family dog, the creature is propelled through the cat door and crashes down the back steps. Fortunately, the watchful mother cat is right there with a “little hug, a kiss, a squeeze,” and she proceeds to “check your paws / and clean your knees.” In no time, the kitten is distracted and begins chasing a butterfly. Uncluttered, white backgrounds; clear, colorful details; a buoyant protagonist; and a spirited text make this a perfect choice for one-on-one or group sharing.

A satisfying, full-fledged story that deftly accommodates the short attention spans and kinetic needs of young listeners.