The Kitten Who Couldn't Purr - Hardcover

PreSchool-K-- A natural for picture book story times. Jonathan is one of four kittens owned by a small girl who is convinced he isn't polite because he doesn't purr while sharing the communal saucer of milk. The problem is, he can't. One day, when he's been sent outside for his presumed rudeness, he decides to find somebody to teach him to purr. The animals he meets--a hen, a duck, a pig, a cow , and a donkey--are willing to help, but are confined to their respective areas of vocal expertise. It is good friend Toto, a puppy, who finds the solution: he teaches Jonathan to wag his tail. Originally published in German , the story and the style in which it is told are never more than moderately engaging. What makes this a potential crowd-pleaser are the illustrations and the design. Using watercolor and colored pencil in warm pastel shades, Fechner has drawn kittens who tumble off the page in a variety of appealing expressions and postures. Jonathan's chagrin is depicted with special charm. All of the animals are zoologically precise, yet retain expressions and personalities consistent with their functions in the book. The print is large and clearly reproduced and positioned on double - page spreads with clear panoramas so that each one is turned at the correct moment, paralleling words that will encourage young listeners to participate. --Christine Behrmann, New York Public Library
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.