Today's read wanders into the realm of pets...in this case, cats. I do tend to be a dog-person, but with the farm, we have our fair-share of these cute characters as well. When I saw that this read teaches kids how to handle their pets with care, my interest was sparked. It shouldn't head into a true guide book direction (not practical things such as food, bedding, etc), but instead, address how to behave around cats. Since I haven't seen a picture book addressing this theme in awhile, I wanted to take a peek.
So, if you received a cat recently or are maybe planning on getting one, this one might be for you.
PETS AND KISSES
by Alexis Spinner
Illustrated by INDOS Studio
Mascot Kids
Picture Book
38 pages
ages 4 to 8
Learn how to treat a cat―it’s not that hard to do. Give them all your love, and they’ll unconditionally love you.
MY TIDBITS
New cat families can find more than a few helpful hints to become friends with their felines.
A little boy can't figure out why the two cats run off or scratch him. They never seem to want to be snuggled or pet. He would really enjoy learning to become friends with them, and to do so, has a few things to learn first.
This book is ideal for young readers, who can't seem to get along with the family cat (especially newer ones). While it does center around a boy's desire to learn how to behave around the cats, it's more of a guide to several do's and don'ts when children are dealing with cats. Everything from treating cats roughly to putting cat toys in the mouth are mentioned. The tips are understandable, make sense, and easy enough for the age group to grasp and remember. These do handle mistakes younger children tend to make when dealing with animals for the first time. So, it is well-directed toward the audience.
The entire thing is written in rhyme, which wasn't my thing but works well enough. The vocabulary and explanations are age appropriate and presented in an understandable way. It did hit me a little too directed as the read went on (not woven into a story form as first thought, but rather, clearly listed suggestions) and tended very heavy to the 'don't' side, when I do wish there had been a few more positive situations as well. But it does work very well for a group setting, teaching kids how to handle cats properly, or even opening up to a theme surrounding cat/pet care, in general. It hits its purpose on spot and does a nice job in the process.
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