Title: Kitten's First Full Moon
Author & Illustrator: Henkes, Kevin
Publisher: Harper Press, 2004
Genre: picture book
Awards: 2005 Caldecott Medal Winner
Age range: K-1
Summary: This picture book is about a kitten's first encounter with a full moon. The kitten mistakes the moon for a big bowl of milk and attempts to reach it. After many attempts, the kitten finally gives up. Little does the kitten know that there is a tasty surprise waiting on him at home
Response: This book was very simple and yet very intriguing. As a young student, I could find myself saying outloud, "poor kitten!" I really enjoyed this simple black and white illustrations. Before this book, I never thought of a full moon being a bowl of milk. Henkes illustrated this perfectly through his illustrations. One of the things I noticed about this simple character, Kitten, is his determination. He walked, climbed, and even jumped to try and get his bowl of milk. He never gave up, until he thought it was too much. The surprise element at the end of the picture book made me say "AW!" I always love when there is a happy ending to a story. As simple as this book was, it really illustrated, through words and pictures, the persona of a kitten. Since I have a kitten I could personally identify with the "stretching," springing from the porch," "chasing," and pure curiosity. Henkes wrote this book very carefully.
Teaching Ideas: There are several ways that this book could be used in the classroom. One way could be a simple read-aloud. Students could say outloud, "Poor Kitty!" only to find in the end that "lucky" is a better adjective! Students could also use this book to learn to read. The simple words and corresponding pictures make it easy for a young reader to get excited and motivated to read. Teachers could also use this book to incorporate into an animal unit. Teachers could allow students to talk about their experiences with pets, or kittens. This could even lead into an art project where students create a piece that illustrates a mistaken association. For example, students could make a sun, but an orange eating monkey may mistaken the sun for an orange! (Just as kitten saw the moon as a bowl of milk.)
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