Review by Booklist Review
Mixed-media illustrations and a simple text introduce a lovable and bouncy kitten appropriately named Joy. As she leaves her mother dozing in their cozy bed, the young feline takes off, literally, to explore her home. During her energetic outing, she manages to upset a dish of food, a clothes-drying rack, and a lamp while unraveling a ball of yarn and awakening the napping family dog--all this while wearing a joyful look on her adorable face. The illustrations' clean, white backgrounds and limited detail allow the feline's frenetic actions to take center stage as readers follow the dashes representing Joy's destructive path throughout the house. Rhyming text and onomatopoeia (like "Jingle jangle, wriggle wrangle, in a tangle") are fun to vocalize as readers cheerfully witness Joy's antics. Acting much like any toddler, the gray-and-black tabby knows no fear until she has a slight accident and requires a bit of comforting. The text too becomes calmer: "I'm always here if you fall. / All you have to do is call. / There's nowhere that I'd rather be / than holding you so close to me." After receiving just the right amount of cuddling, Joy's energy ramps right back up--"Oh, boy! Oh, boy!"--and she's back to her spirited explorations. This delightful kitten will charm readers of any age.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A bouncing ball hops across a living room, its trail a dotted line: "Bounce bounce boing boing ding-a-ling ring ring let's sing!" Nonsense words by Ismail (Nuts) voice the cheerful chaos that a kitten leaves behind as it discovers the joy of play; a knocked-over laundry rack and festoons of red yarn testify to earlier exuberance. The mother cat watches as the ball boinks across the room, ringing a metal lampshade and bonking a Great Dane's ears ("I feel joy!" says the kitten, following it). Then the kitten trips, slips, bounces down a flight of stairs: "Crash bang wallop bonk-a-donk donk ow." The mother cat is on the scene in a flash: "Now, look at me. Are you all right?/ Did you get a little fright?" She licks her kitten and hoists it back to bed for cuddling. Reassured, the kitten is restored in a moment and ready to play. Feather-light artwork by Desmond (The Elephant) comprises dashes of bright color (the laundry), feathery green leaves (of houseplants), and strong, simple forms (of big dog and cat), which invite readers to follow cause-and-effect trails while underscoring the healing power of parental attention. Ages 3--7. (June)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1--A tiny, joyful gray kitten is playing with a ball of red yarn while a brown cat and a big gray dog rest. The kitten is creating quite a mess as playing with the red yarn turns into playing with a blue bouncing ball. All the bouncing and running and happiness takes a turn when the kitten slams into the leg of the big dog and unexpectedly trips and slips right out the cat door, and down the stairs. The kitten is suddenly very sad, but the brown cat emerges to administer kisses and comfort before carrying the small imp inside. Children will be delighted to see that more adventures for the kitten are in store. Simple, adorable illustrations and rhythmic text engage readers from the start. Adults will certainly recognize the lovable toddler-like chaos the young kitten creates, and the aloof posture of the other two pets. VERDICT This charming book will make its way into story hours, and is a recommended purchase for most libraries.--Shana Shea, Windsor P.L., CT
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
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. (Picture book. 2-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
