Monsters and Dogs & Kittens, Oh, My!

Cover of Katie Loves the Kittens

My tail wags for these 2 books: The Monster Who Lost His Mean & Katie Loves the Kittens. I've shared these 2 books multiple times with my bookworm grandson Tobin. By multiple times, I mean so many times that I know the books by heart!
Katie Loves the Kittens by John Himmelman, published in 2008 by Henry Holt, is a deceptively simple, light-hearted look at Katie, an irrepressible dog who loves Sara Ann's new kittens soooo much, it gets her in constant trouble. The kittens fly and scramble as Katie's tail wags so hard a kitten is caught in the onslaught. Pencil & watercolor drawings bring out Katie's personality- you feel for the poor dog as she learns to be patient & finally, just finally, Katie calms down enough that the kittens curl around her as she sleeps. My grandson & I love to repeat Katie's signature bark, "Aroooooo," which is similar to my Corgi's bark, Ba-roooo. this tale bears up after repeated readings. Fun for all.

I found The Monster Who Lost His Meanwhile browsing for a not-so-scary story for my 2.5 year old. This picture book is perfect for Halloween and beyond. Written by Tiffany Strelizt Haber, illustrated by Kirstie Edmunds, this 2012 book published by Henry Holt is a clever tale of a monster who no longer has his "M," so now he's an "Onster." Without being didactic, readers learn about bullying, not fitting in, and how to recreate yourself by turning a liability into an asset. Monster makes new friends, helps with chores and even gets a surprise party all without his "M" or his old friends. Curriculum connections for educators include alphabet recognition, word play, connotation vs. denotation (what is a monster w/out his name?) and creating acrostics. I give this book an "M" for Marvelous!