Kitty and Cat: Opposites Attract

 

 

KITTY AND CAT: OPPOSITES ATTRACT

Written and illustrated by Mirka Hokkanen

(Candlewick Press; $18.99, Ages 2-5)

 

 

 

 

This adorable picture book, Kitty and Cat: Opposites Attract, by Mirka Hokkanen, is guaranteed to make you laugh. Using just two words at a time, the story follows a grumpy cat after a kitten is introduced to the household: “old” and “new.” From there, the story unfolds with hilarious antics as they try to become accustomed to one another.

 

 

I like how the story begins and ends in the endpapers—a clever way to get in two more scenes. Hokkanen’s art uses color to play up the black and white cats, allowing new items (cat condos, yarn) to really pop on the page. She captures the kitten’s innocence as well as the older cat’s moodiness.

 

 

This concept book teaches while it entertains. A must-read for animal lovers but also applicable for families bringing in a new member (furry or otherwise) and upsetting the balance around the house. Watch for Kitty and Cat: Bent Out of Shape, out in November for more fun from this unlikely duo.

 

• Reviewed by Christine Van Zandt (www.ChristineVanZandt.com), Write for Success (www.WriteforSuccessEditing.com), @ChristineVZ and @WFSediting, Christine@WriteforSuccessEditing.com