Kitten's First Full Moon

by Kevin Henkes

2005 Caldecott Medal Winner

Kitten's First Full Moon is a delightful story about a young kitten's quest for a bowl of milk. After mistaking the round, white-colored moon as milk, the kitten experiences a series of pitfalls, which leave her feeling tired and still hungry. Kitten accidentally eats a bug while trying to lick the moon, falls off a porch, goes on a never-ending chase through a garden, pointlessly climbs a tree, and jumps into a pond all in an effort to reach the desirable bowl of milk. Feeling defeated, Kitten returns home and, to her surprise, finds a bowl of milk on the porch waiting for her. In the end, Kitten goes to sleep feeling satisfied, because she finally got to enjoy her bowl of milk.

Kitten's story combines suspense and humor in a way that young children will appreciate. The beautiful black and white illustrations, although simple in color, perfectly present Kitten's actions and emotions. The images seem to bring Kitten's journey to life and are perfect for helping preschoolers and kindergartners follow along. In addition, the rhythmic text makes the story perfect for reading aloud.

Kitten's First Full Moon is a new favorite of mine, because it brings back the secure feeling I had as a child, knowing that someone would take care of me, even if I couldn't do it myself. Every child should get to go to sleep at night feeling safe, satisfied, and peaceful, just as Kitten did.