If You Were Born a Kitten

Amazon.com
Marion Dane Bauer--a Newbery Honor author and part-time breeder of puppies and kittens--captures the wonder of birth in this poetic, playful picture book about how animals come into being. Each oversized, double-page spread lovingly depicts 12 different types of animal babies, including a human, with a few simple lines such as, "If you were a baby seahorse, you'd pop out of your father's pouch and swim away with hundreds of sisters and brothers." Bauer's tender tone, gracefully infused with intriguing animal facts, makes this an unusual homage to the miracle of life. JoEllen McAllister Stammen's magical, soft pastel illustrations beautifully complement each birth story and pay tribute to the special bond between parents and their babies. Young children will love hearing about how other little ones are born, making this winning book a wonderful, sleepy, educational bedtime read. (Picture book)


From Publishers Weekly
The phrase "if you were a..." introduces the way in which a variety of animals enter the world. "The tone is lovingly maternal, soothing and perfect for bedtime," said PW in a starred review. Ages 1-4. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1. "If you were born a kitten, you'd slip into the world in a silvery sac, and your mother would lick, lick, lick you free." So begins this simple, rhythmic narrative that describes how 12 different animals enter the world. Stammen's skillful manipulation of dry pastels gives a shimmer to the seahorse; definition to each porcupine quill; and creates contrast between the wet, scraggly chick and the dry, fluffy one. The dark gray paper that comprises the background contributes to the sense of intimacy and vulnerability that accompanies birth. The scenes, each featuring a parent and offspring, bleed off of oversized, double-page spreads, making this a welcome choice for group settings. From the soft, deep blue of the ocean surrounding a nurturing mother whale to the frontal view of a speckled frog watching over her tadpoles, Bauer and Stammen capture the natural behavior of these animals with nary a trace of anthropomorphism; author and illustrator convey the sweetness and wonder of babies without being cloying. The book culminates with a view of a carriage that holds the toy counterparts of the preceding animals and the story of "you": "Naked as a bear cub. Soft as a porcupette. Wrinkled as a deer mouse. Free as a kitten." As endearing as a baby.?Wendy Lukehart, Dauphin County Library, Harrisburg, PACopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Kirkus Reviews
Aspects of the birth process of a variety of animals are described in an inventive, often poetic text. The book begins: ``If you were born a kitten, you'd slip into the world in a silvery sac, and your mother would lick, lick, lick you free.'' For each creature--seahorse, chicken, porcupine, whale, opossum, snake, bear, mouse, elephant, and frog--Bauer (Alison's Wings, 1996, etc.) provides brief factual content in the ``If you were'' construction. The choice of the animals becomes clear when readers see the array of stuffed animals owned by the human baby to which this story is uttered. The pictures are always warm, conveying a sense of place that varies from woodsy locales to underwater habitats. Pastels on gray paper and Stammen's strong, scoured lines mute the representations of the parents and children, complementing the dreamy, melodious text. A perfect bedtime book, this also provides some simple answers to those first questions on reproduction. (Picture book. 3-6) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.


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