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Summary
Summary
Once there were four kittens who had never seen snow. The first three kittens are wary--snow is cold, it's wet, it covers everything. As the seasons pass and winter begins to loom, the three skittish kittens worry. But the fourth kitten is getting excited. Snow will cover everything! "I can't wait!"
Author Notes
Eric Rohmann is a painter, printmaker, and fine bookmaker. His books for children include Time Flies , recipient of a Caldecott Honor Award, The Cinder-Eyed Cats , Pumpkinhead, Clara and Asha, and My Friend Rabbit, recipient of the Caldecott Medal. Mr. Rohmann lives in the Midwest.
Reviews (5)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Rohmann's (My Friend Rabbit) concise cat story shares the uncomplicated elegance and playful spirit of fellow Caldecott Medalist Kevin Henkes's Kitten's First Full Moon. Here, gray, brown and marmalade kittens dread the coming of winter, but a yellow tabby holds an opposing view. The first kitten shivers, " `We'll be cold!' `Freezing cold!' said the second kitten. `Cold to the tips of our tails!' said the third kitten. The fourth kitten said, `I can't wait.' " With the arrival of spring, summer and fall, the three kittens express anxiety, while their optimistic littermate repeats, "I can't wait." Along with the dialogue, Rohmann winks at cat lovers with his observations of feline behavior. His inviting linocut illustrations make use of supple black outlines, grainy earth-tone hues and coal-black page borders. Knowing readers will smile at the kittens' lazy pastimes, like tapping at a leaf on the garden pond, grasping at a bug or ducking under a throw rug so that only a telltale rounded bump and swishy tail can be seen. When the dreaded snowflakes finally arrive, a wordless spread of the three curious naysayers watching their friend through a window-and a concluding image of all four tumbling in a snowdrift-confirm what wise readers suspected all along: there's good reason to look forward to the changing seasons. While this title has broad appeal, it is an especially apt choice for children who approach the unknown with fear rather than pleasure. Ages 3-6. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
Four kittens await winter, never before having seen snow. Three of them have trepidations ("the snow will fall and fall and we'll be cold!"), and one's excited ("I can't wait!"). Rohmann's unfussy relief and monotype print illustrations display the passing seasons, while the repetitive text builds anxious anticipation that's ultimately resolved by the kitties' wonder and delight. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Rohmann, whose picture-book awards include both the Caldecott Medal and a Caldecott Honor, offers another marvel of sly simplicity for the very young. The short text begins in spring, when four kittens spot a postcard with a wintry scene. Three chime in with worries about the season: The snow will fall and fall and we'll be cold! says the first kitten. Freezing cold! says the second. Cold to the tips of our tails! says the third. Only the fourth kitten, a gold-colored tabby, is excited: I can't wait. Through summer and fall, the three fearful ones fret, while the gold kitten eagerly anticipates winter. Finally, snow arrives, and predictably, the kittens huddle and hide all except the brave gold tabby, whose joyful outdoor play finally persuades his friends to join him. Comparisons to Kevin Henkes' Caldecott Medal Book Kitten's First Full Moon (2004) are inevitable, from the curious-kitten theme, and the artwork's bold, black outlines, to the spare words read with a similarly poetic sense of elemental sounds. But Rohmann adds an appealing spaciousness to his story, with a plot that stretches through (and introduces) the seasons. His uncluttered, inventive scenes masterfully echo the repetitive rhythm in the words: three small heads and three small tails, lined up in perfect synchrony, illustrate the kittens' threefold complaints about winter. Whether they see themselves in the fearful trio or the fearless one, children will embrace this reassuring, beautifully composed piece.--Engberg, Gillian Copyright 2007 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Four lively kittens come upon cards in the mailbox with winter scenes on them. Three of the felines are worried about the snow and lament that they will be freezing and wet when it comes. But the fourth one "can't wait." Talking about the idea of snow as they frolic in the summer and climb trees in the fall, three of the kittens fret that piles of it will cover them. Once again, the fearless fourth kitten says, "I can't wait." When snow finally arrives, he heads out to romp about, observed by the others, who shortly follow: "We'll be right out!" Beautifully illustrated, with Rohmann's signature strong black lines framing the action and outlining the characters, the leaves, and the windowpanes, this playful look at living life to the fullest is a natural for young children. The appealing cover illustration of the frolicking felines will draw them in, and the simple but engaging plot will keep them interested. The pared-down text makes this an accessible title for beginning readers as well.-Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Once there were four kittens who had never seen snow. The first kitten says, "Snow scares me!" The second kitten says, "Freezing cold!" The third kitten says, "Cold to the tips of our tails!" But the fourth kitten says, "I can't wait!" All through summer and autumn, the three kittens worry and the fourth one can't wait. Then one winter morning they awaken to snow. As the fourth kitten laughs, jumps and rolls in it, the other three look at each other and say, "We'll be right out!" Grinning and licking snowflakes, the fourth kitten replies, "I can't wait." The spare text is charmingly illustrated with simple black-lined kittens, minimally delineated scenes and white bordered spreads that frame the colorful felines. Not naming the kittens is a clever and shrewd stroke, enabling the artwork to imbue each cat with personality by its color, feline antics and expressions. Preschoolers will, no doubt, choose their own names for them. A winner for a winter storytime, this is as amusing as watching real kittens romp. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
