I See Kitty

July 15, 2013
Sanrio’s minimalist cuteness might be an influence for this story of a kitten-obsessed girl from comics creator Surovec (Cat Versus Human). Chloe, a petite preschooler in a polka-dot dress, eyes a “Pet Adoptions” sign and beams with joy at the sight of an orange-and-white kitten. Her mother says, “Not today,” but her coy smile does not rule out the possibility of a future pet. “Now Chloe sees Kitty everywhere she goes,” writes Surovec as Chloe points out cat shapes in a cloud, the auburn bouffant of a woman waiting for the bus, a tower of pink cotton candy, and her bubble bath. Her bedroom decorations project the same theme, and “At night, Chloe climbs into her bed... and sees Kitty in her dreams.” In her first book for children, Surovec takes visual cues from manga for young readers, and her simple hide-and-seek spreads recall Steven Savage’s Where’s Walrus? Chloe gets her wish in a sweet conclusion that could have readers seeing Kitty themselves. Ages 3–6. Agent: Monika Verma, Levine Greenberg Literary Agency.

A little girl asks for a kitten but is told, "Not today, Chloe." Readers then discover what Chloe loves about kitties and how much she wants one, a wish that leads the single-minded toddler to see cats everywhere for the rest of the day. Chloe herself seems inspired by the Hello Kitty aesthetic, with her black-dot eyes, red-line mouth and polka-dot hair bow. The cartoon drawings--just black outlines filled with matte colors--of supple, chubby felines capture the cats' adorable qualities as they purr, exhibit their fluffy bellies and pink paws, and sniff with their "dainty little noses." The text is simple but descriptive, just one or two lines per page, and appears in nice big type, inviting preschoolers to try reading for themselves. The sequence of imaginative kitty-sightings will hold appeal for both children and adults, not because the cats are difficult to spot but because the situations are comical: Chloe sees kitty in a beehive hairdo, a delicious mound of cotton candy and a cloud (a quirky homage to Michelangelo's Creation of Adam). Naturally, when Chloe goes to sleep, she visits Kitty City. There is no tension and drama here, for in this feel-good episode, Chloe wakes to find the pet of her dreams outside her bedroom door. This bit of wish-fulfillment is, frankly, as irresistible as a kitty's belly. (Picture book. 2-5) COPYRIGHT(1) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2013

PreS-Chloe, dressed in red and white polka dots and an ever-present hair bow, loves everything about cats: their sweet purrs, little noses, and fluffy fur. She asks for a kitten and, though her mother's response is a gentle "Not today, Chloe," the child is not discouraged. Watching kittens play in a pet store window, she silently chooses her favorite and begins to see Kitty everywhere-hidden in the clouds, in sculpted shrubbery, in the bubbles in her bath. Large color illustrations in simple, rounded shapes outlined in black invite children in and present seek-and-find entertainment, while the short text with speech bubbles is the perfect length for the very young. Colorful endpapers filled with myriad small vignettes of kittens at play or rest are a fitting introduction and conclusion to the happy story. That the child receives the same kitten that greeted her at the pet store makes for a satisfying tale.-Maryann H. Owen, Children's Literature Specialist, Mt. Pleasant, WI

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2013
Preschool-K Beginning with colorful end pages of sweet kittens in all kinds of energetic poses, author-illustrator Surovec has created a celebration of kitty love. Her heroine, Chloe, a child in need of a cat, has a singular focus, seeing kittens everywhere. The simple, cartoonlike illustrations, with minimal background, center the reader's attention on kitties frolicking, sniffing, and shaking. Their adorable purring, soft and fluffy bellies, and dainty noses are sweetly described in the text. By this time, readers, like enamored Chloe, will be ready for Surovec's more imaginative images, with kittens in a cloud, puddle, and, more uniquely, a hairstyle. The soft palette complements the curvilinear emphasis in the drawings and the text's simple language. Dressed in polka dots with a hair bow, Chloe is as appealing as her fixation and well deserves the reward she receives. Pair with Kitten's First Full Moon (2004) for purr-fection.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)