Book Descriptions
for The Lost Kitten by Lee and Komako Sakai
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
When Hina and her mother take in a kitten they find outside their front door, Hina is initially a little reluctant—it’s not as clean and cute as a pet shop kitten. In a short time, however, she is caught up in thinking about names. “Maybe Bluey for its eyes. Or Twiggy because it was so skinny … Just thinking about the kitten made her happy.” While her mother is out buying cat food and her grandmother is napping, Hina realizes she can’t find the kitten. Is it frightened? Did it run outside when her mother left? Is it lost? Hina remembers how she felt once when she was lost in a store and couldn’t find her mother, and wonders whether the kitten feels the same way. A story at once understated and dramatic pairs muted illustrations that marvelously capture the physical posture and movements of a small child (and kitten) with a finely paced, emotionally charged text that takes place in a short timeframe and conveys the immediacy of a young child’s emotions and reasoning, and the powerful force of empathy. (Ages 3-6)
CCBC Choices 2018. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2018. Used with permission.
From the Publisher
When a tiny stray kitten turns up on the doorstep, Hina and her mother take the kitten in. Hina makes a home for it and learns all about caring for a living creature. Then one day the kitten goes missing.
This is the eagerly anticipated new picture book from Japan's leading illustrator Komako Sakai, whose atmospheric illustrations are filled with grace.
The Lost Kitten is a perfectly simple story about finding something to love then fearing it is lost, drawn with a light touch.
Publisher description retrieved from Google Books.