I See Kitty

by Yasmine Surovec, Yasmine Surovec (Illustrator)

Overview

Love that Kitty! The most adorable picture book of the year invites the very youngest cat lovers to find Kitty in the world around them.

Chloe loves kitties. She wants a cat so much that she sees Kitty everywhere she goes: at the bus stop, in her backyard, in the starry night sky, even in her dreams. From debut children's book illustrator Yasmine Surovec comes a story so adorable that if you don't already love cats you will by the time you're done reading it. In the tradition of iconic preschool books like Where's Spot?, I See Kitty uses bright, bold artwork to appeal to very young readers and charm them for generations to come.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781626720930
Publisher:	Roaring Brook Press
Publication date:	01/06/2015
Pages:	34
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 5.50(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Yasmine Surovec loves kitties. She is the artist behind the popular comic blog and book Cat vs. Human. Originally from Manila, Philippines, she now divides her time between California and Arizona with her husband and their puppy and three kitties.

Editorial Reviews

“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." . . . This bit of wish-fulfillment is, frankly, as irresistible as a kitty's belly.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Beginning with colorful end pages of sweet kittens in all kinds of energetic poses, author-illustrator Surovec has created a celebration of kitty love.” —Booklist

“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.” —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

07/01/2015
Baby/Toddler—Little Chloe is kitten obsessed. She loves everything about them and, after a visit to a pet adoption facility, sees them everywhere she looks—including in the stars and in her dreams. One day, she hears something outside her bedroom door and finds her heart's desire waiting for her on the other side. The bright cartoon artwork is engaging, and the story is sweetly satisfying.

School Library Journal

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. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Chloe’s love of kitties has her wanting one and also allows her to see them everywhere she goes. She sees real kitties in a pet store and imaginary kittens in the clouds, in the hairdo of a lady, and in the water droppings created by the lawn sprinkler. Cotton candy, a hedge, bath bubbles, and the starry night sky also hold visions of kitties for her. Many kitty decorations show up in her bedroom and she even dreams of kitties. A satisfying conclusion shows her mom giving her a kitty and telling her she can keep it. This book has great appeal for any child who has ever wanted a pet. They will readily relate to Chloe’s situation. Few words, yet just the right amount, are scattered on each page and the lovely illustrations help stretch a reader’s imagination. Preschoolers and children in early elementary grades will enjoy hearing this book over and over again. It may even work as a springboard for groups or a class to write their own tales of wanting pets. The end papers of the book are covered a plethora of kitties who frolic by chasing a butterfly, playing with yarn, hiding in a box, and sleeping when tuckered out. The illustrations alone call for more than one read through of this delightful story. Reviewer: Nancy Garhan Attebury; Ages 3 to 7.

Children's Literature - Nancy Garhan Attebury

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)

Kirkus Reviews