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. 'Cold to the tips of our tails!’ said the third kitten. The first kitten shivers, “ 'We’ll be cold!’ 'Freezing cold!’ said the second kitten. Here, gray, brown and marmalade kittens dread the coming of winter, but a yellow tabby holds an opposing view. Whether they see themselves in the fearful trio or the fearless one, children will embrace this reassuring, beautifully composed piece.) concise cat story shares the uncomplicated elegance and playful spirit of fellow Caldecott Medalist Kevin Henkes’s Kitten’s First Full Moon 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.
But Rohmann adds an appealing spaciousness to his story, with a plot that stretches through (and introduces) the seasons. 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. 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.
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. “Cold to the tips of our tails!” says the third.
Three chime in with worries about the season: “The snow will fall and fall and we’ll be cold!” says the first kitten. The short text begins in spring, when four kittens spot a postcard with a wintry scene. Rohmann, whose picture-book awards include both the Caldecott Medal and a Caldecott Honor, offers another marvel of sly simplicity for the very young.
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