Cute, fuzzy little house kitties and big, fearsome cats of the wild – what do they have in common? In this book, the young reader will learn all about cats of the jungle, savannah and even the desert while also discovering what these big cats share with their distant cousin, the house cat.
Big Cat, Little Kitty is a cleverly arranged book that alternates between a two-page spread of a wild cat followed by a two-page spread of a similarly marked house cat. Each big cat is seen in its natural habitat and is asked by another animal “who are you?” and “whose lake/jungle/savannah/etc. is this?” On one page we see a beautiful snow leopard prowling in the snow.
“Who are you?” asks a hare. “And whose mountain is this?”
The big cat leaps onto a frosty ledge. She hisses and yowls. “I am Snow Leopard, and this is MY mountain.”
Hare is lucky. He scoots into his burrow just in time.
Upon turning the page, the reader is greeted by Snowflake, a lovely pure white cat who is asked by a cardinal “and whose park is this.” Snowflake has the same response as the snow leopard, “I am Snowflake, and this is MY park!”
In addition to teaching the similarities and differences between the ferocious cats of the wild and house cats, the author also injects a lesson on the days of the week as each two-cat comparison happens on progressive days of the week. The illustrations in this book deserve special mention as they are absolutely stunning and add a tremendous amount to an already impressive book. At the end of the book are several pages of fun facts which include a world map noting where wild cats live, a true/false questionnaire, and how cats have adapted to their surroundings. There are additional resources provided on the publisher’s website.
Quill says: Big Cat, Little Kitty is an excellent book to teach youngsters about wild cats and their domesticated cousins.
