FICTION

Kitten and the Night Watchman

by John SULLIVAN
illus. by Taeeun Yoo. 40p. S. & S./Paula Wiseman Bks. Sept. 2018. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781481461917.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 1—After saying good night to his family, a night watchman makes his rounds at a construction site, checking that all is well. As he sits down to enjoy a cup of coffee, a kitten appears and accompanies him on the rest of his nightly circuit as the site grows darker and more fanciful—"An excavator bows like a strange giraffe. A backhoe rises like a giant insect." When the kitten suddenly disappears, the watchman worries until the kitten returns. This time, rather than letting the kitten go, the watchman brings him home to his family. Yoo's distinctive block print illustrations and Sullivan's spare poetic prose render a mundane construction site magical, alive with nighttime sights and sounds, and make the watchman's emotions so heartfelt, readers will worry and rejoice along with him.
VERDICT Based on true events, an unusual story of friendship so deftly executed it should be welcome in most collections.
Reviewed by Yelena Voysey, formerly at Pickering Educational Library, Boston University , Aug 01, 2018

Be the first reader to comment.

Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

BLOGS

Magic City, a guest post by R. M. Romero
by Amanda MacGregor
BLOGS

Book Review: The Secret Library by Kekla Magoon
by Amanda MacGregor
BOOKS

The Storyteller
by Bonilla, Lindsay
BOOKS

Not a Smiley Guy
by Horvath, Polly
BOOKS

The Blue Pickup
by Tripplett, Natasha
BOOKS

Nana in the Country
by Castillo, Lauren
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?