Kittens! Kittens! Kittens! (I Can Read Level 1: Pinkalicious)

Gr 1-4--Pinkalicious and her family are fostering a cat named Tiger while the animal shelter is under construction. After Pinkalicious and her brother Peter notice that Tiger is moving rather slowly, they think she is tired and put her to bed. Imagine their surprise when, come morning, Tiger is surrounded by six "pinkadorable" kittens! Having the kittens is a lot of fun, but Pinkalicious's parents say she should not get too attached, because they will be going back to the shelter soon. Each week, the kittens get more active--and more mischievous. They make quite a mess in the house, but Peter and Pinkalicious hope that if they show they are responsible enough to clean up after the kittens, they may be able to keep one. Their plan works: Mommy and Daddy decide to adopt one of the kittens. When it comes time for the shelter to reopen, Pinkalicious discovers other families also want to give each kitten a loving home. This transitional reader is a great addition to the Pinkalicious "I Can Read" series: the short sentences are helpful for beginner readers, while still challenging them with new decodable words that may not yet be in their vocabulary. VERDICT A great book for adults to help children read for the first time, and one that will certainly be a welcome addition on any early reader shelf.--Ellen Kleber