Two wildcat kittens follow their mother through a Scottish forest, learning to hunt for fish and mice. Their home den collapses, and the wildcat family must search for a new hole. The kitten siblings are getting into mischief, and squabbling and fighting the whole way. After escaping from a hungry kite and a grumpy pine marten, they finally find the perfect home and the kittens learn to work as a team instead of fighting all the time.
This cute picture book has lovely illustrations of beautiful Scottish countryside, as the wildcats travel through forests, across a flowing burn, into a meadow of grass, and find an old castle ruin. The illustrations use soft colors with sunshine on every page! I loved the art style and the way the illustrations added depth to the story by adding details and expression.
I loved the sweet kitten siblings as they tease each other and fight over who is the best hunter. As they navigate the wild and learn to avoid danger, they begin to support one another and look out for each other. Working as a team, they finally are able to secure a safe new home with their mother. The story has lovely character development for the two kittens.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone. #bookstagram #books #childrensbooks #picturebook
Prince Zal is left for dead when he is a baby, and the magnificient Phoenix raises him with her own little chicks in her nest atop the mountain. She teaches him art, science, poetry, music, and history as well as how to survive in the wild. He grows up to find his true parents in the end.
I liked this traditional story from Iran with its message about the sanctity of all human life. The story is told with strong writing and vivid words.
I liked the art style of the illustrations with bold strokes and bright colors, but I didn't like the faces of the characters. Their eyes are distorted, and their mouths are crooked, giving them a creepy look! The rest of the artwork is lovely, but all the people have weird faces.
This picture book comes with a QR code that links to an audio narrative of the book along with background music and sound effects. Listening to the audio narrative with the cultural music makes the reading experience truly special. (To use the QR code, simply point your phone's camera at the code on the first page, and a link to the audio will pop up. No special app is needed.) This story is taken from a traditional story in an ancient Iranian epic poem. At the end of the book, there is an explanation of the different Iranian instruments used in the music recording, showing how each instrument represents a different character.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone. #bookstagram #books #picturebook #childrensbooks
