'S No Day Like a Snow Day: A Kitten Tale by Eric Rohman

Once there were four kittens who had never seen snow."

Caldecott Award artist Eric Rohman's brand-new picture book, A Kitten Tale, begins with four curious kitty siblings, three striped and one gray, checking out a mailbox. The fourth kitten, obviously the most daring of the litter, climbs up and rakes postcards out of the mailbox. As they land on the ground, the kittens look at the snowy mountains pictured on the cards with wonder.

"Snow scares me," says the first.

"When winter comes the snow will fall and fall and we'll be cold." says the second.

"Cold to the tips of our tails," says the third.

"But the fourth kitten said, "I can't wait!"

As the seasons pass from spring through late autumn, apprehension snowballs in the minds of the three timid kittens. "Today it's warm and sunny, but someday snow will fall and fall and we will be cold and wet!" the first kitten predicts mournfully. "Soaking wet, down to our bones!" chimes in the second. The three kittens outdo each other in predicting dire scenarios--freezing piles and endless drifts of snow--as they curl up together in their warm living room.

One morning the kittens wake to a real snow. The three scaredy cats scoot beneath the chair and rug, with only their little tails in sight. But the fourth kitten is in his element, zipping out the cat door to experience the snow for himself. Joyfully he jumps and rolls in the snow, and it's everything he expected it to be--cold, covering everything, wet, and wonderful!

The three kittens line up on the sofa and peer out the window until their curiosity gets the better of their fear. At last they race outside to join the fourth kitten in a romp in the snow. Batting at the falling snow and catching flakes on their tongues, they all agree, "I can't wait!"

Rohman's story is a sweet parable of overcoming fear of the unknown which will find its mark with very young readers. But even the bravest among them will be entranced with his charming vignettes of the four kittens in all of their endearing poses, pictured in Rohman's easily recognized award-winning style.