Kevin Henkes’s acclaimed national bestseller about a kitten, the moon, and a bowl of milk was awarded the Caldecott Medal and was a New York Times Best Illustrated Book.
KITTEN’S FIRST FULL MOON
by Kevin Henkes
Greenwillow, September 2015
KITTEN’S FIRST FULL MOON is an acclaimed modern classic, from one of the most celebrated and beloved picture book creators working in the field today. This memorable character and her suspenseful adventure are just right for the very youngest child. It is Kitten’s first full moon, and when she sees it she thinks it is a bowl of milk in the sky. And she wants it. Does she get it? Well, no . . . and yes. What a night!
A concise story, large type, and luminescent pictures play second fiddle to the true star of this book: a brave young kitten who sets out into the world on a quest that leaves her bruised, bewildered, and hungry, but that ultimately leads her back home, where something special is waiting just for her. This perfectly sized board book edition introduces Kitten to a new generation of the youngest readers.
Indefatigable Kitten is a role model for all ages—taking chances, picking herself up when she fails, trying out new strategies to get what she wants, and figuring out when enough is enough.
Winner of the Caldecott Medal, an ALA Notable Book, a New York Times Best Illustrated Book, and winner of the Charlotte Zolotow Award.
Kevin Henkes has been praised both as a writer and as an illustrator and is the recipient of the Children’s Literature Legacy Award for his lasting contribution to literature for children. He received the Caldecott Medal for KITTEN’S FIRST FULL MOON; Caldecott Honors for Waiting and Owen; two Newbery Honors, one for Olive’s Ocean and one for The Year of Billy Miller;and Geisel Honors for Waiting and Penny and Her Marble. His other books include The World and Everything in It; A House; A Parade of Elephants; Chrysanthemum; and the beloved Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. Kevin Henkes lives with his family in Madison, Wisconsin.


It’s Christmas and the Miller family is celebrating their first holiday with the new baby. Uncle Jake is visiting which makes Billy very happy. But Sal? Not so much. In fact, nothing about this holiday is making Sal happy. The baby is a noisy nuisance and is hogging all of Mama’s attention. Plus, the baby doesn’t even have a name yet. And to make matters worse, Sal has lost her favorite pair of brand new underpants one of the very special set of seven Santa gave her for Christmas! Will Sal find her present? Will the Millers find a name for the baby? Will Billy always be an obnoxious big brother? Will Uncle Jake constantly put his foot in his mouth? The holiday season is full of surprises and warmth, kindness, family, celebration, and love in the hands of award winning house author Kevin Henkes . Oh, Sal is an excellent choice for younger middle grade readers, as well as a terrific family and classroom read aloud. Illustrated throughout with black and white art by the author.
When a young girl visits her grandparents at the beach, she stays in a little house and walks along the shore gathering seashell s which were once little houses of their own. As she wanders the beach, she wonders about the creatures who used to live in each shell, about the hidden treasures of the sea, and about what it would be like to know the answers to everything. Kevin Henkes’s text features striking imagery, depth of meaning, and a lovely multigenerational relationship. He deftly captures the feeling of wonder and imagination that is fostered by a trip to the shore.