Hondo & Fabian written and illustrated by Peter McCarty. Henry Holt & Company, 2002. ISBN 0-8050-6352-8
Reader's Annotation: Hondo and Fabian, each doing what dogs and cats do best, spend their time very differently. Yet, the two friends have a great deal in common after all.
Summary: The day begins with Hondo the dog and Fabian the cat sleeping in their favorite places. From this starting point, Hondo's day includes an expedition to the beach to play in the waves with his dog pal, Fred, while Fabian settles in for some quieter time at home with the baby. They enjoy themselves, but are happy to reunite at home again for dinner, and then settle in for another contented night of restful sleep close to each other.
Critical Evaluation: This soothing tale of friendship story is told from the alternating perspectives of Hondo and Fabian on each two-page spread, and both the text and illustrations are spare enough to allow the focus to remain on the two animals as they experience the world around them. McCarty's pencil on watercolor paper illustrations capture the joy and playfulness expressed by this animal pair, as well as the affection between them.
The artwork is finely textured, muted in color and shading, and practically glows with soft light. Hondo and Fabian look so soft, and their surroundings are depicted in such a cozy manner, that children and parents will long to step into the story and inhabit McCarty's inviting world for a while.
McCarty excels in offering contrasts between the pair's activities, while simultaneously highlighting similarities. For example, Hondo gets hungry at the beach and eyes the fisherman's catch. At the same time, Fabian gets hungry and wishes he could eat the turkey sandwich on the counter at home. Children will enjoy noticing these patterns within the story as they follow the animal pair through the course of a day.
McCarty's soothing text and softly textured illustrations combine to create the perfect bedtime story for the very young. The bond of friendship and love between these two animals is beautifully depicted and elegantly told.
Age or Interest Level: Ages 1 to 4
Lexile Level: 180L
Awards: 2002 New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year and Notable Children's Book of the Year, and a 2003 Caldecott Honor Book.
Why Included? I would like to live in Hondo and Fabian's world.
Splat the Cat: a Whale of a Tale based on the bestselling books by Rob Scotton, text by Amy Hsu Lin, illustrations by Robert Eberz. Harper, 2013. ISBN 978-0-06-209024-9
Reader's Annotation: Splat and his family are spending the day at the beach, and Splat wants to find a shell to share with his Grandpa. When all Splat can find are broken shells, can he use his ingenuity and the help of a new-found friend to find that perfect shell?
Summary: Splat the cat can't wait to look for shells when he and his family arrive at the beach, but first he must help his family get settles, and then it is time for lunch. Splat demonstrates tremendous patience through all of the delays, and then rushes off to find a shell that sounds like the sea to share with his Grandpa back at home.
At first, Splat can only find broken shells, and then he realizes that the shells are broken because they are being dropped from the sky by a seagull. Splat chases after the gull in an attempt to catch a shell before it hits the sand, but in his racing back and forth, he forgets to look where he's going, and falls right off the end of a dock.
A friendly whale surfaces and raises Splat out of the water, and Splat has an idea: could the whale help him find a shell?
Critical Evaluation: For children beginning to read independently, the I Can Read collection of books is well-known for providing interesting titles at a variety of clearly defined reading levels. Children familiar with Scotton's Splat the Cat picture books will be happy to discover that they can now read about Splat on their own.
This title is classified as Level 1, Beginning Reading, and has short sentences, plenty of sight words, and a small amount of text on each page. The text is printed in a large typeface and is laid out to include extra space between each line, in order to make it easier to read. Many words are repeated throughout, and there are several phonograms such as -ell and -ail that are used frequently, which also aid beginners in sounding out and recognizing new words.
The illustrations are full of action, and the expressions on the faces of the characters speak volumes. With plenty of humor, and a nicely paced plot, this story will hold the attention of young readers.
Age or Interest Level: Ages 4 to 6
Lexile Level: 380L
Awards: ---
Why Included? Splat is a lovable character that children will root for. His enthusiasm is contagious, and his adventures irresistible. This is a great series for emergent readers.
Binky the Space Cat written and illustrated by Ashley Spires. Kids Can Press, 2009. ISBN 978-1-55-453419-7
Reader's Annotation: For anyone who has ever wondered what their cat is really thinking, Binky provides a window into the feline mind.
Summary: Binky is a space cat. Except that he is not. He is a house cat who has never gone outside, but is convinced that everything out there is Outer Space, and that he and his human family are living in a space station. His mission is to protect them from aliens, which we humans would recognize as bugs.
One day, while rooting around in the bottom of his cat food bag, he discovers an invitation to join F.U.R.S.T (Felines of the Universe Ready for Space Travel) and become a Certified Space Cat.
Binky begins extensive training to better protect his family from the alien threat, while simultaneously preparing for his dream mission of blasting off into uncharted space territory by constructing a spaceship. The spaceship will hold Binky and his stuffed mouse friend, Ted.
As liftoff nears, Binky begins to worry that his human family will be left defenseless if he and Ted blast off into the stars. What will this Certified Space Cat decide to do?
This title is the first in a five volume series, with each detailing the further amazingly silly adventures of this imaginative kitty.
Critical Evaluation: With a manageable number of panels per page, as well as an easily read typeface and font size, Binky provides an introduction to the world of comics for children making the shift from beginning readers to chapter books.
Instead of balloons of text, the narrative is overwhelmingly depicted in rectangular boxes at the top or bottom of each panel. This, along with the uncluttered style, allows young readers to more easily follow the story line as it progresses from one illustration to the next.
The illustrations are mainly colored with black, white, gray and tan, with the occasional splash of red, pink, yellow, and orange. While this may sound dull, the subtle palette actually allows Binky and his fellow animal friends to stand out from their surroundings.
Spires' narrative style is full of dry humor and absurd situations that many children will appreciate. The author has also included a running stream of sound effects that, as they are vocalized by the reader, will add an additional dimension to Binky's world.
For reluctant readers, animal lovers, or children who enjoy general wackiness, Binky is a sure-fire hit.
Age or Interest Level: Ages 5 to 8
Lexile Level: 740L
Awards: Silver Birch Express, Ontario Library Association; 2010 Best Books for Kids & Teens, Starred Selection, Canadian Children's Book Centre; 2010 Hackmatack Award; 2010 Comics for Kids Award, Joe Shuster Awards, Short-listed
Why Included? This book is worth reading if only because of Binky's appearance. His black and white patterning, facial expressions, and ears that constantly reposition themselves to reflect his inner mood are a hoot!