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    April's Kittens
    April's Kittens
    April's Kittens
    Audiobook25 minutes

    April's Kittens

    Written by Clare Turlay Newberry

    Narrated by Barbara Caruso

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Six-year-old April is very sad. She dearly loves her silky black cat, Sheba, and its three newborn kittens. But April and her parents live in a small New York apartment where there is room for only one cat. Which one should she choose? Listeners of all ages will be delighted by the gentle solution to April's problem. A wonderful antidote to the sharp edges of everyday life, Clare Turlay Newberry's award-winning book is filled with tenderness, longing and joy. Narrator Barbara Caruso's warm tones convey all the spirit and love of this unforgettable tale. First published more than fifty years ago, April's Kittens has become a classic that has warmed the hearts of children and their parents for several generations. Through this unabridged audio production, it can be savored again and again, especially as a treasured bedtime story.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateMar 22, 2013
    ISBN9781470356583
    April's Kittens

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    Reviews for April's Kittens

    3.5/5

    30 ratings4 reviews

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    • 5/5
      This is a great tale of the love of a little girl for her cat and kittens.
    • 3/5
      This is a lovely 1941 Caldecott Honor Book that stands the test of time. Living in a tiny apartment, April's father repeatedly tells her they are one cat household. When her cat Sheba has three kittens, April loves their tiny pink noses and the soft fur. Mesmerized, she spends an inordinate amount of time watching over the kittens. Her love of the kittens is balanced with the sadness she feels at her father's comments and his strict adherence to only one cat allowed.Initially, April must choose between keeping her favorite kitten, or Sheba.While literally some may think this is fluffy, the way in which the author writes elicits emotions for any animal lover!
    • 3/5
      Clare Turlay Newberry, a four-time Caldecott honoree - in addition to April's Kittens, her other titles to be so distinguished include Barkis, Marshmallow and T Bone, The Baby Sitter - here presents the charming story of a little girl named April, her cat Sheba, and Sheba's three adorable kittens. Although she comes to be very attached to the kittens - named Charcoal, Butch and Brenda by her father - April knows that she cannot keep them, reluctantly accepting this fact when good homes are found for Charcoal and Butch. But given the choice between Sheba and Brenda, the little girl becomes truly distraught, having come to truly love little Brenda, but being heartbroken at the idea of giving up Sheba. Fortunately, a solution is found when April's parents discover that she has outgrown her crib, and a larger bed simply won't fit in their tiny New York City apartment.Published in 1940, and chosen as the sole Caldecott Honor Book in 1941, the year that Robert Lawson's They Were Strong and Good won the medal itself, this sweet little story will capture young cat-lovers' hearts. The joy of having young kittens in the house is ably depicted in Newberry's story, as is the anguish of having to find new homes for some of them. Although I agree that some of the elements here felt a little dated - the fact that Sheba can come and go (in order to get pregnant!) in New York City, and that she isn't spayed - I did appreciate the fact that April and her family are responsible, finding good and loving homes for Butch and Charcoal, and (potentially) for Brenda as well. The ending, in which April gets a partial reprieve, is very satisfactory indeed. As for the artwork, done in pencil I believe, it is just lovely, capturing the charm of our feline friends and the joy they bring to our lives. Although I wouldn't describe it as a personal favorite amongst the many cat-centric picture-books I have read, April's Kittens is a sweetly engaging book, one I would recommend to young cat lovers, as well as to fans of Newberry's artwork.
    • 3/5
      Summary:April lives in a small apartment in New York with her mother, father, and cat Sheba. Her father considers the apartment a one cat apartment, so when Sheba had kittens the family would have to give them away. Days went by and the kittens were getting bigger than two were given to friends of the mother. April loved one of the kittens just as much as Sheba and didn’t know which to keep.Personal Reaction: I really liked this book it shows how a child could have a relationship with a pet. It also reminds me of how I was attached to my dog. The entire book had pictures that look drawn out and were airbrushed to fill in the outline. All the pictures were either in black, white or like a pink-red color. Classroom Extension Ideas: 1.)Could tell the children to describe a time when they had to make a hard decision just like April did2.)Have them draw or bring a picture of something they really love whether it’s a pet or a stuffed animal