Ollie's Lost Kitten

This tale begins when Ollie and her cat Pumpkin, go out to play amongst the swirling autumn leaves. To their surprise, a shivering kitten is discovered and is soon included in their playtime exploring. When Pumpkin stops for a well-earned rest, Ollie and the kitten continue further into the woods and find posters everywhere indicating that the kitten is lost and being looked for by its owner. Once the kitten is safely returned, it is Ollie's turn to be lost, and where is Pumpkin? Fortunately, Ollie and Pumpkin are eventually reunited and return home safely.

This is a beautiful autumnal story brought to life by the illustrations. These are mainly monochrome, with vivid splashes of orange and gold, highlighting particular features. Leaves appear on every page and some of them shine with an eye-catching coppery glint, conjuring up the colours of the season extremely effectively. They contrast strikingly with the greyness of the bare trees and the darkness of the night sky.

Cut-out windows encourage curiosity about what is on the next page and will certainly fascinate young readers. The story also gives an opportunity for counting, in a game of hide and seek, and for sound effects, such as rustling and meowing. There are plenty of smaller details to look for in the pictures too, like a tiny mouse, silvery cobwebs, an owl and some bats.

All's well that ends well, and every character finally ends up where they should be. The grateful kitten owner leaves a special thank you gift for Ollie in a spooky twist.

Picture book / Ages 3+ / Reviewed by Judith Greenall, librarian

Suggested Reading Age 3+