A Cat Named Swan

PreS-Gr 2—A stray kitten survives living on the streets until he is adopted. After he emerges from the cardboard box in which he was born to discover his mother and siblings gone, the little feline manages to find food and shelter even amid the "constant danger[s]" he encounters from harsh weather, menacing dogs, and bike-riding strangers. His feral days end, though, when an animal control officer rescues him from a tree and takes him to a shelter. Life there is much less frightening, and the kitten endures its boring routine until he is gleefully claimed by a loving family. They name him Swan, and through their constant care, he gradually learns that their house and yard are his as well and that "the people [are] his people and he [is] theirs." Hobbie's lovely watercolor illustrations are initially executed in a predominantly gray palette and alternate between large framed pictures and vignettes surrounded by plenty of white space. Cat's-eye views depict everyday objects such as bottles, garbage cans, and bicycle wheels looming over tiny Swan. The background then becomes bright blue as eager hands swoop up the astonished kitty and take him home. Brilliant yellow provides a backdrop for interior and outdoor family scenes that effectively convey the delightful change in Swan's fortunes. Whether looking out from the cover, huddling beneath a bench, cavorting with family members, or up close chasing a butterfly, Swan will endear himself to young readers.