"Three City Kitties: A Purr-fect E-ARC Review and Discussion Questions"

Three City Kitties by Ashley Barron

Publisher: Owl Kids

Genres: Children’s Fiction, Arts and Photography

Recommended ages: 5+

Netgalley shelf e-book novel page count: 34

Expected Publication date: September 17th, 2024

Thank You to Netgalley, author, and publisher for sending me a digital e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Date Started and Finished: June 17th, 2024 

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis:

The story revolves around Nori, Yeti, and Flo, three city cats who live in a busy apartment. The three mischievous kittens reveal their daily habits, from playing in boxes to monitoring people on the street from their apartment window. Ashley Barron, the author-illustrator, offers vibrant graphics that make for a delightful and entertaining read about her own three city cats and home.

Three City Kitties by Ashley Barron Book Cover

Review:

 The cover is cute and eye-catching. The text's rhymes and sounds are simple to follow and understand, and they add a pleasant tone to the reading experience. The artwork is realistic, charming, well-done, and sometimes appears three-dimensional. The author does a wonderful job discussing and demonstrating everyday cat activities. I enjoyed how the author based the novel on her three city cats. I see some nice learning opportunities and topics in this book, including crafts (draw or create your own city cat), cat behavior, and city life. My only concern was that I wished the book had been longer so that readers could see and bond more with the three cats, Nori, Yeti, and Flo. Ashley Barron's Three City Kitties is a quick, delightful read with colorful drawings and an easy-to-follow plot that children will appreciate.

Discussion Questions for Ashley Barron's Three City Kitties

1.      Was the book a “thumbs up” or a “thumbs down” for you?

2.      What do you think about the book’s cover?

3.      Was there a specific scene or illustration that you liked?

a.      Which part of the illustration caught your attention the most?

4.      What did you enjoy about this book?

5.       What did you dislike about the book?

6.      What are some names you would give to a city cat?

7.      The book depicts the cats hiding from the delivery person. What are some places in your home where cats could hide from the delivery person?

8.      Based on the reading, what are some of the cats’ favorite toys?

9.      After reading the book, what are some of the things you learned about the three city cats?

10.  After seeing the illustrations in the book, describe or draw what your city cat would look like.