Dear Stray

(Hardback)

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Description

A prickly kitten and the child who chooses it revel in being kindred spirits while they both learn how to live with their wild side. When a little girl adopts a tigerish stray kitten from the shelter, her family isn't sure about her choice. But she can see that she and the kitten have lots in common as they both have a tendency to lash out when they're uncomfortable. The little girl does her best to be patient and give her kitten plenty of space, treating it the way she likes to be treated. And in doing so, somehow they figure out just the right ways to help calm each other. A poignant text and evocative art make this story about two friends who share the heart of a tiger a standout.

Reviews

* Digitally assembled watercolor and ink illustrations from Gal movingly reinforce this prickly kinship via emphatic brushstrokes and dramatic hues. Between the child and Dear Stray, the relationship can prove a rocky one. While the child empathizes with the cat expressing its inner tiger, its reactions also seem to heartily reflect the childs own arms-length relationship with the world. A day spent together in the calm of the outdoors, followed by a few scary hours when the kitten goes missing, enables each to let down their guard and realize comfort and vulnerability. Publishers Weekly, starred review

A child writes letters to a new kitten. Dear stray, they begin; each letter reveals details about their developing relationship and the protagonists uphill path to emotional growth. . . . With mismatched socks, tangled hair, and a persistent scowl, the child is a mirror of the kitten, who has their hackles raised and claws out. . . . But as the kitten starts to settle in, the child, too, finds a way to calm the inner storm. . . . The child and kitten are still plenty spiky but also soothed by the joy of belonging to each other. Tender and earnest, this sweet story will speak to any reader who has ever felt like an angry kitten. Saturated watercolors and forceful brush strokes expressively capture the child and the kitten in motion. . . . A touching tale about two prickly pals who find a way to be soft together. Kirkus Reviews

Author Bio

Kirsten Hubbard (kirstenhubbard.com) also wrote the middle grade novels Watch the Sky, Race the Night, and the Secrets of Topsea series (as Kir Fox with M. Shelley Coats), and the young adult novels Wanderlove and Like Mandarin. An author, artist, and freelance writer, she lives in Los Angeles with her prickly little pup, Teddy Fox.