Nicola Killen

While this author's book, The Little Reindeer, warmed my heart, this new one has made me an absolute fan of her work.

Ollie goes outside to play with her friendly cat, but as she stares at a pile of leaves, she sees it move. A burst of wind exposes a hidden bundle of fur...and the adventure begins.

First off, I enjoy the illustrations in this book. They are mostly kept in black, white, and grays, leaving only certain objects to burst forth in glorious shades of orange. Add the metallic touches show more on the cover, and it gives the book a high quality, eye-catching, and yet, heart-filled atmosphere, which promises to charm...and does. The little 'windows' scattered through the book to reveal past and future pages, adds a cute aspect young listeners are sure to love as it wakes their curiosity and allows a type of continuous connection between the scenes.

The tale is sweet and hits upon so many emotions young listeners can easily identify with. Ollie is a sweet girl, with a pure love for her cat and those around her. And she enjoys to play like any other child. Her moments with the cats will have listeners sighing and remembering their own moments of petting one, and her journey into the forest awakens curiosity and a small sense of adventure. When things start to take a more serious turn, young listeners can anticipate what might happen next, which raises the tension nicely and definitely draws in.

The ending and journey bring several lovely messages. There are friendship, forgiveness, feeling lost and alone, hope, the joy of helping others, and the happiness of having someone to truly care for you. It sounds like a lot, but the author masterfully weaves all of this into a simple and lovely tale, which is sure to become a favorite especially during the autumn months.

Oh! And there's a humorous surprise, which is sure to bring wide eyes and remarks at the end...a perfect spot of unexpected magic and humor to seal off a simply wonderful read.

I received an ARC and found myself and my children happily lost in the pages. show less

Ollie, the sweet little girl who starred in British author/illustrator Nicola Killen's The Little Reindeer and The Little Rabbit, returns in this third entertaining adventure. Playing outside one windy fall day, Ollie and her cat Pumpkin encounter a lost kitten, whom they immediately befriend. After an enjoyable romp, Ollie realizes that the kitten belongs to someone, and is led by a seemingly magical path to the kitten's house deep in the woods. Becoming lost herself on the way home, Ollie show more is in turn rescued by Pumpkin, and receives a thank-you gift from the lost kitten's owner the next morning...

The second of Ollie's adventures I have read - after enjoying The Little Reindeer, I somehow missed The Little Rabbit - The Little Kitten was an absolute charmer! It's been on order at my library system for months, and finally came in a few weeks ago, explaining my reading this autumnal tale in January. Although Halloween isn't specifically mentioned, the setting, theme and conclusion of the story - the kitten belongs to a local witch - make this a suitable read for that holiday. For my part, I found the story appealing, and the artwork charming. I loved the use of shiny foil for some of the leaves, and the die-cuts in some of the pages. The reveal at the end was a very nice touch, given my love for all things witchy. Recommended to anyone who enjoyed other stories about Ollie and her adventures, as well as to all picture-book readers looking for sweet Halloween fare. show less

Awakened Christmas Eve night by the jingling of bells, a little girl named Ollie sets out on her sleigh to explore the wintry world around her, and to find the source of the noise. She discovers a silver collar with bells in the wood, and, returning it to its reindeer owner, is taken on a magical nighttime flight. Eventually Ollie and her new friend must part, however, as the reindeer has other business that night...

With subtle but charming artwork - grey and white tones predominate, show more although there are accents of pink and red that stand out - clever use of cut-outs on certain pages, and a gentle, appealing tale of a girl at Christmas, The Little Reindeer is a lovely new holiday picture-book. British author/artist Nicola Killen has apparently created a number of other titles, but this is the first I have seen of her work. I wasn't sure at first that the more muted color palette would work for me - somehow, it didn't feel "Christmasy" enough at first - but in the end I found this a very appealing holiday tale. Recommended to anyone looking for new Christmas picture-books, especially those featuring reindeer, and children on Christmas Eve. show less

Fall - and Halloween - seem like unreachable goals right now, but they'll be here before we know it! And while we don't know what traditions like trick-or-treating will look like this year, one thing is for sure - there will always be time for stories!

Ollie, an adorably plump little girl in a cat costume, heads outside to play with her cat Pumpkin. When they uncover a shivering little black kitten in a pile of leaves, they are delighted with their new friend and have lots of fun playing show more together. In fact, Ollie gets so excited about the kitten, she leaves Pumpkin behind! After she helps the kitten return to his mysterious home with a little magical help, she remembers Pumpkin - and realizes she, herself, is lost! Fortunately, Pumpkin comes to the rescue and, happily reunited, the next day Ollie finds a present from the little kitten.

Killen's art is all soft shades of gray, sprinkled with gold-tipped orange leaves and Ollie's rosy cheeks. There are hidden little secrets on each page, from die-cut windows to embossed gold lines on the orange pumpkins. Careful readers will see the little kitten reunited with his owner, zipping through the sky on a broomstick, through the window in the penultimate picture.

This gentle story will be acceptable to most families, even those who do not celebrate Halloween. The witch is only shown once, a tiny detail, and other than a little fear when Ollie is lost there are not scary elements to the story. Even the Jack o'lantern Ollie receives has a little kitten face on it. A sweet story for Halloween and a comforting tale about finding home.

Verdict: This would be a delightful addition to Halloween storytimes and collections; It's sure to be a favorite for families with little ones that want something Halloween-themed, but not too scary. And who can resist those adorable kittens, from Ollie to Pumpkin?

ISBN: 9781534466968; Published July 2020 by Paula Wiseman/Simon and Schuster; Review copy provided by the publisher; Donated to the library show less