Eugenie Fernandes

Simple text is paired with mixed media illustrations in this seasonal picture book from Canadian author/illustrator Eugenie Fernandes. Kitten observes the autumnal world around her, as various woodland creatures snack and chew, sip and munch. Eventually she returns home, where she too has a meal...

One of four books exploring a little feline's experiences of the four seasons, Kitten's Autumn is the first book I have read that is both written and illustrated by this creator, although I have show more previously read and enjoyed Katie Smith Milway's One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference, which Fernandes illustrated. I picked it up from an autumn display in the children's room at my local library, struck by the cover art. The rhyming text here is minimal—one four-word sentence per two-page spread, i.e., "Rabbit nibbles, Squirrel crunches"—but the artwork is maximal! Vibrantly colorful, it was created using "self-hardening clay, acrylic paint and mixed-media collage," and provides a sumptuous background, with lots of little details to hold the eye. I found this one very appealing, and will definitely be seeking out the other books about this kitten, as each season rolls around. Recommended for use with toddlers, or to anyone who enjoys this kind of illustration. show less

In soothing, poetic language, readers are invited on the first page to shadow Kitten’s explorations of an idyllic, rural setting. Each spread introduces a new animal, and in simple subject-verb combinations teaches the sound the animal makes (“Frog croaks,” “Sheep baaaaaaas”). In addition, each animal is paired with the name for its offspring. In a second set of two-word pairs, the baby animals perform an action, in rhyme with the previous page (“Chick scratches,” “Duckling show more hatches”). Parent and child readers will cozy up to the adult/baby animal pairings. Enhancing the age-appropriate narrative, the multi-layered illustrations offer a cornucopia of rich conversation. Play a game of looking for Kitten on each page. Count the other animals and insects, or talk about their colors. Keen eyes will also notice that the images gently span morning until night. Bucking the trend to print picture books in board book form, this brand-new title is what a board book should be: Simple text with illustrations to extend exploration as long as a child is interested. show less

loved the illustrations which are made from “self-hardening clay,
acrylic paint and mixed-media collage.” They are vibrant in their natural
colors and intricate in their scenes. Children will be able to spend time
on each vignette to learn about how animals live during the winter,
whether above or below the snow.
It’s fun to try and find Kitten on each page, sometimes she’s out and
about and other times you have to search for her. This could easily be
made into a game during story time, show more “who finds Kitten first.”
The simple rhymes with each scene will also help young children identify
the creatures and what they are doing. show less

These pictures are cool. There are probably fancier art terms to use, but I feel I've worn out fascinating, so...

The text is very simple - just rhyming quartets of all the different animals eating in the woodland, "Hummingbird sips/Caterpillar munches/Rabbit nibbles/Squirrel crunches." Very suitable for a toddler audience.

But the pictures are just soooo cool! It's mixed media, specifically "self-hardening clay, acrylic paint and mixed-media collage." It all blends together to create a rich show more and colorful landscape of autumn.

The different animals are exquisitely textured in clay, with various natural objects - leaves, acorns, bark, etc. scattered about the scenes. The paint blends it all together into a gorgeous scenic stroll through the autumn landscape.

Toddlers will enjoy the rich colors and intricate art. They'll especially enjoy playing hide-and-seek with the kitten, finding her hidden in each page. Perfect for an autumn storytime or browsing through with your little one.

Verdict: Highly recommended for your library's picturebook collection! You should also get the earlier volume, Kitten's Spring if you don't have it already. I look forward to finding more books by this ingenious artist.

ISBN: 978-1554533411; Published August 2010 by Kids Can Press; Review copy provided by publisher through Raab Associates show less