Florence Minor (1949–2024)

"Who isn't smitten / with a kitten's sweet MEW / and all the cute things / that kittens will do?" So begins the rhyming text of this adorable picture book tribute to the baby felines in our lives, which pairs a simple narrative that highlights all the thing kittens do—eating, grooming, and of course playing!—with gorgeous pencil illustrations. The book closes with a section of Fun Facts about kittens, and how one should care for them...

Smitten With Kittens is the fifth and final picture show more book collaboration between author Florence Minor and illustrator Wendell Minor, who were also husband and wife. Sadly, Florence Minor died recently, so I doubt there will be no more such titles. I have read the other books created by this pair, and while they were engaging, this is undoubtedly my favorite. I sought it out after seeing the adorable cover illustration online, and being struck by the title—indeed, who isn't smitten with kittens?—and it did not disappoint. The artwork here is really very lovely, and captures all of the grace of the feline form in its youthful stage, and the charm of felines frisking about. The text reads well, but I think it is the artwork which really makes this one stand out. Recommended to young cat lovers, and to anyone who enjoys beautiful illustrations of cats. show less

Wendell and Florence Minor, who previously collaborated on If You Were a Penguin, return to the form in this poetic picture-book examination of various bear species. One or two two-page spreads are devoted to each kind of bear, with a rhyming description of their activities and/or appearance. An afterword gives more information about each bear mentioned in the main text.

Like its predecessor, If You Were a Panda Bear pairs a simple but engaging text with lovely, appealing artwork. Young bears show more lovers will be particularly delighted with this one. I did wonder, as I was reading, why the Minors used a specific kind of bear in their title here, when they intended to discuss all kinds of bears. They didn't do that in the previous book (If You Were a Penguin), and I think this is preferable, as it doesn't lead readers to pick up the book, thinking it is about panda bears specifically. Despite that quibble, I enjoyed the book, and think it would work quite well as an introduction to bears for very young children. I don't know that the artwork was quite as humorous as in the penguin title, but it was still quite beautiful. Recommended to young bear and animal lovers. show less

Wendell and Florence Minor team up in this poetic picture-book about penguins, describing and depicting the various things that these swimming birds can do. "If you were a penguin, / what could you do? / You could fly underwater / or sing a duet. / You could live on the land but / get really wet." So begins the text, which goes on to describe other distinctive activities penguins engage in. A list of penguin facts is provided at the rear of the book, as well as a page delineating the ten show more different kinds of penguin shown in the artwork...

The third picture-book I have read from this wonderful husband-and-wife team, following upon their Christmas Tree! and How To Be a Bigger Bunny, If You Were a Penguin pairs an engaging and informative rhyming text with beautiful illustrations. Although I always enjoy Wendell Minor's artwork, the visuals here really stood out to me, and elevated the book from a three to a four-star title. They were absolutely gorgeous, and incredibly expressive, capturing the charm of his avian subjects perfectly. Although there are plenty of facts here, especially in the final page, this is a very basic book, and could work very well as an introduction to the topic of penguins, for younger children. It is to such young readers/listeners that I would recommend the book. show less

Tickles the bunny was the smallest in her family, and was always being left behind when her siblings went out to play. A quiet book-lover, she occupied her time reading her favorite volume of adventure stories, How to Be a Bigger Bunny. Then one day, when her siblings don't come back from their play, and Tickles went to investigate, she discovered that the stories she was always reading had a practical application. Rescuing her family from the log in which they were trapped, she put the show more lessons learnt in "How To Think Your Way Out of Tricky Places" to good use...

Featuring an endearing leporine heroine, an engaging tale of how she found the right place in her family, and adorable artwork, How To Be a Bigger Bunny is a little picture-book with charm. I appreciated Tickles' determination to never give up, and enjoyed the happy ending, in which her family finally gains a better understanding of her. I also liked that it was reading stories that saved the day, as this reinforces the importance of this activity in a young child's life. The artwork, created using gouache watercolor, is lovely, with soft colors and cute-as-a-button bunnies. Recommended to anyone looking for new bunny tales, or children's stories featuring young readers who think creatively. show less