Jack the Kitten is Very Brave {Review}

My daughter LOVES this book. Both of the girls got piles of books for Christmas, including ones that G-Girl had the excitement of picking out herself after family members gave us gift cards.   So there are tons of new books in the house right now.  But the one book that my daughter is fixated on is Jack the Kitten is Very Brave.

The first time we read it she made me read it to her Four Times In A Row.  After a break of a few hours she presented it to me again, and again requested multiple readings.  Now G-Girl loves reading, but this is above her usual level of enthusiasm. She then drove her dad nuts by shoving it in his face twenty times while he was trying to use the computer. She wanted to show him this one very cool picture, by which she meant she wanted to show him each and every page in the book.  When my mom stopped by G-Girl immediately whipped out Jack the Kitten is Very Brave and insisted she read it. Anyone who has stopped in at my house this week has immediately been greeted by my daughter waving this book under their nose. In short, she is totally enthralled with this book.

I have to say, I love this book too.  I’ve yet to get sick of it. I don’t mind reading it four times in a row, eighteen  times a day, because it’s fun to read aloud.  I love that the older brother is trying to help the younger overcome his fear of water.  I love that the older brother says things like “That’s good asking!” and “I’m very proud of you.”  The art is really cute.  I think Mindy Lou Hagan’s simple, bright, pictures are a perfect fit for this book.

Overall the story is just adorable.  Jack the kitten loves pirates, and he loves to pretend to be a pirate.  His older brother Machu helps him get over his fear of water with some bath time play and imaginative pirate fun.

What does G-Girl love; Cats, pirates, rubber ducks and fluffy bathrobes. I also think one of the big reasons my daughter loves this book is the sibling relationship between Machu and his younger brother Jack. She likes to point out to me all the ways that Machu is helping his little brother. And yes, I do think this book is responsible for G-Girl’s recent pirate obsession.

A little about the author:
Tabitha Grace Smith says that this book was inspired by her real life cats, both of whom were rescues. This is her first book, but she has several others in progress including another adventure with Machu and Jack. You can learn more about her by visiting her website at tabithagracesmith.com.

A little about the illustrator:
Jack the Kitten is Very Brave is Mindy Lou Hagen’s first published work. The sketches she posts on her blog are just too darn adorable. Be sure to visit her at mindylouhagan.blogspot.com

I would definitely recommend this book.  The suggested age range of 3-7 years old seems pretty accurate.  I’m excited to know that there is a second Machu and Jack book in the works, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for the sequel. The Machu and Jack homepage at machuandjack.com is a good place to keep tabs on, for book updates, giveaways, and more.

Where to buy it:
Currently the book is available on CreateSpace and Amazon.com.
Tabitha Grace Smith was kind enough to offer a discount code to my readers.  If you order through CreateSpace and use the code D9A8XUZU you can get 10% off.  I looked into it and yes, CreateSpace does ship internationally and shipping to Canada is only $3.20!

The author provided me with a free copy of this book for review purposes. The opinions expressed are my own and were not influenced by the author or by the free product provided.