Nini Lost and Found

Nini Lost and Found

Picture book
Once in his kitten years Joey Cat managed to get sneaky enough
to slip out of the house. There were some scary moments as my kids,
their friends, and I fanned out to search the neighborhood. The
direst possibilities entered our minds. We were greatly relieved to
find our pint size escape artist shivering under a neighbor's trailer,
more than ready to go home to a full food dish and water bowl and a
whole lot of loving.
Anita Lobel's Nini Lost and Found tells a similar story from the
cat's point of view. Nini, a gold eyed feline, sees an open door and
slips out. At first she has fun exploring new sights, scents, and
textures and spotting interesting creatures. When darkness falls and
Nini is lost the varmints become a lot larger and more ominous. The
direst possibilities enter Nini's mind until she finds a way home
where reassuringly familiar sights and smells, a full food dish, and a
living family await her.
Nini is an enchanting feline with a dear, expressive face. The
scary scenes are properly eerie. The exploration ones are colorful
and complex. The home ones are downright cozy. What a perfect read
aloud for cat loving parents and children!
On a personal note, as I type this on my iPod Joey is lying
contentedly on his favorite window sill, talking to some robins who
are searching for worms. Saturday the 8th will be his (can you
believe it?) tenth birthday. He is enjoying great feline health. His
ear has healed purrfectly from his last winter's surgery. We'll give
Joey a little tuna and lots of attention to celebrate.
A great big shout out goes out to Joey and all his peers--the
wonderful animal companions who enrich so many of our lives beyond
measure. Also the folks at his medical home, Veazie Vet, and the
other dedicated professionals who keep them healthy.
Julia Emily Hathaway


Sent from my iPod