Synopsis: Do you have a favourite story – a story that’s about you? This is Charlotte’s favourite story because it is the story about her and a little lost kitten called Moonlight.

Review: This story starts with Charlotte and her favourite story about the lost kitten. The story unfolds through the dialogue between Charlotte and her mummy and recounts how they first found their pet, the little white kitten. Charlotte saw something on the seashore and insisted that they had to go and look for it. Eventually Charlotte and her mummy found the little lost kitten surrounded by the sea. They rescued him and ‘…the little girl carried him all the way home.’ Charlotte’s best part of the story was when mummy said that if no one owned him they could keep the kitten. They called him Moonlight because without the moonlight they would never have found him. The last page shows Charlotte, her mummy and the kitten together, happy in the telling of their favourite story.

The use of dialogue is central to this story and the conversation between child and parent is balanced and natural. They interrupt each other and tell the story in unison in a seamless way that is both well paced and utterly engaging. Christian Birmingham’s illustrations are soft and dream-like, the prefect complement to the sentiment of the story. The expression on the child’s face displays both concern and wonder. This is an example of a perfect bedtime story for children as it is emotionally satisfying for both parents and children.

At Key Stage One this story could be used as the basis for talking about favourite stories and family stories, or possibly about topics like being lost. Martin Waddell is a significant and prolific children’s author with the magic touch. His stories always seem to touch a chord and engage the emotions both for adults and children alike. A Kitten Called Moonlight is a perfect example.

2006-10-09