That’s Right. If you haven’t heard yet, Beau’s got books. The world and national champion has hops and hooks. (Oh good gracious, he has me rhyming.) Not only does Beau Kittredge write wildly imaginative stories, he even teaches while he does it. I didn’t even know I was learning primary colors when I read “No No Kitty”. Get this, he even illustrates them himself. What a talented dude.
Skyd correspondent Adam Restad is all too eager to flex his English degree and review three of Beau’s books.
Unbroken
UNBROKEN
Recommended reading: For any boy whose feet grew faster than his legs or whose mind moved faster than his hands.
If you’re anything as clumsy and reckless with everyday tasks as I am, this story should resonate quite well with you. I can’t count how many once precious things I’ve smashed or lost or dropped or broken. Unbroken follows one boy’s rediscovery of broken mementos that might have been left for trash. Each day of the week he accidentally demolishes one keepsake, yet finds new use for the item almost immediately. From winter hats to underwear for monkeys and rainbows to sledding hills, it’s as much about recycling as it is about keeping an open and inventive piece of mind.
“I used to be sad more often than not
Simply because I ruined things more often than I ought.
Then lucky for me I luckily got
The most interesting week that I have never forgot.”
No No Kitty
NO NO KITTY
Recommended reading: For people who hated bedtime or anyone who has slept with a cat.
Spoiler warning: The plot follows Kitty as he avoids bedtime, constantly dreaming up new scenarios to keep he and his old man up all night. But, there’s a surprise twist at the end! Oh okay, not really. Kitty just goes to sleep. But it’s still damn adorable.
When I showed my girlfriend what I was working on her response was “Cuuuuuuute!” Then we sat down and read it and her hypothesis was confirmed. Rhymed and clever, No No Kitty is a perfect bedtime story that is riddled with non-sequiturs and colorful drawings. Trust me; this kitty is better than any internet feline sensation out there.
“No, No Kitty
You’re not a bear
And that’s not a pear.
Let go of my nose
And get out of my hair.”
How to Pet a Porcupine
HOW TO PET A PORCUPINE
Recommended reading: For people who like to chuckle at themselves or anyone who has actually pet a porcupine.
This is a collection of poems and adages. It is extremely eclectic from page to page but his style of simple, silly yet witty composition ties the book together nicely. Certainly a great book for kids, but the intrigue of this one carries up to a broader age group. Think Shel Silverstein. Seriously, it reminds me a lot of the style of the late, great author of Falling Up. How to Pet a Porcupine is witty and in its own quirky way profound. I’d find myself reading a passage then chucking to myself thinking, “Oh Beau, you got me with that one.”
If Kittredge kept developing his style like this and put out some longer, more mature centered books I think he could expand to have quite a following of readers.
I sat down to read a few poems to get the idea and found myself plowing through the entire thing. Although it’s only 32 pages long, I was still enrapt.
Forget-me-not has a brother flower
That nobody seems to see
I think his name is forget-me-immediately.
As far as children’s literature goes, you can’t go wrong. If you’re an ultimate player with kids, think about how sweet it will be to tell the little tyke that the author jumped over a guy. I haven’t read another children’s book since 1993, but paging through these stories might have piqued my interest. I’m off to read Winnie-the-Pooh.
Beau, what do you have in store for us next?
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