GreenEyes by Abe Birnbaum won a Caldecott Honor in 1954. In this book, Birnbaum’s
bright paintings illustrate a story about the happy life of a kitten. In the
first half of the story, Green Eyes tells how life began in a big wide box.
When Green Eyes escapes the box, an exciting world awaits. But not too
exciting. There is no rising action, none of the requisite tension in modern
narratives. Green Eyes simply revels in discovering a world outside the box. This
first year is told in the past tense as Green Eyes reflects upon a year of
firsts: farm animals next door, cool grass in summer, falling leaves in autumn,
snowflakes in winter. Half way through the book, Green Eyes speaks in the
future tense and predicts the year ahead. Much bigger now relative to the box,
the four seasons of the future show a happy, albeit more mellow cat.
This book is read aloud
online by Miss Trudi's Bookshelf.
Young readers may enjoy painting their own cats with Ehlke Art.
