Caldecott Medal: Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

This delightful story is the story of an adorable little kitten seeing a full moon for the first time and mistakens it for a large bowl of milk.  The kitten does all she can to catch that bowl of milk. She jumps, leaps, runs, and falls again and again desperate for just a taste.  Finally she gives up and comes back home only to find a bowl of milk waiting for her on the front porch.  Happily, she drinks her milk. 

While the story is cute and charming, the illustrations are what makes the story unique.  Drawn in black and white, the illustrations, while simplistic, had charm and emotion to the kitten's journey.  Several pages of illustrations provide details and emotions that the kitten was feeling during his quest for the milk.  This book is captivating to children and grown-ups alike.  I am reminded of my children when they were one and two years old, exploring their world and surroundings for the first time.  The book conveys a sense of childhood innocence that adults often forget or take for granted.