Author: Eileen Spinelli
Illustrator: Anne Kennedy
Paperback ISBN: 9780807510438
$7.99
Published 2012
Age Levels: 6-9, Grades: 1-4
Pages: 32
10.75" x 8.50"
Synopsis:
Day and night, Callie Cat ice skates on the pond in her backyard. She loves to ice skate, loves it more than chocolate cake, more than going to the mall—more than her friends can understand. That is, until the Honeybrook Ice Rink announces a contest, and everyone thinks it could be Callie’s big chance! Now Callie practices day and night. She wants to win the big prize…doesn’t she?
Sometimes doing something you love is its own reward, as Eileen Spinelli’s unusual story demonstrates. Anne Kennedy’s exuberant art shows a unique heroine in motion
It seems like every year the seasons/holidays come quickly. Just the other day I was picking up Halloween candy at the store, and it was already on clearance. And, next to the 2 aisles of Halloween clearance was none other than Christmas decorations and supplies. Are you seeing this too, where you live? How does it make you feel? For me, I love Christmas and could celebrate it year round. What I most are the pretty lights, displays, decorating the tree and watching the fluffy white snow fall. And, when the weather begins to get cold here on the East Coast (usually in Sept.), I love pulling out winter themed storybooks to read to the girls. This gave me an excuse to read "Callie Cat, Ice Skater" with them. :-)
At first, I thought it would be a simple book about a cat who loved to skate. But, as I began to read it to the girls, I found that it was more than it. And, by the end of story, I loved the message it shared with young readers -- about the feeling of joy you get when you do something you love. In this story, Callie Cat loved ice skating. She would skate day and night. Even though her friends didn't care much for skating, their views changed for a split second when an ice skating contest with prizes were announced. Callie Cat's friends thought Callie Cat was a shoe win, and watched and critiqued her training up until the event. And, when Callie Cat finally took the ice, she skated gracefully. Unfortunately, she didn't win the contest, or the prizes to share with her two friends. But, she won the best prize of all -- realizing that what she felt when she skated was joy, as she loved what ice skating and how it felt to glide across the ice. Truly a beautifully written and illustrated book that would make the cold weather feel a little warmer. :-) I love when the girls ask me to read this book, as it has become one of my favorite, too. :-)
Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher in order to write up an honest review. The views above are mine and mine alone.
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