Chanticleer Book Review
A Place Called Home, a kitten leaves his barn to adventure around the redwood forest, looking for somewhere he belongs among the diverse wildlife. The pond’s singing frogs and leaping trout draw his interest, but kitten certainly wouldn’t fit in underwater. He gets nervous in the woods, so vast around him, but also decides against a bunny burrow because it’s not nearly big enough. After intruding on a skunk’s dumpster and a bear’s cave, kitten finds his way back to the farm. Even the friendly pigs are too muddy for his fur.
His journey returns to the barn with his mama and siblings, where kitten finds home waiting for him.
Ho’s writing creates an easy and educational read-along for young children.
Each line fits into a simple rhyming scheme. Frequent use of synonyms makes this book an effective introduction to new vocabulary, with a glossary in the back for less familiar words like ‘furrow’. Onomatopoeia words like “ribbit” and “oink” create an engaging and multisensory world of imagination for the readers.
A Place Called Home teaches kids about the living habits of different species, from burrowing bunnies to slimy slugs. The book ends with further rhymes about each animal, along with a message on respecting wild creatures and the importance of the Redwood trees. Children interested in nature will share in the kitten’s curiosity throughout his journey.
The art by Marlon at GetYourBookIllustrations gives vibrant personality to both the
places kitten goes and the animals he meets.
Landscapes stretch wide around the little kitten, each with its own visual identity. Pastel blue waters ripple around the frogs, titanic Redwoods reach far above the edge of the page, a skunk guards the colorful contents of its dumpster. The imposing stones of the bear’s cave give way to a familiar green farm and finally the warm-lit wood and hay of the barn.
Marlon depicts each animal with realistic shapes in motion, stylized enough to showtheir reactions to kitten. With his black fur, kitten pops against the bright colors of the background, highlighting the attention to detail in his dynamic feline mannerisms—the fuzzy attitude that any cat lover will recognize.
“An educational romp through nature and comforting bedtime story, Nora G. Ho’s A Place Called Home will be loved by any young reader.”
