Kitten’s First Full Moon (2004) by Kevin Henkes is a charming and deceptively simple picture book that won the Caldecott Medal for its expressive, high-contrast illustrations and timeless storytelling. The story follows an adorable, wide-eyed kitten who mistakes her first full moon for a bowl of milk in the sky.
Determined to reach it, she embarks on a whimsical journey—chasing the moon through the night, climbing a tree, leaping into a pond (only to end up wet and disappointed), and finally returning home to find a real bowl of milk waiting. Henkes’ bold black-and-white artwork, rendered in gouache and colored pencil, evokes the clarity of moonlight and the earnestness of a child’s perspective.
With its gentle humor, cyclical structure, and themes of perseverance and discovery, the book is a modern classic for young readers.
Perfect for: Bedtime read-alouds, teaching cause-and-effect, or fans of Goodnight Moon (Brown) and The Carrot Seed (Krauss).
