Due to my living in China this book was purchased through iBooks and viewed on an iPad. Mention of variations between the print and digital editions of the text are noted.
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lewin, Betsy. 2010. WHERE IS TIPPY TOES. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9781442436794 (eBook)
2. PLOT SUMMARY
Betsy Lewin takes us through the “whats” and “wheres” of adventurous cat Tippy Toes as he moves through his suburban world. Doing what cats do includes playing in gardens, toying with the nice mice (the Welcome mat underneath the “No Cats!” sign is a cute illustration), running from the garden hose and doing wonderful fun things during the light of day. The questions arise when night falls and “no one knows…” where Tippy Toes heads. Eventually we see that he ends up where he should be, in the arms of a child who loves him.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Lewin’s illustrations make the book in this sweet but simple story. By taking readers through the days and nights of Tippy Toes, she introduces us warm and comforting daylight locations throughout what appears to the young kitten suburban home. The nighttime pictures come alive with deep blues, sharp yellows and wonderful shading that give the images a lovely, cartoon quality that will entice young readers. While the storyline is simple it also progresses in a logical fashion and gives readers a comforting ending when Tippy Toes ends up not out in the cold night but home asleep in the warm bed of his loving child owner.
The smooth rhyming scheme of much of the book gives a predictable rhythm that makes engagement easier. The connection between the similar sounds and the rhythm of the images works well.
Something that is quite lost in the translation from physical book to digital copy is the fun of the die-cuts and pull tabs on certain pages. Adding an extra level of playfulness and interactivity to the visual fun of the book, Lewin cuts out corners and interiors of pages to reveal layers within a given story element. TippyToes can move about to add to the fun. When this element can finally be translated to digital copies then we will really have something!
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Review in Publisher’s Weekly: “Readers fascinated by the lives of their pets should welcome this tender offering.”
Review in School Library Journal: “Oversize watercolors outlined in a thick black line add humor to the text (a “No Cats!” sign above the mouse hole) and the bright hues seen in the flowers, sun, and cat’s fur enhance the changing backgrounds. Rhyming sentences come together with the turn of a page and continue to the satisfying page turn at the end. This cat’s sun up to sun down routine makes an excellent choice for those looking for a new bedtime story.”
5. CONNECTIONS
*Pairing this book with student writing on a day in the life of their own pets would make a wonderful class connection. Additionally students could adopt a class pet, and write a jigsaw story about the life of the pet to share with other classes or publish in the school library.
*Students can have fun enjoying all of Betsy Lewin’s animal focused stories such as CLICK, CLACK, MOO and GIGGLE, GIGGLE, QUACK.
*Other books for children about pets:
Day, Alexandra. GOOD DOG, CARL. ISBN 978-0-671-75204-0
Niemann, Christoph. THE PET DRAGON. ISBN 978-0-671-75204-0
Review by Maggie Eubanks for class credit in TWU's LS5603-20 Fall 2012
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