Kittybunkport

February 15, 2025
Best friends living in Kittybunkport, a village inhabited entirely by felines, must summon their courage. Chowder and Crackles are lobster catchers who depend on the supposedly haunted nearby lighthouse to guide their boats safely home. When the lighthouse goes dark, the two are chosen from among all the other "scaredy-cats" to investigate. They reluctantly set out. The lighthouse appears just as frightening as they expect, and their worst fears come true when they spot a ghost--a lobster ghost! But wait, it's just another lobster hunter, a dog from Bark Harbor who needs help installing a large light bulb. The tale is just dark enough to give young readers a delighted shiver, but they'll quickly catch on to the humor of the quirky feline duo and their fantastical adventure. The two cats speak in an obviously well-practiced pattern--the clearly terrified Chowder won't admit to being afraid ("I wouldn't say I'm super-scared"), while Crackles is far more candid ("I would. That's exactly what I would say"). Each strange event is immediately revealed to be benign, and the outcome is assuredly happy. OHora's signature, highly stylized depictions of the cats with their large heads and huge glowing eyes, set against dark, often eerie backgrounds, work perfectly with this goofy tale. The town names are puns of real Maine towns, and OHora zeroes in on details sure to delight New Englanders, such as the thick sweaters the felines wear. Highly imaginative, hilarious fun.(Picture book. 4-8)

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April 1, 2025
Grades K-3 Kittybunkport is a cat's paradise with a New England-harbor aesthetic. If you're picturing scrappy cats wearing woolen beanies, sweaters, and waterproof boots, you are correct. Like most of the town's feline residents, besties Chowder and Crackers enjoy sailing to catch lobster, though they make sure to steer well clear of the super-haunted lighthouse. Haunted by whom, you ask? "The ghosts of all the lobsters ever eaten!" A wave of fear washes over the community when the lighthouse beam unexpectedly goes out; from among all the scaredy-cats, the harbormaster chooses Chowder and Crackers to go investigate. Much of this story's humor is found in the illustrations and dialogue being at odds with the narration (e.g., kitties tremble as their bravery is asserted), and many situations upend reader (and cat) expectations in hilarious fashion. OHora's offbeat, vintage-hued illustrations match the story's silly tone and add entertaining details--try spotting the small lobster ghosts wafting through the book. A wonderfully low-stakes adventure and rousing read-aloud.

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