Title: Alexander Finds a Home
Author: Vicky Ann Meier
Publisher: Holzer Books LLC
ISBN: 978-1963380149
Pages: 30
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book
Reviewed by: Beth Adams
Pacific Book Review
Author Vicky Ann Meier has created a very simple, yet powerful message in her children’s book titled, Alexander Finds a Home.
In this story three kittens are born on a farm, but the owners of the farm are getting older, so they decide on selling it and moving to a small house to be near their family. They take the mother cat with them, but bring three kittens to a cat shelter, where they will be safe and ultimately adopted into forever homes. Alexander looks a bit different than his sister and brother cats because he has a white circle around one eye and long, floppy ears. Even his kitty-siblings teased him about his large ears, making fun of him.
In the shelter humans come by each day to adopt a kitty, and each day Alexander is passed by because he looks different. One person wanted a black cat; another couple wanted a pair of littermates, one male one female, and they picked Alexander’s siblings. One picked a calico kitten. This saddened Alexander, wondering if he’ll ever be picked! Then one day a goofy-looking little girl saw Alexander and knew from that instant Alexander was the kitten for her – to love forever.
Although a simple and fun story, the elements of having differences in the way kittens look, which can be morally transferred to humans’ differences, provide a lesson for children being read this story at their young and impressionable ages. Also demonstrating there is someone for everyone – no matter what physical differences exist – brings a lovely theme of acceptance and hope to all readers; especially those children who may have some physical issues themselves. The illustrations by Mentari are ideally suited to accompany the text, showing the cute kitties and the human caretakers in just the right amount of artistic detail to enhance the visualization of the story.
Love and kindness to all of the kittens are abound in this morally rich story, and at the end of Alexander Finds a Home, Vicky Ann Meier hints there will be more to come. This makes a perfect bedtime story for the youngest of children, providing a good foundation of acceptance of all, regardless of their physical differences, and frankly, articulating the enjoyment these cute furry feline friends many of us love to have around as pets and companions.
