Smudge

by Clare Turlay Newberry

Book by Newberry, Clare

Genres: Picture Books, Cats, Animals, Childrens, Fiction

28 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1948

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple story about a mother and father cat that have kittens. We follow the kittens through their first days, their feeding and bleary eyed cuteness to when mum and dad pop out to the garden to stretch their legs leaving the kitties safe in their box.

This is a beautiful simple story, the illustrations are wonderful, this illustrator is so talented. Lovely soft, well observed charcoal drawings. Very cute.

Read on openlibrary

[Luisa Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Warning. If you don't want your kids clamoring for a kitten, don't read this book. The pictures are just too cute and the kitten's antics too well told to resist. You'll succumb. It's inevitable.

Ages: 4 - 8

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[Laura Warner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t normally count picture books toward my goal, but I miscalculated how many books I read this year and so here I am reading and rating Smudge!! Challenge completed. Happy new year.

[Shiloah · Rating 4 out of 5]

It you have cats or love them, this is a great book. We totally smiled at the antics of the kittens in the book. The charcoal illustrations and oversized, high quality paper really improved the already lovely experience.

[Dianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three tiny kittens escape from their box while their parents go out to chase grasshoppers.

[Lobstergirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very simple and boring story, great charcoal illustrations.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book to my daughter, it's a delightful story and the illustrations are unique and expressive.

[Noran Miss Pumkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this writer/artist's works! I just was shocked by how huge the book was!?! All the better to adore the kitties! Great one to have for your little ones, to treasure for your to come!

[Sarah Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the story of a family of kittens, specifically one black kitten named smudge. The mother cat and father cat had a litter of three kittens a red one named junior, a black one named smudge, and a black, white, and red girl kitten named Betty Jo. In this story we watch as the three little kittens grow up in their first few days. We see how they begin to open their eyes and explore the world around them. One day the mother and father Kitty leave the kittens to go out to the garden. What they don't know is that the kittens have gotten out of their box because they are big enough now. We see how the kittens behave in their natural cat like manner causing chaos and getting scared as they discover the living room of the house that they live in. This adorable story with its beautiful charcoal illustrations brings these adorable kittens to life and encompasses exactly how cute little kitties behave as they start their journey through this world. As a cat lover myself I found this book to be incredible and beautiful doing exactly what it had to do to show the true attitude and behavior of kittens in such a beautiful artwork format of charcoal. Beautiful book and a great story to read to any young child for them to see why it's so important to be careful and listen to their parents. It's so true that you never know what's out there until you discover it and these kittens in this story truly did discover what was outside of their little box.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Newberry’s illustrations in this, particularly the image used on the cover. The story focuses on three realistic kittens being kittens, using their point of view. All of Newberry’s books seem to focus on pets, particularly cats and kittens, and it’s evident from the authenticity that she must have been drawing from her own experiences with her pets in this book.

[Christine (Tina) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute illustrations...too wordy for this type of picture book, though. The kitty on the cover is not Smudge, by the way.

[kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute classic

[Mariah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn in by the art style. This was super cute.

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like how the typeset has the uppercase & lowercase S set “upside down”.

[rebecca wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scarlett LOVED this one!

[l · Rating 3 out of 5]

Illustrations are adorable

[Sha'Tisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quality content right here

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

PB3: Smudge is a reall great book with very nice illustrations. The description of the kittens is wonderful and very true to how they are. Between the words and the pictures, the reader can really develop a sense of how the kittens are acting. This book also does a great job at showing how kittens develop as it talks about them opening their eyes and learning to walk. The personalities given to the kittens and their fear of their new world can really resonate with children. I also really enjoyede the relationship between the father cat and the kittens. This is something that I think is rarely approached in children's books, but could really connect with children who are not extremely close to their father. I would recommend this book for any age. I think the illustrations and the story are good enough that anyone could become involved in the plot.

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute book about kittens. The illustrations are really pretty.

[Jennifer Heise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another cute Newberry, about the adventures of 3 small kittens, one of them Smudge. My six year old liked it but declined a second reading.

Contains unfortunate portrayal of coparenting by a tom, of the 1950s sort-- father cat is mildly involved but doesn't quite see what all the fuss is about. As a result comes off as both unrealistic and sexist. *sigh*

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this a lukewarm three stars.

The pictures are pretty, and a little unusual for a child's book. However, they are all of cats, which isn't that exciting.

The story is very bland. It is about two parent cats with three kittens. Nothing much really happens.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love her books...simple story of crazy kittens making trouble.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute kids book about a litter of newborn kittens with great artwork.

[Sharlet Mullen · Rating 2 out of 5]

this story goes along as the kittens grow up and explore the world. I love the pencil drawings.

[CKE387 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet short story about three little kittens venturing out into the world. Adorable, and the charcoal drawing make up just want to pet the page!

[Christine Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all TIME FAVORITE BOOKS!