'Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn'
...Before reading, this seemed too cute to me. Too saccharine. Too babyish. Too stereotypically girly - cute little, pink fluffy cats, and unicorns? Put them together and what have you got? Enough to kill a whole hive of diabetic pixies.
It seemed too pandering and sickly. Too commercial. The off-putting, attempted-hypnotizing cover didn't help its case.
I mainly decided to read it, at last, because it was written by Shannon Hale, one of my favourite writers. The author of 'Rapunzel's Revenge' and 'Princess Academy'. She has written cute-and-clever, sweet-and-substantial books before, like the 'Squirrel Girl' novels, the 'Ever After High' novels, the 'Diana: Princess of the Amazons' graphic novels, and the 'Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld (2021)' graphic novel. I was cautious, yet I never doubted she could make something out of a thing called 'Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn'.
She did. She wrote it as an LBGTQ+ identity metaphor.
I'm sure it's intentionally a transgender identity metaphor, told with animals, and a unicorn.
Nuff said.
Seriously, I won't reveal anything more.
Just know that with the children's picture book, 'Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn', the cuteness factor is both surface level, and its true, openminded, openhearted, blissful, delightful core.
It is pure, warm and wonderful.
And full of love for community and togetherness.
It sparkles, literally and figuratively, in its characters and storytelling.
PSA: Tolerance and equality messages will always be needed.
Cute cartoons with heart (and friendship) will always be needed.
For reminders that no one is ever alone. And everyone deserves love, affection and support. Everyone deserves to be seen for who they are.
'Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn' - a fluffy hug of a book.
Final Score: 4/5
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