Kokos Kitten

by Francine Patterson, Ronald H. Cohn (Illustrator)

Overview

Fascinating true story of Koko the gorilla adopting and nurturing, All Ball, a Manx kitten.

Koko the gorilla uses sign language to talk to her handlers. When she asks for a pet, her handlers search high and low for the perfect companion.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780590444255
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	06/01/1987
Series:	Reading Rainbow Bks.
Edition description:	Reissue
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	375,140
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 10.76(h) x 0.25(d)
Lexile:	670L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

Editorial Reviews

The compelling story of Koko, a gorilla, who must deal with her grief when her kitten dies. All ages. (June)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Gr 1-4 The cover photo alone is all that is needed to ``sell'' this bookthe smallest, most delicate of kitten profiles in the massively careful embrace of a glistening gorilla, whose bare-knuckled fist is four times the size of the diminutive feline's head, and whose face radiates tenderness. Koko is one of a number of great apes in various experimental communication programs and is remarkably conversant in American Sign Language, used by hundreds of thousands of hearing-impaired people. With her linguistic skill, she asked for, and finally received, the small, tailless tabby kitten she promptly named All Ball. This brief, moving book records Koko's relationship with her pet. All Ball was groomed, played with, cuddled and loved, and never once showed fear of her large foster-mother, outlandish though she might seem to feline eyes. The growing relationship was cut horribly short by All Ball's death beneath the wheels of a car, and Koko's grief is dramatically recorded on film. Fortunately, Koko was given the opportunity to have another kitten, and chose a second tailless Manx. In a happy new beginning, she is shown cuddling ``Lipstick.'' In beautiful color photos, and a brief accompanying text, Patterson and Cohn let readers see beneath the glossy fur, the heavy brows and the animal shape to the gentle mind that wanted something to love and be loved by. An empathy-building book of high degree. Patricia Manning, Eastchester Public Library, N.Y.

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