Meet the House Kittens (Kitten Construction Company Series #1)

by John Patrick Green

Overview

All Marmalade wants to do is build things.

She is, after all, a trained architect.

She’s also a distractingly adorable kitten.

Fed up with not being taken seriously because she's so cute, Marmalade bands together with a handful of other aspiring builders—all of them kittens. But in a world where humans call the shots, can the Kitten Construction Company prove their worth . . . without giving up the very things that make them kittens?

(Don't worry, dear reader, the answer is definitely "yes"!)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250801937
Publisher:	First Second
Publication date:	05/11/2021
Series:	Kitten Construction Company Series , #1
Pages:	80
Sales rank:	351,027
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	6 - 10 Years

About the Author

John Patrick Green has worked on comics for DC Comics, Nickelodeon, DreamWorks, and Scholastic Graphix. Kitten Construction Company is John's second graphic novel as writer and artist, following 2016's Hippopotamister, also published by First Second. John lives in Brooklyn with zero cats and way too many LEGOs.

Editorial Reviews

"Green's graphic novel is…adorable...will keep young readers giggling, and many will identify with Marmalade's plight...A winner of a tale, well-constructed and, dare we say, cute."—Kirkus

"Don’t be fooled by the smiling kittens in construction hats adorning the cover—this lighthearted graphic novel doles out an important message about the dangers of judging by appearances." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

06/01/2018
Gr 1–3—Don't be fooled by the smiling kittens in construction hats adorning the cover—this lighthearted graphic novel doles out an important message about the dangers of judging by appearances. Marmalade the cat has a degree in architecture and a well-thought-out design for the mayor's mansion. But the city planner won't hire her—after all, such a coveted job can't go to "a cute little kitten." Joined by two other felines, Sampson, an aspiring engineer, and Bubbles, who longs to be a plumber, Marmalade starts her own construction crew, and the foreman in charge of the mayor's mansion agrees to let them work on the project. The cats point out that the architectural plans are dangerously flawed, but they're merely greeted with a chorus of "So adorable!" So Marmalade and her pals decide to build their own mansion and prove their mettle. Green's artwork is attractive, though a little static. Cleanly illustrated panels are loaded with humor that, though a little sophisticated in places, is still satisfying—few readers, young or old, will be able to keep a straight face upon meeting Professor von Wigglebottom. And while Green is never preachy, the warning against making snap assumptions comes through loud and clear. VERDICT A delightful addition to graphic novel shelves.—Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

School Library Journal

2018-06-25
Too adorable to be taken seriously, a team of talented kittens struggles to prove itself.Kitten Marmalade is a trained architect, and she has perfect plans for the human mayor's new mansion, but the city planner can't see past the orange feline's cuteness. She tries to drown her sorrows in a bowl of milk at the local diner, but the human server and customers fawn over her. She does meet Sampson, the kitty dishwasher, who's a trained electrical engineer: "No one takes me seriously, either," he says. The two decide to form an all-kitten construction firm and join forces with fluffy white cat Bubbles, who wants to be a plumber. Humans still think they are just endearing internet video fodder, so the trio, together with Siamese carpenter Professor von Wigglebottom and a pack of strays, take over an abandoned construction site to build Marmalade's plans. The humans working with the city planner make a mess of their building; good thing Marmalade and her crew are there to save the day! Green's graphic novel is…adorable. Big colorful panels, some filling the page, tell Marmalade's tale as she proves she is more than just a pretty kitty. Plenty of cat humor in dialogue and illustrations will keep young readers giggling, and many will identify with Marmalade's plight. Humans depicted are diverse.A winner of a tale, well-constructed and, dare we say, cute. (Graphic fantasy. 6-11)

Kirkus Reviews