SumoKitty

By David Biedrzycki Fall down seven times, stand up eight. One hungry stray kitty. One heya with a mouse problem. No problem. Now the hungry kitty has a job clearing out the mice from where the wrestlers practice, sleep, and eat. Kitty eats like a sumo wrestler, too. Soon he's too fat to eat mice, and oh, how they laugh. Useless, he's thrown out of the house. But one kind wrestler teaches him that "After the rain, the earth hardens," and "The cat that does not cry catches the mouse." Kitty works hard, trains with the wrestlers, strikes fear into the hearts of mice, and becomes . . . SumoKitty. Listen to David Biedrzycki on Publisher Weekly's KidsCast. If you like this book, you’ll enjoy these: The Perfect Sword Me and My Dragon Download the Cover [TABS] Watch the Trailer Look Inside Author & Illustrator David Biedrzycki, author-illustrator David Biedrzycki isn't big enough to do sumo, but he did join the US Sumo Federation while working on this book. David is the author and illustrator of Groundhog's Runaway Shadow, as well as the Breaking News series, the Me and My Dragon series, and the Ace Lacewing: Bug Detective series. He has also illustrated many picture books, including The Beetle Alphabet Book and Dory Story. Awards & Honors Coming soon! Editorial Reviews Kirkus Reviews A furry feline has sumo-sized aspirations in this Japan-set tale. A stray black-and-white kitty with round emerald eyes watches a sumo match from afar and then follows a group of rikishi back to the heya, where the pickings are good. Caught by the manager of the training center, the feline narrator is offered a place to stay: "Kuma is afraid of mice. Can you get rid of them?" The arrangement hits a snag when the Kitty's weight gain affects its efficiency as a mouser and it is turned out of the heya. Dejected, Kitty gives up until Kuma quietly offers encouragement: "The cat that does not cry catches the mouse." Kuma and Kitty are shown in action side by side, showcasing their parallel use of sumo moves. Japanese terms are defined, with pronunciation guides, next to the text: "shiko (shee-koh): leg stomp." While Kitty finds the strength to reclaim its place and is deemed SumoKitty, Kuma now must face his own fear of mice in order to overcome his biggest sumo opponent. Kitty's straightforward narration is set against comically charming illustrations that evoke scenes from classic Japanese woodblock art. Extensive research is expressed in both the inclusion of Japanese terms and the detailed illustrations. However, the inclusion of the Indian spiritual practice of yoga as part of the rikishi's training regimen seems unlikely given sumo's own deeply traditional and spiritual nature. SumoKitty's antics delight despite a muffed cultural detail. School Library Journal ". . .deceptively simple. . ." Downloadables   Download the Cover   Download the Activity Guide Details Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-58089-682-5 E-book ISBN: 978-1-63289-826-5 EPUB ISBN: 978-1-63289-827-2 PDF Ages: 5-8 Page count: 48 9 x 11 [/TABS]