Mama Cat Has Three Kittens is a 1998 children's picture book, written and illustrated by Denise Fleming. It is about a mother cat and her three kittens: Fluffy and Skinny who are well behaved, and imitate their mother, and Boris, who naps until the other three rest when he becomes boisterous.
Reception
A review in Kirkus Reviews of Mama Cat Has Three Kittens wrote "The story is charming, but remains almost incidental to Fleming’s eye-rattling artwork in which cotton pulp is transformed into color-drenched handmade paper",[1] and Booklist noted "The text is minimal yet strong, with a repetitive aspect that is perfect for the very young."[2]
^"Mama Cat Has Three Kittens". Booklist. American Library Association. November 15, 1998. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
^"Mama Cat Has Three Kittens". Publishers Weekly. PWxyz LLC. September 14, 1998. Retrieved November 5, 2021. Fleming's self-proclaimed love of cats (she lives with seven) permeates this somewhat slight but playful outing, as she accurately captures feline behavior and movement. The repetition of simple phrases and actions is also sure to be a hit with toddlers.
^Blair Christolon (1998). "Mama Cat Has Three Kittens". School Library Journal. Media Source Inc. Retrieved November 5, 2021. Preschoolers will request repeat readings of this delightful story and enjoy searching for the smaller creatures found on each page. Fleming's kittens, created by pouring colored cotton pulp through hand-cut stencils, are large and bold and set against colorful backdrops.
^"Mama Cat Has Three Kittens". Horn Book Guides. Media Source Inc. 1999. Retrieved November 5, 2021. Fleming's distinctive paper-pulp artwork illustrates a repetitive story...
^"Booklists: Mama Cat Has Three Kittens". ccbc.education.wisc.edu. Cooperative Children's Book Center. Retrieved November 5, 2021. Denise Fleming uses rhythm, repetition, and predictability to great advantage here, making each turn of the page dramatic and satisfying for young listeners.
