A Year with Marmalade

by Alison Reynolds, Heath McKenzie (Illustrator)

Overview

An adorable kitty helps a young girl understand the nature of friendship in this sweetly uplifting picture book.

Ella and Maddy are best friends. But one day Maddy says she is moving away, and she asks Ella to look after her cat, Marmalade. Both Ella and Marmalade cry and cry when Maddy leaves. Ella tries to do fun things—like pick apples, stomp through puddles, and ice skate on the pond—but somehow nothing is fun without her friend Maddy. Then one morning Ella finds Marmalade curled up by her feet, and as they spend more and more time together, a unique friendship begins to grow.

A Year with Marmalade is a charming book about about losing friends and making new ones. Set against a beautiful backdrop of the turning seasons, this story of transition reminds us that change, while constant, is not always a bad thing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781442481053
Publisher:	Little Simon
Publication date:	07/23/2013
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 8.60(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 6 Years

About the Author

Alison Reynolds has written more than forty books. When she was young, she was lucky enough to live next door to her two best friends. She also had a fluffy black cat named Charlotte. Alison lives in Melbourne, Australia.

Heath McKenzie is a bestselling illustrator from Melbourne, Australia, who owned a cat when he was very young. Now he has a small dog that behaves an awful lot like a cat and even fancies fish for dinner.

Editorial Reviews

In Maddy's absence, will Marmalade and Ella become friends? One autumn day, Maddy tells Ella that her family is leaving for a year. Maddy also asks Ella to watch her orange tabby cat, Marmalade. Both Ella and Marmalade cry as Maddy's family drives off. Ella tries all the things she liked doing with Maddy....She tosses leaves, but Marmalade doesn't toss them back. She picks apples, but Marmalade just bats them away. She stomps through puddles, but she's the only one that gets wet. Then one winter day, Ella wakes with warm feet (Marmalade's been snuggling), and later Marmalade "reads" with her by the fireside. In spring, they dig in the garden, and they visit the beach in summer. When Maddy returns with autumn, all three friends enjoy every season together. Prolific Australian author Reynolds' tale of friendship and seasons is a heartwarming one. Ella and Marmalade's relationship develops slowly as the year progresses. McKenzie's pen-and-ink illustrations, partially colored with watercolors, are sweet, wide-eyed and dynamic, often flowing along with the type. Though it's odd that the reason for Maddy's lengthy absence is never revealed, audiences will identify with Ella and her uncertainty with a new pet. Expressive Marmalade with his large green eyes will definitely charm cat lovers. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews