Stretchy and Beanie

by Judy Schachner

Overview

What's an independent cat to do when his friend decides she's the leader of their pack? This story of friendship and power dynamics is a read-aloud joy.

Beanie, a ginger-haired girl with a fierce heart, is the perfect pal for her newfound companion, Stretchy McHandsome the cat. That is, until Beanie gets it into her head that she should teach Stretchy how to be a perfect pet. Her lessons really curl his whiskers, and when hiding from Beanie isn't enough, he has to take an even bigger leap. Then it's Beanie who needs a lesson of her own: how to be an accepting friend rather than a bossy-boots.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593111611
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	11/02/2021
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,082,516
Product dimensions:	11.44(w) x 9.38(h) x 0.43(d)
Lexile:	AD740L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Best known for her Skippyjon Jones series, Judy Schachner has illustrated many of her own stories, including the much-loved Grannyman and its companion book, Bits & Pieces. A #1 New York Times Bestseller, Judy is also known for her spirited reading of the Skippyjon stories, for which she won the first E. B. White Read Aloud Award. She lives in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.

Editorial Reviews

"The lightheartedness of the art, full of clever details for astute readers to discover, puts a comforting spin on a more serious tale . . . Art and verse alternate between playful silliness and showing the sincere worry of a little girl learning to be gentle with her pet . . . Delightful reminder that having a pet differs from parenting 'a troop of teddy bears.'" —Kirkus

"Schachner, of Skippyjon Jones fame, matche sher rhyming stanzas with energetic illustrations filled with activity, bendy felines, and Beanie’s unconventional flair." —Booklist

"Comical panels and lots of action keep the pet care lessons fun and kid-appropriate; seasoned feline caretakers will especially enjoy a spread where a leash-clad Stretchy teeters between stubbornly put-out and potentially homicidal . . . an enjoyable and educational romp with our favorite butterscotch boy." —BCCB

From the Publisher

2021-09-15
Will the friendship of Stretchy McHandsome and Beanie McBright survive Beanie’s bossiness?

In this sequel to Stretchy McHandsome (2019), every McBright sibling has adopted one of the McHandsome cats. Beanie’s relationship with Stretchy, though, is special. Each of these two gingers has one green eye and one blue—but there’s more! They’re ferocious together, they stretch and scratch and curl up together. Beanie decides to make Stretchy into a perfect pet. Stretchy, however, is uninterested in learning math or dance, he hates the harness, and he’s infuriated by the stroller. The lightheartedness of the art, full of clever details for astute readers to discover, puts a comforting spin on a more serious tale. Stretchy, frightened by Beanie’s aggressive affection and enthusiasm, expresses anxiety like any real-life cat. “He acted out, he climbed the drapes, / and made the carpet wet.” Art and verse alternate between playful silliness and showing the sincere worry of a little girl learning to be gentle with her pet. The nine McBrights are illustrated as a racially diverse family with a range of skin tones and features, and one child uses a wheelchair. Beanie herself present White. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Delightful reminder that having a pet differs from parenting “a troop of teddy bears.” (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews