Stretchy McHandsome

by Judy Schachner, Judy Schachner (Illustrator)

Overview

A handsome and totally fetching street cat with a penchant for trouble stars in the new picture book by Judy Schachner, creator of the inimitable, irrepressible Skippyjon Jones

Stretchy McHandsome is not only good looking with his ginger fur, but he has personality that shines as well. Leaving the safety of the McHandsome clan, he stretches himself away from home and all around town. Out and about, he is spotted by a girl with a kindred spirit, who makes him realize the one thing missing from his life is the warm lap of a loving person. How this gadabout finds his true girl makes for a story that is a little bit wild, but a whole lot wonderful.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780803741218
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	10/08/2019
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	615,643
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 11.30(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD890L (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

10/14/2019

The youngest of nine feral felines, a likable cat named Stretchy—a “butterscotch boy” with one green eye and one blue—goes on a life-altering adventure in this rhyming tale. Hoping to take a holiday from his “cantankerous” siblings, Stretchy ventures out alone, leaving scratch marks all over town, visiting with his tiger cousins at the zoo, and more. While lying in a bookstore window, he is spotted by his human soulmate—a curly-haired girl named Beanie whose eyes match Stretchy’s—and the pair are so “smitten” they fall into a dual stretch. When the other McHandsomes, one kilt-clad, come after him, Stretchy’s exploits bring friendship into all of their lives. In Schachner’s carefully busy and frequently silly mixed-media scenes, Stretchy seems as cuddly—and as glad to find Beanie—as he is flexible. Ages 3–5. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

Schachner's new puss protagonist is every bit as bouncy as Skippyjon Jones . . . Sure to elicit purrs from kitty-loving readers.”—Kirkus Reviews

* “Stretchy’s story will amuse readers and listeners with rhymes that scan perfectly and are fun to read aloud.”—Booklist, starred review

“Cat lovers of all ages will adore this story of misfit soulmates and finding your own way, and the bouncing rhythm of the rhymed text is sure to make this romp a storytime favorite.”—BCCB

"[C]hildren will want to read again and again.”—School Library Journal
 

From the Publisher

10/11/2019

PreS-Gr 2-In this enchanting story, Stretchy McHandsome, the youngest cat in a family of nine, sets off on a vacation away from his family. He eventually meets a girl named McBright, who is his perfect human companion. This story has an extra happy ending because McHandsome's siblings miss him so much they set off on a journey to find him. And when they do, it's a dream come true because McBright is one of nine children; each of her siblings discovers their perfect feline match. The text rhymes and is fun to read. For example, "He (McHandsome) was Tom of the tumble club, lord of the fleas, cuckoo on catnap, a hugger of trees." Schachner sets a sweet, mischievous tone with her illustrations that perfectly complement the text. When on his journey, McHandsome has many adventures. At one point, "The freewheeling kitty made a stop at the zoo for an earsplitting roar from a cousin or two." The illustration shows two friendly tigers. One is roaring and underneath its large arm, McHandsome rests with his paws gripping the cage. VERDICT This delightful story will be a welcome addition to any public or school library. Text and illustrations work well to make this a title that children will want to read again and again.-Robin Sofge, Prince William Public Library System, VA

School Library Journal

2019-08-26
This appealing orange kitty needs a break from his family.

Stretchy McHandsome lives in a big cardboard box with his eight brothers and sisters. "Now Stretchy was different / in more ways than one. / He was streeeeetchy / and handsome, / a soft bundle of fun. // …One eye was blue, / the other was green, and around his dear neck / was a stinky sardine." It's hard being the baby in such a huge litter, so Stretchy decides he needs a vacation. After a quick bath, he sets out for town, ending up in a bookstore window. There, he's spotted by Beanie McBright, a very special girl: "She had unusual looks, / wore the ears of a kitten, / and round her neck / hung a wild woolly mitten." The two hit it off and have a great day, but the McHandsome clan misses their little brother and follows the clues he left all over town to find him. Beanie adopts the whole lot…and thankfully has eight siblings to help with the care. Schachner's new puss protagonist is every bit as bouncy as Skippyjon Jones, as is her verse, which here does not resort to stereotyped dialect for effect. In the bright, busy cartoon illustrations, Beanie's a white girl whose orange mop matches Stretchy's coat; her siblings are racially diverse, and one uses a wheelchair.

Sure to elicit purrs from kitty-loving readers. (Picture book. 2-8)

Kirkus Reviews