Yoko Learns to Read
With the tender realism of Yoko Writes Her Name (2008) and other books about the Japanese kitten, Wells blends the immigrant-child story with the universal thrill of learning to read. Yoko and Mama love reading their three books from Japan together, and Yoko knows them by heart. But how will she find more stories? Mama cannot read English, so with the help of Yoko’s teacher and the school librarian, Yoko starts following stories by looking at the pictures in great books like The Red Fox. She points at English letters and sounds them out (“Snug as a bug in a rug”). She recognizes words in signs around her (“Bus stop,” “Library”), and then she is teaching Mama. The bright, beautifully detailed illustrations in oil pastels and collage show Yoko’s cozy home, the loving family bonds, and the rising excitement as a young child opens up new worlds. Brand-new readers will recognize the powerful discovery. The blissful cover picture of Yoko curled up in an armchair with a book says it all.      HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Almost 15 years after she first appeared on the scene, kindergarten kitten Yoko remains one of the most familiar furry faces in picture books. Preschool-Grade 1. --Hazel Rochman