Calico the cat makes her fourth appearance, and this time, she's got her kittens with her. The book gets off to a grand start with a double-page spread that features all seven of Calico's kittens-including Ginger in a gym shoe, Cally playing with a shoelace, and Patch and Binky tussling. As Calico rides hard on her kittens, who want to play instead of nap, children will get a kick out of watching the kitties get into all sorts of trouble (there's Frisky in the flour!). As in her other books, Tildes creates cats with a sure, knowing hand. Her watercolors capture all the friskiness and charm of kittens on the loose. The book's oversize format and short text make this just right for toddler story hours, but little ones will have fun pointing and giggling at this one-on-one as well.

A kindle of kittens keeps Tildes's lovable cat, Calico, busy in this newest edition to the series (Calico's Cousins, 1999, etc.). Like toddlers of every species, Calico's offspring consider naptime the perfect opportunity to romp and play. From frolicking in the flour to climbing the curtains, the curious felines investigate their surroundings, wreaking pint-sized havoc in their paths. While their worn-out mama snoozes with a sleepy trio of tots, a quartet of the more adventurous kitties escapes to the backyard. There they discover a friendly pup and have a close encounter with the frog pond. Tildes's brief prose captures the single-minded determination of kittens on the prowl, while the simple questions inserted into the text draw the readers into the story. The result is a toddler-friendly tale that offers up plenty of laughs. "Ginger is in a bag. Pumpkin is in a drawer. Where is Frisky? In trouble. Uh, oh…" Full-bleed watercolors convey the impish delight all kittens take in their escapades. The brightly hued, detailed landscapes contain plenty of sly feline humor to tickle little fancies. Each of the seven is drawn with an eye to their individual personas: Puff is a soft gray and white ball of fluff while Frisky is a tiger-striped scamp with a twinkle in his green eyes. Brimming with puckish fun, Tildes's tale is just right for rambunctious little ones.

In this fourth book about the cat, Tildes fills the pages with realistic paintings of seven kittens' mischief. While their mother, Calico, sleeps, these charming rascals bring down curtains, investigate grocery bags, bother a friendly dog, and even climb a tree before heading home, where all but one of these highly individual pets has a nap. The art and plot are old-fashioned, but cozy in their familiarity. An occasional challenge to find the kitten in hiding will appeal to young listeners.