Katy No-Pocket by Emmy Payne, pictures by H.A. Rey- Fiction/Freebie

This is a very cute story about a mother kangaroo. For some reason, Katy Kangaroo does not have a pocket, so she cannot carry around her little kangaroo, Freddy. Katy was very sad, so she decided to ask other animal mothers that did not have pockets how they carried their children. She asked a crocodile, and the crocodile carries her baby on her back. Katy tried this with Freddy, but it did not work. She asked the monkey, and she carries her monkey in her arms. Katy’s arms are too short. After asking several animals, Katy asks the owl, who knows everything, what she should do. The owl told her that in the city, they sell pockets. Katy went to the city and saw that most people had pockets. She saw one man who had an apron covered with pockets. The kind man gives Katy the apron, and she is able to fit Freddy in a pocket. Katy ends up being able to carry other animals as well, such as rabbits, lions, and lizards, in her pocket. Katy is happy because she has more pockets than any other mother kangaroo!
This is a very sweet and heartwarming book. Children who love animals, especially kangaroos, would love this book. This was one of my favorite books as a child. In addition to being a cute story, children can learn a lot about animals from this book. There are pictures of animals and the book describes how various mother animals carry their babies. Children who are lower readers would love this book because it is an easy read. Children can really connect to this book because they have probably all felt sad, different, or self-conscious about something, just as Katy was about her lack of a pocket. Students can really feel what Katy is feeling. This book would also be great for problem solving. Before reading the end of the story, students could brainstorm solutions for Katy. These problem-solving skills would help students solve personal problems in their future!