Merry Mittens: A Moontime Cats Christmas Story

Jordan Morris credits her numerous childhood journals with most of her best book ideas and finds additional inspiration while sitting on a swing. Before she began making her own picture books, she was part of the team of artists, including Merry Mittens illustrator Charlie Mylie, who helped create the Rabbit hOle, a museum dedicated to children’s literature in Kansas City, Missouri. Jordan Morris lives with her husband, two daughters, and dog under the watchful green eyes of a mercurial black cat named Piranesi.

Charlie Mylie makes words and pictures for children in a basement in Kansas City, Kansas. The author and illustrator of several books, he has worked with Merry Mittens author Jordan Morris on Out on a Limb as well as at the Rabbit hOle, an immersive children’s literature museum. Charlie Mylie tries to learn from the playfulness of his son and the thoughtfulness of his wife, and from their cat he is reminded to just lie down in the sun every once in a while.

The creators purrfectly capture familiar feline antics—batting at jingly ornaments, crowding into an empty box—along the way showing that the kitten distribution system works, even at Christmas.
—Publishers Weekly

Mylie uses colored pencils and watercolors to create luminous black-backgrounded compositions that call to mind “black magic” crayon art—an impression perfectly age-aligned with the book’s plentiful onomatopoeia and early-reader-level text. . . . sweet enough to melt snow.
—Kirkus Reviews

Through humor, the realization that not ­everyone has a place to call home comes as a gentle reminder to ­children to be kind ­toward others—an idea that shines outside of the holiday season. An excellent secular selection for any library serving young children.
—School Library Journal

Mylie’s coloredpencil and watercolor illustrations highlight the cats’ big, expressive eyes, and Morris draws readers into the story through gentle humor. A cat carol and a sledding scene are sure to be storytime favorites.
—The Horn Book