When I first locked eyes with new picture book character Kat, I couldn’t help but feel like I already knew the charming protagonist. She was spirited and unique. And there was something about her headband… it was like I’d seen it before…
The red bow that our daughters wear year-round looks so much like Kat’s cat ear headband. This accessory delights me to no end. I wish I knew it where it came from! We get a lot of hand-me-downs, and sometimes items that belong to friends land in our basement… and stay. But at this point, someone would have to pry the headband from their crowns, or from my hands, to get it away from us. We love it SO.
The girls wear their ruby points whether they match their ensemble or not. Summer or winter. Rain or shine. And shine they do, when this red bow is atop of the spice that they’ve got. (And that’s a lot.)
KAT AND JUJU, the debut picture book of author-illustrator Kataneh Vahdani, just celebrated its book birthday on July 1, 2020. The cover - which features Kat’s red cat ear headband - first caught my eye on Twitter. When I looked closer, I learned it was from Two Lions, the publisher of my debut DANCING WITH DADDY (Fall 2021). I had to check it out! How eye-catching is this red, white and blue-tiful cover? Meet Kat and Juju…
New picture book KAT AND JUJU centers around Kat, a raven-haired girl, who sees the world differently and does things her own way. But she is shy and afraid to share her ideas with other kids. On her birthday, a special surprise arrives - Juju! Her very own best friend. Red-feathered Juju is confident and brave and not at all like quiet Kat. When a problem lands in their midst, Kat is presented with a chance to help. But that means overcoming her worries. Will she do it? Here are three things that I love about KAT AND JUJU…
Rich Texture & Limited Palette
The aesthetic of this story was the first thing to grab me. I just needed into this world! Texture is everywhere. Faint washes of blue watercolor. Smudges and splatters of black ink. Spongy splotches of red. The color is shaped and held by simple, elegant lines - sometimes lightly gestured, other times dark and firm. And layered upon that? Graphic elements with repeated patterns, elements completely saturated in color, and precise marks and details. So, so much. While undoubtedly complex, it all blends together in a clear, unfussy and gentle way, offering page-after-page of magical marks to explore.
Kat’s ensemble - red headband, black bob, checkered dress - is iconic, and the entire setting of the story complements and extends her look. The limited palette of black, red, white, and blue conveys intense artistic focus, but never gets boring. That’s because the lens, so to speak, is always moving. Sometimes, readers are observing Kat straight on, learning the basics about her. Other times, readers are taking in her profile, close on her furrowed brow and blushing cheek, digging more deeply into her complex heart. The variety of the art shows readers how Kat’s worry manifests itself differently in different situations.
Contrast in Character
In stark contrast to Kat’s artistic and timid personality is fluffy and lovable bird Juju. He is the opposite of Kat, a fact that is driven home in many ways. Juju is big / Kat is small. Juju is silly and messy / Kat is quiet and tidy. Juju is uninhibited / Kat is extremely guarded. They are a sweet odd couple, and their differences play out not just in Kat’s reactions to Juju’s exuberance, but also in the faces of Kat’s peers - a trio of other young children (and their animal pals) present throughout the story.
Conversation bubbles add yet another layer of interest to the story, injecting opportunity for read-aloud fun, as storytellers imagine the voice of funny Juju. While the characters take turns in the spotlight, the story remains, ever, Kat’s. Her wishes, her fears, her hopes, and her gestures of kindness show young readers that changing and growing into bravery often isn’t a bold, overnight transformation. It can happen quietly and gradually - in a picture book, and in real life, too.
Taking Chances and Growing
Kat and Juju’s personalities seem fixed, until the characters stumble upon a third character in need of a helping hand. Kat doesn’t hesitate to step in, but she does worry. That she isn’t up to the challenge. That helping will put her in uncomfortable situations. And of course, it does, leading Kat to feel all kinds of awkwardness and doubt. Which makes it all the more satisfying when she lets loose and lets her joy ring out loud.
KAT AND JUJU is a story that reminds readers that trying new things, and meeting new people, will grow and stretch you in incredible ways. But these changes won’t take you farther from who you are. Rather, they bring you closer to everything that makes you YOU.
KAT AND JUJU is Kataneh Vahdani’s debut picture book. Kataneh is a director, storyteller, professor, and mama bird. Her animated films have been screened at many festivals, including Sundance Film Festival and New York International Film Festival. She worked for many years in the story department of Walt Disney Animation Studios and taught story, design, and animation at CalArts and College of the Canyons. She is currently directing an animated feature. Follow Kataneh on Twitter at @katanehv, and follow her characters Kat and Juju at @KatandJujuLove.
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