This is a really cute book. I think the title and the cover of this book are going to instantly attract readers! I liked that it had the terms in the back of the book because some of the terms were new to me.

Cute introduction to Tae Kwon Do basics with heavy emphasis on grit, perseverance and determination. Illustrations go further than the story, which admirably covers basic tae kwon do terminology, but doesn't go much further beyond that. Points for cuteness, if not for depth.

A little kitten attends a Taekwondo class for the first time. She's nervous but excited to learn. At first, she doesn't succeed but her teacher encourages practice and time to break her first board. The whole community of students and teachers cheer the kitten on the whole time. This picturebook flows very well with the pictures, much like a graphic novel. The author seems to have done research on the ethics that are taught to kids in Taekwondo and the work ethic it takes advance. I question what the authors experience with Taekwondo is and whether or not it's authentic. Overall, this is a fun picturebook for first time Taekwondo or martial art kids that focuses in the growth mindset of the sport.

This is a cute story that kids would really enjoy. I think that they would really connect to the kitten. The illustrations are vibrant and detailed. I would add this book to my classroom library.

What a cute book! I love a good book featuring cats!
I love how this book focuses on perseverance, patience, and dedication!
I think children will enjoy that the cat character and the rest of the illustrations in this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital copy of this book!

I honestly really liked this small, short book. I feel like it is a really great book for children. I found it to be very informing.

My grandson and I read this book together? He enjoyed it tremendously! I thought that his opinion would be more accurate than mine since he is a student of Taekwondo at 7 years old and has won medals and is in a special class where they learn the use of weapons. A class that you have to. E asked to participate in. I would definitely recommend this book? Thank you for allowing me to read it and share special quality time with my grandson!

The cats in this book are ADORABLE! I don’t know much about Taekwondo, but I loved learning a little about it through the cute story. I especially liked the messages/values that Taekwondo instills. I also think the sound effects add fun to the story if read aloud especially.

I will admit I don't know a lot about Taekwondo but I am drawn to cat books for my daughter. There wasn't much in depth information on Taekwondo but it did focus on the traits and ideas that many of us strive for in life. I believe focusing on this instead of the fancy moves made me fall in love with this book. It's a message that helps teaches my daughter the importance of these special traits such as patience and practice to name two.

Review an advanced copy on NetGalley. Thanks!

So, overall, super cute book. Kitten learns the value of perseverance, discipline, and hard work. Illustrations are adorable! I love that Kitten learns and grows throughout the book and is rewarded for that effort.

I do feel like beginning readers would struggle with some of the vocabulary in this book. Not the words that are English, but the words that come from Korean- they would be hard to sound out. While there is a guide in the back of the book about their meaning and pronunciation, I still think kids would struggle with them.

I love how this teaches little children about perseverance, patience, and dedication using a cat as the main character.

***Thank you to NetGalley and Capstone for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Expected release date September 1, 2020.***

3.5 – 4 stars

A cute book about a kitten that wants to learn Taekwondo. Her original goal is only to break a board … ultimately, through patience and practice, gains the skills and confidence that lead to her goal.

Catwondo will fit nicely into my repertoire of books that I share to teach resilience. The illustrations are bold and follow the story perfectly. The dialogue and vocabulary are perfect for young readers. I will be able to sell this to my K-2 students for sure.

Adorable book about a little kitty that just wanted to break a board! Learn about taekwondo through this fun narrative!

The premise of teaching little ones the principles of through this story was a good one but not super well executed. For this age range, if kids don’t know a word they get frustrated, so having the glossary at the end with no explanation throughout is not helpful. The art was very cute and the story was sweet but the format wasn’t right for this story.

This is a cute story with wonderful illustrations. The kitten in this book is very adorable and the title is too — perfect idea for a title! Kitten wants to learn Tae Kwan Do and joins a class. She needs patience to learn all about it, but there are steps she needs to take and not everything is learned in a day. Practice and focus are part of it too. “Kerplunk, Swish” move along with Kitten as she works to master martial arts or does she? She learns different things along the way to perhaps break a board, which is something she really wants to do. A nice thing at the very end that will be helpful for younger readers to understand terms and how to pronounce words is the glossary. This book is a nice way to introduce Tae Kwon Do and martial arts to early elementary age. If you are looking for a book about a cat, perseverance, learning, patience or something fun to read aloud this is a good option. This is a fun story with a nice lesson too.

Catkwondo by Lisl H. Detlefsen. Publication Date: September 1, 2020

Description from NetGalley
“Kitten wants to a break a board, and she wants to do it now. But Tae Kwon do is not easy. Kitten must focus. She must practice. And above all, she must be patient. Will Kitten's determination and dedication pay off when it's finally time to break a board?”

Thank you to @NetGalley, @capstone for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.

My thoughts...
This book is a good picture book and would be a great book for kids interested in starting Taekwondo. If they are already in Taekwondo, the glossary at the back will help them with the terms used. You may want to practice saying the words if you’re going to read aloud to kids. Some images are repetitive. Some pages quite busy with images. But overall, it’s a good book because it’s also a story of perseverance and patience. A helpful guide for young readers to learn that rewards are best when we wait and work hard to earn it.

Thank you NetGalley and Capstone Editions for this free copy in return for an honest opinion. I was sort of disappointed in this book. Lots of big-eyed cats working on Taekwando, as unnamed kitten cat comes into class and immediately want to break boards with her feet. The Master teaches discipline and patience. And following weeks or months of growth kitten is finally able to master her desire. The book does discuss those virtues, but the story itself is very spartan in words, and while the illustrations are meant to be cute, funny and teaching, they just were not my cup of tea. Compared with other books in the age 4-8 category I give this one a 3***

I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical going into this one. But it's actually really cute and teaches some basic terms about taekwondo while it's telling a simple story about a kitten with a goal.

Kitten really wants to break a board. But first, she has to learn the basics. She eventually earns her yellow belt. But she's still not quite ready to break that board. More practice (and patience) is necessary. But when it finally comes time to give that board-breaking a try, will Kitten be able to do it?

The illustrations are a little too cutesy for my taste, but they are amusing. The story is populated by anthropomorphized cats. There's a great glossary at the back (with a pronunciation guide) that explains the Korean words used throughout the story.

This might find the best audience in kids who are just starting out in taekwondo themselves, but it offers a great introduction to readers who don't know much about taekwondo at all. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised. I'd definitely recommend checking this one out.

Good artwork. I liked the elements of the book in teaching perseverance when things seem tough. overall think it was q good story I would recommend.