Reviewer: Sharon Brunner
Erin Brynes Bailey’s “The Stormy Kromer Kitten” was a delightful tale about a calico cat, a train engineer and a creative woman. The story took place at Kaakauna, Wisconsin, during the snowy winter of 1903. A historical fiction children’s book in which Ida and George Kromer were the main characters along with an adorable cat named Sidekick. George kept losing his favorite baseball caps during the cold, windy days. Ida fastened a brim and added a special flap to cover the ears, using wool. Bailey’s father introduced her to the Kromer cap, and that’s where she got the inspiration for the story.
A theme and something I liked about the book was the loving and caring relationship Bailey portrayed between Ida and George. A couple who became friends at first and then fell in love. He had a childhood dream of becoming a professional baseball player, but decided to take a job that would ensure he provided a very good life for his wife, a comfortable life. Ida cared so much about her husband that she came up with a solution to George’s hat problem. I liked that Ida made the first hat for Sidekick. He liked his hat. Wore it with pride. My husband and I have had multiple cats, and they have been loved family members in our home. Currently, we have a black cat named Pepper. She’s an adorable cuddle bug. Bailey added a cat to the story which I felt was a nice touch. Sidekick appeared to have loving guardians who appreciated his company.
The movie that came to mind when reading this book was the 2016 “A Street Cat Named Bob” movie. James, a troubled man, discovered a cat going through his food. He tried to return the cat to its real owners to no avail. The cat returned to James ’ flat. Bob kept following James into town, drawing more crowds of people, which made James more money. He decided to keep Bob. Bob became a tourist hot spot. In this book, Ida walks around with Sidekick on her shoulder. Bob sat on Jame’s shoulder in the movie. The book that came to mind was “Stormy’s Hat: Just Right for A Railroad Man” by Eric A. Kimmel, published on April 29, 2008. Stormy Kromer was an engineer who loved driving trains. But he had a problem, he could not find the right hat for a railroad man. He tried a derby, a cowboy hat, and a fireman’s hat. Nothing worked. Stormy (George) told his wife, Ida, not to worry. Ida was not worried, she was thinking.
I recommend this book for its historical fiction about a well-known and well-liked invention, because of its depiction of a loving relationship, and for its addition of a cute stray cat and his playful and curious nature. Kromer caps happen to still be available today. Priced from $32. To $50. on Amazon. The cap has been a legendary accessory. Many people have had childhood dreams of what they wanted to do when they grow up. However, many change their mind especially loving husbands, when they want to provide financially for their families. George wanted Ida to have a good life so he switched from his childhood dream of being a professional baseball player to a train engineer. The cat was on many of the pages as a playful member of their family. The heartwarming story about the Kromers was inspired nostalgia associated with traditions of the North.
