Bad Kitty

Bruel, N. (2005). Bad Kitty. New Milford, CT: Roaring Brook.

Genre: ABC
Format: Picture Storybook
Recommended Age: 3 & Up

Never has a trip through the alphabet been so charming and so fun. In Bad Kitty, readers go through the alphabet not once, but four times, and it's no ordinary journey. The first journey begins when kitty becomes upset with his owner because they ran out of food. As a result, he's forced to eat vegetables ranging from asparagus to zucchinis, thus the first span of the alphabet. Then, out of revenge, kitty decides to be a very very bad kitty and goes on an alphabetical rampage, clawing the curtains, damaging the dishes, and zeroing the zinnias, along with a plethora of other bad deeds. Perhaps the most hilarious misdeed is his quarreling with the neighbors, which is illustrated by an angry kitty peeking through the mail slot as his neighbors read his angry letter: "Dear neighbor, meow, hiss, hiss, hiss, meow, meow, meow, hiss, meow! Sincerely, *paw print*" It is only just after kitty goes on his angry rampage that mom comes home with all of his favorite food, ranging from kangaroo kidney pie to baked zebra ziti. This makes kitty very happy, and he therefore resolves to make up for all of his bad behavior. Thus ensues kitty's alphabetical charity in which he repairs the curtains, files their taxes, invites affection, and quits quarreling with the neighbor, an illustration which this time involves a happy kitty peeking through the mail slot as the neighbor reads: "Dear neighbor, purr, purrr, purr, purr, purrr, purr, purr! Sincerely, *paw print*" In the end, the owners are so happy with kitty's good behavior that they give him a reward...a brand new puppy! Kitty is not happy...

In the world of ABC books, this one tops them all. The plot is hilarious, the illustrations are hilarious, and the way in which children are introduced to the letters of the alphabet is, yes, hilarious. I would recommend this book for ages three and up. Children just beginning to develop their language will learn their alphabet as well as a plethora of new words, and children of all ages will especially love kitty as the main protagonist with all of his zany facial expressions and shenannigans. In addition, kids will also learn the names of all sorts of vegatables and animals, as they're purposefully incorporated throughout sections of the book. A wonderful story and a wonderful learning tool, I give Bad Kitty the highest of recommendations. Parents, teachers, and librarians...buy it immediately!

Bresnahan, M. (2005, October 1). Preschool to grade 4 reviews: October 2005 [A review of the book Bad Kitty]. School Library Journal. Retrieved April 29, 2010 from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA446412.html?q=bad+kitty.

In this review, Bresnahan gives Bad Kitty a positive review, claiming it will "appeal to youngsters who like their stories more naughty than nice. She goes on to describe the contents of the book, pointing out that sometimes the use of the letters are a bit of a stretch, such as "sQuashes" for "Q" and "rhUbarb" for "U." In addition, I couldn't agree more with the fact that "it is Kitty who steals the show with her slyly drawn feline expressions. As always, School Library Journal doesn't disappoint and delivers a good review.