03 Sep 2010 No Comments
Take Cover! Bad Kitty Gets A Bath.
Hey, did you know that a cat’s tongue is covered with hundreds of little fishhook-shaped barbs called “papillae” that help them clean their fur?
Me neither! At least not until I read Nick Bruel’s hysterical “Bad Kitty Gets a Bath.” (ages 8 -11)
“This follow-up to Bad Kitty (2005) pairs Bruel’s witty asides and spastic, tongue-in-cheek commentaries with laugh-outloud, high-energy cartoon illustrations. With hyperbolic humor, Bruel describes the dangerous process of cat bathing, from collecting the necessary tools (including cat shampoo and a “suit of armor” for humans), to finding and coaxing Kitty into the water, to dealing with your now-clean-though-very-unhappy animal. (One illustration suggests checking your sneakers for “something awful inside.”)
Following all of the scratching and hissing and spitting, a brief epilogue depicts bathing Puppy, a ridiculously simple process that cleverly highlights the elaborateness of Kitty’s ritual. Packed into the chaos are fun facts, such as explanations for why cats hate water and the hows and whys of hairballs; a “glossary of common cat sounds”; a few strategically placed editor’s notes; and a not-so-serious glossary.
Whether they prefer cats or dogs, young and reluctant readers will get plenty of laughs from this comic and informative chapter book.” (booklist)
Super fun! Great for reluctant readers too.
