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Bad Kitty Gets a Bath by Nick Bruel — book cover

Bad Kitty Gets a Bath

by Nick Bruel
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Overview

Pet owners beware! Bad Kitty really needs a bath, and she is forced to take one in this hysterical new illustrated how-to for young readers. The following are some items you will need for Kitty’s bath: one bathtub, plenty of water, dry towels, a suit of armor, a letter to your loved ones, clean underwear (because stressful situations can cause “accidents”), an ambulance in your driveway with the engine running, and, oh, yeah, you’ll also need Kitty . . . but good luck with that! Kitty is at her worst in this riotous how-to guide filled with bad smells, cautionary tales of horror, and hopefully by the end . . . some soap.

Synopsis

Break out the bandages! Bad Kitty needs a bath. And she’s not getting in the tub without a fight.

Children's Literature

Bad Kitty needs a bath and that means trouble! Nick Bruel creates a hilarious book by combining serious text with humorous illustrations. The book is presented as a simple instruction manual for how to give a kitty a bath, but there is humor around every soap bubble. When gathering supplies for giving kitty a bath, Bruel suggests soap, water, a towel, and a suit of armor (among other things). The instructions are interrupted with wrong turns (using a firm voice with kitty), dreams (in which kitty cooperates and gives you a bath filled with chocolate covered diamonds as a reward for all your hard work), and to ask puppy questions (to which his response is, "Duh Arf?!"). The illustrations carry and expand the story with humor that motivates and supports the young reader. This book will captivate and delight a wide variety of readers. Anyone who loves (or hates) cats will get a good chuckle from this book: children and adults alike. Reviewer: L. A. Gallaway

About the Author, Nick Bruel

NICK BRUEL lives with his wife Carina in Tarrytown, NewYork. As well as creating his own books, Nick has illustrated a series of books for emerging readers written by Dick King-Smith.

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Editorials

From the Publisher

"Bad Kitty ... proves once again she’s a force to be reckoned with."

Kirkus Reviews "Anyone who loves (or hates) cats will get a good chuckle from this book: children and adults alike."

Children's Literature "Bruel's zany illustrations incorporate numerous perspectives that heighten the humor."

School Library Journal "A tubful of fun."

Cape Cod Times "Cat lovers of all ages will want to pounce on this book."

RealVail “This follow-up to Bad Kitty pairs Bruel’s witty asides and spastic, tongue-in-cheek commentaries with more high-energy cartoon illustrations. . . . Whether they prefer cats or dogs, young and reluctant readers will get plenty of laughs from this comic and informative chapter book.”—Booklist  

Children's Literature - L. A. Gallaway

Bad Kitty needs a bath and that means trouble! Nick Bruel creates a hilarious book by combining serious text with humorous illustrations. The book is presented as a simple instruction manual for how to give a kitty a bath, but there is humor around every soap bubble. When gathering supplies for giving kitty a bath, Bruel suggests soap, water, a towel, and…a suit of armor (among other things). The instructions are interrupted with wrong turns (using a firm voice with kitty), dreams (in which kitty cooperates and gives you a bath filled with chocolate covered diamonds as a reward for all your hard work), and to ask puppy questions (to which his response is, "Duh…Arf?!"). The illustrations carry and expand the story with humor that motivates and supports the young reader. This book will captivate and delight a wide variety of readers. Anyone who loves (or hates) cats will get a good chuckle from this book: children and adults alike. Reviewer: L. A. Gallaway

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4

Bad Kitty and Poor Puppy are back. This time they are featured in a funny, heavily illustrated "how-to" chapter book that is reminiscent of Kate Klise and M. Sarah Klise's "Regarding the..." titles (Harcourt). The instructions for getting the feline into the water include begging, cajoling, and reverse psychology. The text includes clippings from the Daily Nooz , "Uncle Murray's Fun Facts," a "Quick Quiz," a glossary of cat sounds ("fft!"), and two notes from the editor to the author about what is "unprintable." The resistant cat makes a valiant effort to avoid the procedure but finally-"YEOWR!," "HISSS!"-she is bathed. The pup gets his turn in an epilogue, but without any drama. Bruel's zany illustrations incorporate numerous perspectives that heighten the humor.-Marilyn Ackerman, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

Kirkus Reviews

Bad Kitty usually cleans herself. Sometimes, however, when Poor Puppy chases her into a garbage can, for instance, she really needs a bath. Everyone knows that cats hate baths. "It's not that cats don't like baths. It's not that cats have a difficult relationship with baths...CATS HATE BATHS!" This helpful book gives readers instructions on how to give Kitty a bath when there are simply no other options. It begins with finding and catching Kitty, which is easier said than done. There's a helpful glossary of translations of the sounds Kitty is likely to make during the bath (one entry so R-rated it's censored by the editor), and another glossary at the back of the harder words in the text (including "glossary"). Bad Kitty has made her way through the alphabet and numbers up to 26 in previous outings, and in this heavily illustrated chapter book larded with science facts and plenty of laughs, she proves once again she's a force to be reckoned with. Multiple copies are a must. (Fiction. 5-12)

Book Details

Published
September 1, 2009
Publisher
Square Fish
Pages
144
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780312581381

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