Bad Kitty Camp Daze

January 1, 2018

POPGr 2-4-Bad Kitty returns in a complicated tale of amnesia, mistaken identity, and camping fun. After Kitty's bowl hits her on the head, she believes she is a dog and imitates everything Puppy does. Baby notices how Kitty is acting and says, "Kitty no cad! Kitty dog!" but no one will listen. Puppy goes to camp, and Kitty tags along for sing-alongs, campfires, games of fetch, and swimming in the lake. Even camp director Uncle Murray believes that Kitty is a small dog. Interspersed throughout are fun facts from Uncle Murray about why dogs are better at fetch or like to swim more than cats, and why cats like catnip. Fans of the series will love this newest adventure. The role reversal of Kitty wearing Puppy out with demands to play and the antics of the dogs at camp create plenty of hilarious moments. Bruel's images of Kitty with unfocused eyes, droopy ears, and tongue hanging in classic dog fashion complement the uproarious story. VERDICT A seamless melding of text and illustrations. A must-have for early chapter book readers.-Suzanne Costner, Fairview Elementary School, Maryville, TN

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2017
Bad Kitty goes to dog camp? How did that happen? All Bad Kitty was trying to do was get in her usual 22 hours of sleep. First Puppy wants to play and barks her awake. Then Baby burbles and startles her. Then the doorbell rings--but it's a present for Bad Kitty. A collar with a nametag...but it's misspelled! Her disgruntlement is assuaged by a dish full of Chinese takeaway. However, she doesn't get to eat it: Puppy and Baby knock it over. In a fit of pique, Kitty kicks her bowl, which bounces back and bonks her on the noggin--and she comes to think she's a dog. Her doggy behavior (unnoticed by her clueless, unseen human) so frazzles Puppy that their human sends him to Uncle Murray's Camp for Stressed-out Dogs for the weekend--and Bad Kitty stows away. Goofy adventures ensue, dotted with occasional breaks for Uncle Murray's Fun Facts on such topics as why dogs are better at fetch than cats and why cats hate water more than dogs do. A catnip-induced visit from Bastet, Egyptian goddess of cats, reminds Bad Kitty of who she is in time to save the day. Bruel's 11th Bad Kitty chapter book (not including the recent how-to-draw-comics tome) will satisfy her millions of fans with plenty of cat-titude and feline foolishness. She's conquered dog camp; outer space must be next! (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 7-12)

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