Review: Bad Kitty Meets The Baby by Nick Bruel

Poor Kitty.  He had a great life of sleeping, eating and being an "only child".  Then Puppy came and ruined everything.  To make matters worse, his people went somewhere and left him with the dreaded Uncle Murray.  And then, to add insult to injury, his people returned with a strange looking kitty (baby).

Here is the summary from Goodreads:

Kitty's owners are home with a big surprise for Kitty. But what is it? Kitty, reeling in horror, thinks it’s a . . . dog. The neighbor cats are convinced it’s a cat.  But we all know that it’s really a BABY! 
With Nick Bruel’s trademark mix of antic humor (this time involving a Kitty game show and the Kitty Olympics—which the baby wins hands down), riotous illustrations, total mayhem, and Uncle Murray Fun Facts, this may be the funniest Kitty book yet, and the one that hits closest to home.

This is the first Bad Kitty book I've ever read.  I've seen my students checking them out from the library, but had never had an opportunity to pick one up for myself.  I'm really glad I did!

I don't know if I would qualify Bad Kitty as a graphic novel, but if you consider the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books (by Jeff Kinney) a graphic novel, then yes, so is Bad Kitty.  And by that I mean, its not set up like a traditional graphic novel (almost like a comic book), but there are words and graphics (not in panels).  Its hard to explain past that (sorry)

The story itself was hilarious.  Its told by an all-seeing narrator (who in my head, had a British accent).  After Kitty suffers the injustices of having his people bring home Puppy and then leave him with Uncle Murray, they decide to bring home this thing.  His people keep saying its a baby, but all the neighborhood kitties think its a kitty.  To determine what this thing is, they decide to hold a Kitty Olympics, to hilarious results.  

I couldn't find Bad Kitty Meets the Baby's exact reading level, but other Bad Kitty books range from suggested for grades K-2, and 3-5.  I also found one that was a guided reading level I (which is late first grade).  To me, this means that if you have a first grader who is starting to take off with their reading, let them try.  It also means, to me, that if you have an older student (like 5th grade), who isn't quite as accomplished with their reading but don't want to be seen with a "little kid book", then this is perfect.  

I have no problem recommending this book to my students.  In fact, I'm sure it will be one of the more popular on my shelf.  

I featured this book in a recent Friday Night Mental Movie post.  Click here to see who I would cast in my Bad Kitty Meets the Baby movie!  

Please note:  I read this book as it was a Cybils nominated short chapter book.  This review is my opinion only, and by no means reflects the opinion of the committee/judging panel.  This book was nominated by Alyce @ At Home With Books.