From School Library Journal
Grade 2-4–Tuffy the cat stars in this lighthearted beginning chapter book. His narrative describes accusations against him during the course of a week, such as stalking a bird and leaving bloodstains on the carpet, ruining the flower beds, and (allegedly) killing the neighbors pet rabbit. From the first page, it is evident that he does not understand why his behavior upsets his family. After all, he
is a cat. The family consists of an indifferent mother, a hostile father, and a loving little girl. Most of the action involves Tuffy and the father, who is determined to oust the feline from the household. The book is funny throughout because of the cats confusion about reactions to his natural behavior and his defensive narrative. In the end, the man learns a valuable lesson on judgment. The black-and-white sketches, some full page, bring movement and personality to the characters.
–Diane Eddington, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Gr. 2-4. The author of
Alias Madam Doubtfire (1988) and other popular stories writes with the same delicious wickedness for a younger audience in these two illustrated chapter books, originally published in Britain. Pets are the narrators here, and they speak with venom and spirit about their owners. In
Diary, Tuffy the cat is in trouble for killing a bird ("So hang me. I killed the bird. For pity's sake, I'm a
cat"), but did Tuffy also get the rabbit next door? Mystery is woven into the sly pet story, and Cox's black-and-white artwork shows the hissing, spitting cat standing up to a furious dad and a "sniveling" kid. The hero of
Notso Hotso is a mangy dog, Anthony, who is treated with disgust when he gets a bad itch ("in places my bum was raw"). After his owners have him shaved, the once gruesome, yucky mongrel feels suddenly powerful and confident--because he looks like a scary lion. Ross' line drawings, full of action and expression, effectively capture the transformation. Both books will be great for reading aloud and reading alone.
Hazel RochmanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
