Customer Reviews

Good Cats/Bad Cats/2 Books in 1

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This wonderful two-part book has been nearly worn out from reading it every night to my daughter. The illustrations are outrageously funny, and the text is a simple poem that children quickly learn. "Cats are cuddly, cats are cute, cats can clean their furry suit," is accompanied by pictures that are full of fun details. The bad cats are just as much fun--"Cats are sneaky, cats are sly, cats will look you in the eye," as the reader is met with the dilated pupil of a feline face winking across the page. I highly recommend this book.

Life is full of conflict; especially the ongoing conflict between good and evil. I would have to give evil the upper hand in this book, however, because the evil cats are just funnier. My favorite cartoon is the one where the fat orange tiger cat has just lacerated the kitchen screen door with his claws, allowing a squadron of toothy venomous insects to assault the kitchen. Mind you it's the details in the drawing that are so hysterically funny, like the sink full of soapy dishes, likely abandoned when the insects laid siege on the kitchen. The reading glasses, mugs of coffee, and pencil and paper on the table make me wonder if this perhaps wasn't the author's own personal experience at home. The cat sits on the floor, one eye open to peer at the marauding bugs zooming past his head, and can think of nothing better to do than to lick his paw. "Ho hum," he seems to be saying to himself. "Is this all the terror I could unleash on my owners today?"

I don't think the kids will mind the "potty humor," that is the reference to "nasties" in a hat. There's a cartoon of a hairball flying out of the cat's mouth onto a man's striped shirt. Yes, cats can be a bit messy at times. However, this is life, let's face it. We can't always have the cute, cuddly side of life. Sometimes, there are claws, fangs, and yes, peeping tom cats.

I personally didn't see the terror in the cartoon with the cats inside the washing machines. Of course, they'd probably rather not be there while the woman in the cartoon daintily folds her laundry, and the little girl sits politely on the edge of her chair, her hands neatly folded in her lap. Yes, even in the process of being good or coming clean, there can be some pain and difficulty.

I think some of the themes in the book are rather deep, but presented in cartoons and poetry, while we laugh, we can forget how serious some of these messages might be.