Bad Kitty Gets a Bath [Hardcover]

Nick Bruel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 19, 2008 | Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up | Series: Bad Kitty

BAD KITTY IS BACK (AND BADDER THAN EVER!)

when she is forced to take a bath 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! Since its publication in 2005, BAD KITTY has captured the hearts of cat lovers and haters alike. This time 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. The funniest of any of Kitty’s adventures, though don’t tell her that.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 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
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

This follow-up to Bad Kitty (2005) pairs Bruel’s witty asides and spastic, tongue-in-cheek commentaries with more high-energy cartoon illustrations. With hyperbolic humor, Bruel describes the dangerous process of cat bathing, from collecting the necessary tools (including cat shampoo and a “suit of armor” for humans), to finding and coaxing Kitty into the water, to dealing with your now-clean-though-very-unhappy animal. (One illustration suggests checking your sneakers for “something awful inside.”) Following all of the scratching and hissing and spitting, a brief epilogue depicts bathing Puppy, a ridiculously simple process that cleverly highlights the elaborateness of Kitty’s ritual. Packed into the chaos are fun facts, such as explanations for why cats hate water and the hows and whys of hairballs; a “glossary of common cat sounds”; a few strategically placed editor’s notes; and a not-so-serious glossary. Whether they prefer cats or dogs, young and reluctant readers will get plenty of laughs from this comic and informative chapter book. Grades 3-5. --Shelle Rosenfeld

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Roaring Brook Press; First Edition edition (August 19, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596433418
• ISBN-13: 978-1596433410
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #81,444 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #74 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Health > Personal Hygiene

More About the Author

Nick Bruel is the author and illustrator of, among other books, Bad Kitty, Poor Puppy, Bad Kitty Gets a Bath, Happy Birthday, Bad Kitty, and Bad Kitty vs. Uncle Murray. A former bookseller, Nick used his quirky sense of humor and cartooning skills to get out from behind the bookstore counter and onto the shelves. But Nick was a born writer. When he was in first grade, he loved nothing more than to write stories and make drawings to go along with them, which he still does to this day. Nick lives with his wife Carina, daughter Isabel, and cat Esmerelda in Tarrytown, New York. During his down time, he collects PEZ dispensers and grows tomatoes in the backyard.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

151 of 151 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a CHAPTER Book, August 21, 2008

By 

Nicholas T. M. Bruel "NBruel" (Tarrytown, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Bad Kitty Gets a Bath (Hardcover)

Although I truly loathe the idea of reviewing my own book, I just want it to be perfectly clear to anyone before they purchase this book that "BAD KITTY GETS A BATH" is NOT a picture book like the original "Bad Kitty" or "Poor Puppy," but is a CHAPTER book.

For reasons unknown to me, the Amazon product description above does not clearly spell this out, so I thought I would do it myself. I really don't want anyone purchasing this book thinking that they'll be getting something that it is not.

Mind you, I think you can treat this book as if it were a long picture book. Even though the book is 128 pages of pure Kitty induced mayhem, I also loaded the book with over 120 illustrations to tell this story of how to give this cat a bath.

This was my reasoning for this book...

I worked for over 7 years in a children's bookstore in Manhattan called "Books of Wonder." During that time, I always found it bewildering when publishers would awkwardly adapt a popular children's book character into a board book format for babies and toddlers. It always made more sense to me to adapt a picture book character into the CHAPTER book format to give kids who are familiar with the character the chance to grow with her and challenge their reading level. To my knowledge, the only character to have done this to mixed success was Mary Hoffman's Grace.

And now I'm trying this with Bad Kitty.

My publisher Roaring Brook and I are treating "BAD KITTY GETS A BATH" as a bridge book for kids who are ready to move from the picture book format to the chapter book (and graphic novel) format.

That's why as a chapter book, I tried to keep the language relatively simple while still loading the book with moments of true non-fiction and lots of humor, keeping in mind that reluctant readers as old as 12 or 13 might pick this one up as well.

Kirkus Reviews got it. In its Starred review of this book, they set the age range at a nice, wide 5-12 years old.

I hope this helps.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Bad Kitty" is so GOOD!!!, September 23, 2008

By 

JL (Idaho) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bad Kitty Gets a Bath (Hardcover)

I can't say enough about how much our family loves this and all of Mr. Bruel's books. The illustrations are fantastic and convey such wonderful emotions and humor. As for the story, it is simply hilarious. It appeals to both children and adults; in fact, anyone who has ever tried to bathe a cat or simply owned a cat and/or dog will really get a kick out of it. With "Uncle Murray's Fun Facts" sprinkled throughout, children--and adults, for that matter--will also learn a few tidbits they may not have known.

"Bad Kitty" is certainly my favorite children's book character and "Bad Kitty Gets a Bath" definitely does not disappoint. Overall a great book and one I very, very highly recommend!!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My kid loved it!, September 3, 2008

By 

Julio Ginel "Reading Hog" (Jamaica, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bad Kitty Gets a Bath (Hardcover)

My daughter has been reading chapter books for about a year now. She has her favorite characters but chose to buy "Bad Kitty Takes A Bath." She was totally unfamiliar with the character but after the completion of the book, a short read at 128 pages (i believe), declared the book as "the best evah!" I will use her words to describe the book:

"It was a good book because he told me facts about cats and how to deal with them. It was also good because cats don't like baths so the story gets really funny when they try to make kitty take a bath. When i read it i wanted to keep reading just to find out how was kitty going to take a bath. I finished it really fast and i read it again just because i liked it so much!"

It is a good read, with insightful facts, and some real laughs. It is also the kind of book you can read to your child and show them the illustrations and it will have the same impact as if they read it themselves. I think my daughter has found her new favorite character and i highly recommend it.