Wiley & Grampa #9: Curse of the Kitty Litter [Hardcover]

Product Details

• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers (August 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316006882
• ISBN-13: 978-0316006880
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Kirk was born and raised in Austin, Texas. In kindergarten, Kirk's teachers were so impressed with his demented drawings of zombies, witches and monsters that they often called his parents and even recommended a few "experts" take a look at Kirk's work. Thankfully, for Kirk's poor Mother, he grew out of his monster kick and went on to study film at the University of Texas which inspired him to move to sunny Los Angeles to pursue his dream of working retail and living in a luxury un-air-conditioned apartment. After years of reassessment, reflection and hard work, Kirk has finally realized his true calling... drawing demented pictures of zombies, witches and monsters.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wiley And Grampa Are In A Load Of Trouble!, August 14, 2008

By 

Mel Odom (Moore, OK USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wiley & Grampa #9: Curse of the Kitty Litter (Wiley & Grampa's Creature Features) (Paperback)

I don't know how many people are reading Kirk Scroggs's WILEY AND GRAMPA'S CREATURE FEATURE series. I'm telling everyone about them and no one else seems to have heard of them. But more people need to be reading these books. Or at least corrupting the minds of elementary kids with them!

With the publication of the latest, CURSE OF THE KITTY LITTER, the series is now nine books long. Each tale is chockfull of humor, twists on the supernatural or weird science, short chapters (ideal for reluctant readers), and art (ideal for emerging young artists).

I love these books. My son and I discovered them a few years ago. Though we're both too old for them according to the targeted market, we howl with glee as the author ropes us into another twisted adventure with Wiley, Grampa, Gramma, and loveable pet cat Merle.

In addition to the graphic whackiness throughout, the author also busts zingers and provides additional laughs for the adults indulging in pre-adolescence with their kids. Scroggs has a growing cast of characters and manages to showcase each of them in every adventure.

CURSE OF THE KITTY LITTER starts off with inane hilarity and proceeds to lambast the hoariest of pulp plot shticks, the character's inheritance of wealth from an unknown and distant relative. There's also the "you must stay in the haunted house all night to get the inheritance" clause guaranteed to deliver bloodshed in slasher films and goofiness in comedies like Wiley and Grampa.

I think I would have enjoyed a book solely about the efforts our heroes made to spend the night in Badtable Manor. Scroggs is good enough to pull that off, in my opinion. But I think he's tapped into the pulse of his reading public because he moves the story along so that part - as hilarious and weird as it is - passes in a few short pages. Barry Dunderdirt the ghostly gravedigger and the possessed clowns were great. And the mayonnaise ghost was totally unexpected. I loved the way Merle was lured from the mansion because it was so simple.

The story of Mr. Spittles, the prize family cat that passed on years ago, was interesting and I knew from reading Scroggs's past work that he wasn't through using that particular angle. One of the things I like best about this series is that the author knows how to set up things he keeps returning to for bigger and bigger laughs. Mr. Spittles's story doesn't emerge all at once, and the tale is even better for that. Scroggs has great timing for dropping the other shoe. Or, in the case of the CURSE OF THE KITTY LITTER, dropping the next LOAD of bad news!

The deliberate linking of the cat show judge Simon Yowl to AMERICAN IDOL's Simon Cowl is a hoot. It might be something the younger readers won't get, but it's one of those things Scroggs sticks in for his adult fans that pick the books up and read them when no one's looking.

This book just hit the shelves so you should be able to find it. You don't need to have read the others. Simply pick it up, leaf through it, and see if something catches your eye. I'm betting something will. Then you'll go back and try to get the other books in the series and eagerly look forward to the new ones. Just like my son and I do.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fun story!, October 9, 2008

By 

purplelizard (east coast) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Wiley & Grampa #9: Curse of the Kitty Litter (Wiley & Grampa's Creature Features) (Paperback)

Grampa is left as an inheritance a stinky posh kitty litter!!! Their kitty is excited to use use-but wait-dangers lurk!
What a great book for a boy- full of gross, smelly, ghastly characters- not to mention the nasty kitty litter!!!

I read this to my 7 yr old son. He is a slow reader- but I do recommend this book for readers in 2nd grade. Has pictures throughout the book- which I even enjoy. Very light and entertaining story. We started with this one- so I don't think one needs to do them in any order. I now will order the rest of this series.