Bad Kitty vs. Uncle Murray

Gr 2—4—The cantankerous cat is back, and her claws are out in this picture-laden chapter book. Uncle Murray, who has appeared in previous books to give his "Fun Facts" about cats, is here to "pet sit" Bad Kitty and Poor Puppy. The feline is not happy with this arrangement and gives Uncle Murray a horrible time, skittishly jumping out at him when he least expects it. When Murray pulls out the dreaded vacuum cleaner, Bad Kitty bolts out the door and into the street. By the end of the pet-sitting arrangement, a ragged, dirty, glazed Murray keeps repeating wistfully, "fish don't bite or scream or chase you around the house…." Different fonts and huge scrawling words appear throughout, and the black-and-white cartoons on every page often show Bad Kitty and Murray with exaggerated gestures. The style gives the book a fast pace and adds to the comedic atmosphere. However, it's Uncle Murray's good-natured bumbling against Bad Kitty's cranky craziness that will get the giggles going.—Carrie Rogers-Whitehead, Kearns Library, UT