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Bad Kitty vs. Uncle Murray: The Uproar at the Front Door, by Nick Bruel (c2010)

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Follett Titlewave

 

Uncle Murray stays with Puppy and Kitty for the week while their family takes a trip.  In fits of paranoia, Kitty projects all kinds of evil intentions on pet-loving Uncle Murray–and cartoon mayhem ensues!

OK. I admit it. I’m a cartoon snob.

My straight-laced middle-aged female librarian heart considers all books with cartoons guilty until proven innocent. Guilty of being crass and inappropriate. You can blame “Mad Magazine.” I do.

But let’s be fair. There are some great graphic books out there–both fiction and nonfiction. The comic book format engages reluctant readers.

The lines  are blurring between book formats, especially since Brian Selznick’s The Invention of Hugo Cabret:  A Novel in Words and Pictures (Caldecott Medal Winner, 2008).

More and more books are interjecting liberal doses of cartoons amidst text.  Two series come to mind:  The wildly popular Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney and the NERD: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society series, by Michael Buckley.

So I shouldn’t judge a book by its cover . . . or by the amount of comic illustrations inside.

So what about Bad Kitty vs Uncle Murray: The Uproar at the Front Door?

Burly, hairy, t-shirt wearing Uncle Murray paired with some chaotic illustrations gave me a different first impression, but in truth this book is harmless, funny, and quite educational.

Amidst the storyline, Nick Bruel interjects a few pages of “Uncle Murray’s Fun Facts” that answer questions about feline fears:  Why are some cats afraid of people? Why are cats afraid of vacuum cleaners? Why are some cats afraid of being alone?

I’m not crazy about half-swearing, so I will mention the word “heck” appears  once (p.33).

My students clamor for “funny books” and quick reads. This book is both. I think this series would be popular with 2nd to 5th graders.

Awards/Lists: Children’s Choices for 2011.

 


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