Puppy's Big Day

October 15, 2014
Puppy and Uncle Murray escape a rampaging Bad Kitty for a day's adventure on the town. Bad Kitty's acting crazier than usual. Puppy never minds, but Uncle Murray rescues him anyway, and the two go for a walk. Uh-oh! Uncle Murray forgot Puppy's leash, so he gets a ticket from a police officer. Puppy has to do his business and...Uncle Murray has no bags to clean up-another ticket. Puppy's collar and tags are at home...another ticket. Poor Uncle Murray! Maybe a trip to the dog park will help. Puppy meets a new friend-in the way puppies do-and when he and Uncle Murray get separated, Puppy ends up in the pound. Will Uncle Murray rescue him? What about Puppy's new friends? And what of Bad Kitty's conniption? Bruel lets Bad Kitty's drooling, happy canine sibling have a tale of his own. As in previous chapter-book-length outings in the series, the story is heavily illustrated and dotted with two-page informational spreads. This time, Bad Kitty takes over Uncle Murray's lecturing duties to speak on differences in potty habits between cats and dogs and the reasons dogs sniff bottoms. Perhaps it's not the best of the series, but it offers plenty of good, goofy fun that's ever-so-slightly instructional. Bad Kitty fans will certainly embrace Puppy's first outing since Poor Puppy (2007). (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 8-11)

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November 1, 2014

Gr 2-4-Because Bad Kitty is in a terrible mood, Uncle Murray is enlisted to get Puppy out of the house, and the two set off to spend the day together. Right away, though, they get into trouble with an offstage police officer, who tickets Uncle Murray for violations like walking a dog without a leash and failing to clean up after the pup. They then head for the dog park, where they encounter a rather aggressive bulldog named Petunia, who quickly forms a crush on Puppy. After she chases Uncle Murray up a tree, Petunia and Puppy are picked up by Animal Control and taken to a pound. By the time Puppy is claimed, he has made friends with several of the odd characters at the pound, and soft-hearted Uncle Murray ends up as a dog owner. Scattered throughout the narrative are interjections from Bad Kitty about the yuckier habits of dogs, and the end matter includes information on adopting pets from shelters. As always, Bruel's writing is hilarious, and his excellent illustrations make the story complete. Bad Kitty fans will enjoy this volume immensely.-Sarah Reid, Broome County Public Library, Binghamton, NY

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2014
Grades 2-4 When Uncle Murray takes Puppy for a walk, unexpected encounters lead to comical disasters. A cop stops them to settle a few issues (no leash, no doggy bag, no license). After a bulldog attacks Uncle Murray in the park, Puppy runs off and winds up at the animal shelter. In the end, bighearted Uncle Murray saves the day. Between chapters, amusing and informative pages on canine behavior tackle questions such as Why do dogs sniff butts? With dialogue and illustrations that range from droll to madcap, this book seems sure to turn devoted dog-lovers into Bad Kitty series fans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)