Bad Kitty Does Not Like Thanksgiving

August 1, 2019
"Like" isn't a strong enough word to express this feline's feelings for Thanksgiving: "Bad Kitty LOVES turkey." Bad Kitty can do without all the fixings, though, thank you very much. In fact, the black cat's expressive face and body language at just the thought of green beans or mashed potatoes or cranberry sauce will be familiar to caregivers who deal with picky eaters: paws clutching the throat, eyes bulging, and tongue stuck way out, for example. But when devious Kitty cooks up some plans to get all the turkey for herself, they go sadly awry. Instead, Kitty has close and calamitous encounters with green beans, then mashed potatoes, and finally cranberry sauce...along with a scolding from her human, who says there will be no turkey for Bad Kitty at all. The cat kicks the table in her rage, injuring her foot and bringing the turkey down on top of her. The final page repeats the title, depicting Bad Kitty in her basket with a bandaged head and foot and Chinese takeout containers crowding the dinner table. Simple text with lots of repetition makes this accessible for the youngest Bad Kitty fans, and the included stickers (meant for decoration, as there is no place for them in the book) cement the deal for that age group. Bruel's masterful control of slapstick will have readers in stitches. A nifty read while everyone waits for the turkey to cook. (Picture book. 2-5)

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