The Cat Who Ate Christmas

September 1, 2018
Will Jingles the cat's yuletide mischief ruin Christmas for everyone?In this lengthy picture book with a diminutive trim size, a family deals with their new kitten's shenanigans at Christmastime. Before Jingles eats Christmas (as foretold by the title), he breaks it by destroying decorations, tearing wrapping paper off gifts, and then knocking over the tree. While this is upsetting (especially for little Rose), the family rallies and carries on with their day, and they're excited to go get Grandma and bring her to their house for a special turkey dinner. But then, in the titular twist that will remind fans of the film A Christmas Story of the fate that befalls little Ralphie's family's holiday meal, Jingles sneaks to the kitchen while the family is out and gobbles up the turkey, leaving a huge mess. These feline hijinks are met with patience after Rose's initial wail, but Jingles disappears in disgrace while everyone cleans up. Sharp-eyed readers will see that he's stowed away in Grandma's bag, but the family frets while he's missing. A joyful reunion the next day affirms their unconditional love for their naughty kitten. Throughout, the tightly written, humorous text is enhanced by Docherty's exuberant grayscale illustrations with Christmassy red embellishments. The family is an interracial one; Mom appears black, Dad and Grandma white, and the three children, Alex, Lily, and Rose, biracial.Kids will eat this up, no matter the season. (Picture book. 6-9)

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September 24, 2018
Illustrated with spry pictures by Docherty (The Storybook Knight), this rambunctious caper opens on Christmas Eve. When Rose attempts to tie tinsel onto the tail of her disobliging kitten, Jingles leaps into the tree, sending ornaments flying. The girl and her amiable multiracial family eventually settle down to sleep, but Jingles continues his merry mischief-making: he unwraps all the gifts and, at daybreak, crawls to the top of the tree as Rose wails, “Jingles broke Christmas.” After the tree collapses into “a heap of glitter and tinsel,” the feisty feline consumes the holiday turkey (“Jingles ate Christmas!”) and suddenly disappears. While the anguished family searches for its missing pet, readers won’t worry; they’ve seen Jingles jump, and happily nestle, into Grandma’s purse. Though the cat’s final prank—a repeat performance involving the tree—is somewhat anticlimactic, kids who appreciate extreme pet antics will eagerly follow along. Christmas facts and activities conclude the romp. Ages 6–10.

October 1, 2018

Gr 1-4-After Alex, Lily, and Rose go to bed on Christmas Eve, Jingles the cat sneaks downstairs and destroys decorations, opens the presents, and topples the tree. When the family goes to pick up Grandma for Christmas dinner, Jingles eats the turkey. To avoid his angry family, Jingles stows away in Grandma's handbag, leading them to believe that he has run away on Christmas. Once he is returned to his family, they realize that in spite of Jingles's naughty behavior, being together is all they really need for Christmas. The story is humorous, told through simple sentences and short paragraphs. The back matter includes a cocoa recipe, instructions for creating a Christmas angel, as well as an assortment of Alex's favorite Christmas trivia. The cartoonish illustrations are dynamic and expressive to underpin Jingles's mischief as well as the emotions of the story. Gray scale illustrations with splashes of red depict a biracial family and the naughty black-and-white kitten. VERDICT Though the importance of family is a moral seen time and again in holiday stories, this title is a fun romp through the chaos of the Christmas season; the streamlined text and illustrations make it a worthy addition for most libraries.-Kelly Topita, Anne Arundel County Public Library, MD

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