Mog's Bad Thing

Mog the Forgetful Cat #15

by Judith Kerr

Mog loves her garden, but somehow it seems to have completely disappeared overnight. What Mog doesn't realize is that the flappy-floppy thing that has replaced her garden is in fact a marquee put up for a cat show. Mog hides in the house and is oblivious to the cats of various sizes and colors who parade themselves hoping to be winners. But soon curiosity takes over and Mog makes a spectacular entrance, winning the show as a result of her acrobatics.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Cats, Animals, Pets, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2000

About the author

Judith Kerr was a German-born British writer and illustrator who has created both enduring picture books such as the Mog series and The Tiger Who Came To Tea and acclaimed novels for older children such as the autobiographical When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit which give a child's-eye view of the Second World War.

Kerr was born in Berlin but left Germany with her parents and her brother, Michael, in 1933, soon after the Nazis first came to power. They were forced to leave as her father, noted drama critic, journalist and screenwriter Alfred Kerr, had openly criticised the Nazis,who burned his books shortly after the family had fled Germany. They travelled first to Switzerland and then on into France, before finally settling in Britain, where Kerr has lived ever since. She subsequently became a naturalised British citizen.

Reviews

[Abigail]

That delightfully befuddled feline Mog returns in this fifteenth title devoted to her adventures, doing something she shouldn't when confronted with the unknown. Contented with her garden, with its grass and flowers, and its lavatory behind the tree, Mog is shocked to discover that it has disappeared underneath a mysterious white flapping thing one night. Frightened by the flapping of the white intruder (a tent sent up in the garden, for the next day's cat show), Mog relieves herself in the most inappropriate place possible: on Mr. Thomas's chair. The ensuing hubbub the next morning has our confused and frightened feline decamping for the attic, where she hides until an unexpected turn of events has her arriving at the cat show in a rather unconventional way...

Begun in 1970, with Mog the Forgetful Cat , Judith Kerr's series of picture and board-books devoted to Mog, a plump kitty who, although not the brightest, has a loving heart, eventually grew to include sixteen titles. Mog's Bad Thing is the fifteenth, and like some of its predecessors, it deals with a common feline-human problem in an entertaining and heartwarming way. Anyone who has had cats has probably had to deal with the occasional (or not so occasional) 'accident,' and this story is a helpful reminder that such occurrences are not done out of malice, and should not be handled with anger. Mog doesn't really understand why Mr. Thomas is shouting at her, but she does feel sad and frightened. The conclusion, although unlikely - although no more unlikely than many of the things that happen to this kitty - leaves Mog and the Thomases happy. Recommended to anyone who has read and enjoyed other tales about Mog, and to children who enjoy stories about cats.

[Steve]

Poor Mog lost her shitter 😭

[Annie Donette]

So twee and middle class it hurts! Mog continues to be loveable and charming. The idea of a cat show is a good talking point, and it’s fun matching the descriptions of the various cats with the illustrations. The whole thing is rather dated. Explaining the word “lavatory” to children will be a hoot!

[Maya]

Yüksekten atlamanın ödüllendirilen bir davranış olması kötü örnek teşkil edebilir, ayrıca eşlerden erkek olan otururken kadının sürekli servis yada temizlik yaparken resmedilmesi de rahatsız edici

[Olivia Lunt]

AMAZING, emotionally charged but heartwarming, such a good read

[Adrian]

Mog had her breakfast and went to have her big sleep It was a very big sleep. It was so big that she only woke up after everyone else had gone to bed Mog thought, "'Now for another mouse hunt."

We do like a bit of Judith Kerr, especially this series of Mog the Forgetful Cat books.

This time the calamitous cat is all confused when his well-known garden landmarks disappear and a large, flapping, monster is in their place. What could this strange apparition what and where will Mog be able to do his business... well there's only one way to find out!

A fun read with a couple of moments that reminded me of our five cats. 3 1/2 stars.

[Penguins Class]

“The beautiful garden and when he does the mouse hunts are good. I didn’t like the flappy thing that was just weird. When he flied in that was the funniest part. I actually quite liked the punctuation and that’s it”
“I like it when Mog did the naughty thing when he peed or pooed on Mr Mog’s chair because it’s funny. And I liked it when he was like a super hero and went flying through the roof. I liked looking at those unusual kittens”
“It’s just weird because the cat could just easily find out that it’s behind the tent. I don’t like the pictures. It’s just not me”

[Ramona Cantaragiu]

In this one Mog gets scared by a large white tent placed in her garden for the organization of a cat show and ends up doing her business on the father's chair. Mog eventually wins top prize at the event and things get back to normal. Not my favorite in the series as it is a bit silly.

[Bella]

My first book about Mon. Read in anticipation of Goodbye Mog

[Jane Scholey]

Loved hearing one of my y1 students read this today. Super.

[Wayne Farmer]

Wasn't expecting the "bad thing" to be what it was - very funny! And then of course Mog comes up smelling of roses in the end. Lovely story for children!

[Jenna Mills]

Great fun

[Laura Bennett]

A very enjoyable, funny read!

[Piper]

Really good book for learning. A real enjoyable series with a lot of good morals and stories for young children and toddlers

[Marek]

This is one crazy cat. I had a big laugh with my daughter reading this book.

[Riani Halim]

Lovely and funy. I never had a cat but I though Mog is adorable - if you don't mind those little mess and troubles.

[Andrea]

This was not at all what I was expecting. I'll just leave it at that.

[Serena Q]

cool

[Katie]

Toddler absolutely adores this - and I find it fairly funny as well.

[Donna]

Poor Mog, terrified by a flappy tent that seems to have made her garden disappear, still manages to win at the cat show.

[ArtemisKate]

Poor Mog - she didn't mean to - but it all turned out good in the end. Love you Mog.

[zunggg]

An interloping marquee plays havoc with Mog's toiletary arrangements, but the inimitable cat comes good in the end.

[Radina Petrova]

:D

[Kierana Farr]

What’s a girl to do when she’s got no loo?

[T K]

Mog is so funny

[Jessica]

Mog, Mog, Mog...cute.

[Tim Robinson]

A charming story, but I was appalled to see that all the people were white, middle class and conformed to outdated gender roles. This really isn't good enough.