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Bad Kitty Chapter Book #5

Bad Kitty for President

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The votes are in--it's a Bad Kitty landslide!

It's time to elect a new president of the Neighborhood Cat Coalition! Who will win the election? The candidate chosen by the kitties on the right side of the street or the candidate chosen by the kitties on the left side of the street? When election time rolls around, one candidate (guess who?) will discover that she never bothered to register to vote and the entire election will be decided by a surprise, last minute absentee ballot sent by Old Kitty.

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

104 people are currently reading
2213 people want to read

About the author

Nick Bruel

114 books400 followers
Nick Bruel is the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of children's books including Bad Kitty, Bad Kitty Gets a Bath, Bad Kitty Meets the Baby, and Boing!, among others. Nick is a freelance illustrator and cartoonist, and during his down time, he collects PEZ dispensers and grows tomatoes in the backyard. He lives in Tarrytown, NY with his wife Carina and their lovely cat Esmerelda.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/nickbruel

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5 stars
2,511 (56%)
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3 stars
671 (14%)
2 stars
201 (4%)
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110 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 298 reviews
Profile Image for Paul  Hankins.
770 reviews319 followers
November 22, 2011
The seat of the president of the Neighborhood Cat Club has been occupied by Old Kitty for some time. Now, old and tired (and having served his two allowable terms), a new candidate must rise from the ranks and take the lead. . .

FEH!

But after some convincing from the narrator, Kitty decides to take on the roll of president. . .but not so fast, Kitty, fancy outfits don't make you the president. There are steps to follow here.

Uncle Murray steps in to explain the primary system. But the primary system can be rather complicated. Perhaps a baby kissing demonstration would be a better indicator. . .

and before you know it Kitty and Big Kitty are in the race for the presidency of the neighborhood (though early on, I had some doubts regarding Kitty's stance on strays involving active volcanoes).

So, on to the grassroots campaign, and when Kitty misinterprets what this means, thank goodness for Edna Prunelove who comes in and cleans up the book for the reader just a bit (love this MONSTER AT THE END OF THE BOOK kind of homage).

Pressing the flesh, scandals involving hissy-fits that make the morning papers, smear campaigns against Big Kitty suggesting that he is actually a dog make up for some of the fun reading here as Kitty makes his way to his first public debate.

I just love these BAD KITTY books, God help me; I do. I want that cat to throw the two page hissy-fit and I look forward to it.

But more than the fun is a super introduction to the primary system, how a campaign works, and the importance of making sure one is registered to vote. I love how the BAD KITTY franchise has grown to become a non-fiction kind of ladder to items our younger readers may find confusing or ones our young people may not even have looked at yet.

I won't give away the election results here. . .that just wouldn't be right, would it?
Profile Image for Stay Fetters.
2,506 reviews199 followers
March 25, 2017
A Billion dollars!! Holy $€*@!!

Bad Kitty is sick and tired of all those stray cats coming into his territory and digging in the trash. She wants them gone. So she does the only thing she can do.... run for president.

I'm pretty sure this is how Trump decided to run. Was sick of stray cats always messing up his hair. Now cheddar skin is president.

Bad Kitty does her not so best and makes a mockery out of everything.

Usually Bad Kitty has me in stitches. This one was kind of dull and I didn't even laugh. Ugh! I need laughter in my political life. Disappointment from a series that usually takes me back to a time where I didn't have to be an adult.
20 reviews
October 29, 2012
Bad Kitty for President is another of Nick Bruel’s Bad Kitty novels. In this, the Neighborhood Cat Club President’s term is up and the position is open. Bad Kitty wishes to make laws about other cats invading the neighborhood so he is convinced by the narrator to run for president. The book goes through primaries, political parties, campaigning, and much more in a fun way. This novel explains a great deal, especially with the “Uncle Murray’s Fun Facts” pages. Realistic kid questions are asked and answered in a simply but accurately.

This book is intended for grades 2-5. The humor, side notes, and multiple page layouts throughout the novel help keep young readers involved in the story. Also, it is broken up into chapters at natural places so students are not overloaded with facts. It explains elections with favorite characters and funny situations that over-exaggerate processes to help students understand. I would use this book in a third grade classroom especially during an election year to help student understand the process of elections. After reading the book individually, we would have class elections, or hopefully, school elections to elect students to help make decisions about the school.
Profile Image for Jasmine H.
18 reviews
November 6, 2017
I kinda liked this book but it was short. This would be good for 3rd graders who enjoy learning books. This book was like informational books. Bad kitty was mad at stray cats because he wanted them to stop digging in his garbage. The he found out Old kitty was retiring so bad kitty wanted to be president but he lost. So he was mad and never wanted to do it again.
Profile Image for Sandy.
279 reviews14 followers
December 2, 2012
Informative and fun reading at the same time!
Profile Image for Melissa Wehunt.
640 reviews26 followers
November 13, 2014
I can't believe it...I actually lol'd several times. Quick and fun and educational...glad my previous recommendations turned out to be right on. :) Oh, and loved the illustrations!
Profile Image for Devansh Das.
24 reviews
October 25, 2023
I like how the kitty doesn't win the election. Another thing I like was that as soon as the kitty loses the election, it was about to shout but the protagonist shouts at it and stops the kitty.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Caleb.
4 reviews1 follower
January 10, 2018
=)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Profile Image for Krista the Krazy Kataloguer.
3,873 reviews329 followers
September 15, 2012
After I read this book I realized something about Nick Bruel. He has cleverly written this series of Bad Kitty books so that each one is progressively a bit more difficult to read, starting with picture books, then moving to chapter books, then moving to this one, thereby luring young readers into ever more challenging reads. However, as appealing as Bad Kitty is, I don't think this book will appeal to every fan. The story revolves around Bad Kitty wanting to be president of the Neighborhood Cat Club so that he can get rid of the alley cats invading the neighborhood. In the process, the reader learns a lot about how an election is conducted, from the primary right through voting. Very clever! The information on elections is revealed through the action in the story (Bad Kitty, of course, does it all wrong) and through 2-page informational spreads by Uncle Murray and at the end through a glossary narrated by Edna Prunelove. The process of being elected is clearly explained, so that readers can easily understand it. It's the best book I've read yet to deal with this subject. Highly recommended, especially before election time!

And did Bad Kitty get elected? Read and find out!
Profile Image for Mary Ann.
1,485 reviews315 followers
May 10, 2012
With trademark humor and mischief, Bruel continues the Bad Kitty series with great kid appeal in this timely installment. The Neighborhood Cat Coalition is set to elect their president and Old Kitty has decided to step down. Annoyed by the stray cats in the neighborhood, Bad Kitty springs into action when she realizes the potential power that can come with elected office. The black-and-white cartoon illustrations draw kids into the story and keep the pacing and humor moving at a good pace. The kitties’ campaigns follow the American electoral process, and so Bruel incorporates information about campaigning, fund-raising, media and debates throughout. Although the information is solid, the tone is always witty and full of word play. While some of the in-depth facts may go over the heads of younger readers, they can also lead to some timely discussions with adults about the American electoral process. Adults will enjoy the witty repartee between Bruel and his editor Neal Porter, and the many sly remarks about the problems in the electoral system. But really, this is for the kitties and the kids, and Bruel keeps his audience firmly in mind throughout.
Profile Image for Mofan Yang.
13 reviews
April 22, 2019
The book may have been censored because of "injustice" and its reference to the electoral process. Kitty entered the community because she hated stray cats and won the primary by kissing a baby. These ACTS seem like banter.

I don't really think this book has to be censored. Because my impression of the United States has always been very good about elections, very fair and transparent. Its every procedure, though political, is overseen by a national audience. I'm sure many of you are familiar with the campaign process. We don't have to shy away from that.

Although Kitty's reasons for running are childish, I encourage my schoolchildren to read the book. Because I didn't say it in the book but what I realized was that I wanted my students to learn to work for their ideas from an early age. Moreover, every race or class has the right to set up "checkpoints" to choose their managers.

I don't think this book will hurt my character education. It actually tells my students an important fact that many rules and qualities are obvious and can be learned through hard work. They should also behave in a way that is not "kidnapped" by worldly morality and be true to themselves.
Profile Image for G .
500 reviews7 followers
February 11, 2012
Nick Buel's Bad Kitty for President is out just in time for the presidential race this year. Bad Kitty for President includes the steps necessary to become president in easy to understand language and graphic novel format with a character that elementary students are already familiar with and enjoy. The students will enjoy most of the jokes, though many of them target higher-level humor that may appeal to middle school students. Bad Kitty runs for neighborhood president when he decides something needs to be done about the stray cat issue. All the neighborhood cats join the race, as well. The winner is determined by who can best kiss the baby. For those students who have a good grasp of a presidential race, the book will be fun and interesting, others may not understand the book, or it may confuse them.

I would recommend this book for upper elementary or middle school students. The bad actions and humor will definitely appeal to their sense of humor.


Received Galley from NetGalley.com
Profile Image for William Self.
3 reviews
October 1, 2014
It can be difficult to get my 8 year old daughter reading. She is a fan of The Bad Kitty series. We read this book together which I am glad we did so I could expand on her questions. We read it over several days and I was worried she would lose interest but she kept asking to read just one more chapter. It is a great book to introduce children 7+ to how our democracy works.
Profile Image for Sara.
217 reviews1 follower
March 7, 2015
Old kitty is not going to be president anymore. Bad kitty wants to be president. He makes commercials to pretend he was good. Uncle Murray published them. Bad kitty forgot to vote. Everyone else got one vote. They voted for themselves but the twin kitty's voted for each other. They decided to let Strange kitty be the president.
Profile Image for Janeene.
958 reviews14 followers
February 11, 2012
with all the election hype, the debates, etc what better time to read this than now - for fellow Bad Kitty followers you will like it.

If I had a choice between Newt G and Bad Kitty - well, we all know who I'd vote for don't we.

Profile Image for kyla.
100 reviews
May 15, 2016
This book is very funny. I like that Kitty had her usual grumpy, spitty fit. The introduction was funny. This story is probably one of the funniest stories I have ever read. I read it like 3 or 4 times. It is a good book.
Profile Image for Ashley.
7 reviews
Read
April 5, 2012
it is a book about a pointless topic, i don't think this cat has a purpose in life- caroline spaeth
Profile Image for Cassie.
516 reviews14 followers
November 19, 2015
I suppose this is one way to introduce young children to the political process. Bad Kitty is pretty savvy with the attack ads.
44 reviews
January 25, 2018
Love the way the author weaves facts in with the fiction. And it's funny too! What a great read for young children who want to learn about elections!
9 reviews
September 18, 2018
I really liked it because it was really funny and entertaining.The book made me laugh.I really like this book because bad kitty does some funny things.
Profile Image for Steff Fox.
1,558 reviews167 followers
October 22, 2020
I have mixed feelings about this one. The entire election plot was just okay and I’m honestly super annoyed at the reason Bad Kitty decided to run in the first place. It was very...borderline not okay as far as I’m concerned.

This is my first time reading a Bad Kitty book after hearing tons of good things about them. I have to say, I’m somewhat disappointed.

Full review to come.
Profile Image for Sandra Fish.
106 reviews5 followers
April 12, 2022
heck yes i'm adding this book! Although it's from 2012, it's a freaking classic. this tale has it all - dark money, attack ads, close election and more! and ok, if your kids (or others!) want to understand elections, this is a good resource... also, there's a reason that adjective is in front of Kitty's name i am just sayin.
Profile Image for Francis.
432 reviews7 followers
March 28, 2020
My least favourite of the Bad Kitty books that I’ve read so far. Not only was it just about how the American government works (I’m Canadian), it was missing all of the humour that the other Bad Kitty books had. Even a book about politics could have been done much better. Oh well...that was the last Bad Kitty book that my son has right now. I’ll have to read something different with him for a while.
Profile Image for Kayte.
314 reviews
April 18, 2021
Did this book just teach my child why superPACs are terrible using entertaining examples? Yes. It was an entertaining book, explained elections- and not just the rah rah America part of elections, and was funny so it didn’t feel like learning. Amazing.
We love all the bad kitty books, and have been reading through all of them, but this one just blew my mind.
1 review
October 30, 2017
There was this old Kitty named,old Kitty and He served his time as president,then they were going to have election on to see who would be the next president and Kitty heard about it and he went to join in it and he did and they did some crazy challenge it was called kiss the baby,
Kitty wanted to win so bad that we went around knocking on the Kitty’s dores that he was going against, and today is the day said Kitty you are going to win well when he got there he was going to vote for himself and the guy said hang on there Kitty you did not register to vote so you can’t even vote for yourself he got so sad then they were counting the votes and the announcer said well we have a 4 way tie wait Kitty said there are 5 of us and I didn't get a vote that's because they all voted for themselves what said Kitty wait there is one more vote from old Kitty and he voted for strange Kitty, Kitty said well I lost and he walked up to strange Kitty and said i’m going to beat you like a cheap rug in 4 years.
I liked when the kitty’s do the challenge kiss the baby it's kind of funny,I also like when Kitty went knocking on people's doors and saying you look nice and pretty today I thought that part was funny the way he acted,like when kitty made the he mad the mean commercial about all the kitty’s who are campaigning with him it was not nice at all I also don’t like when when he gos to talk about what he would do if he was president when he gets up there he starts scratching and meowing and hissing at the audience. Those are the parts that I don’t like and I do like in this book.
I think that families would like this book because, this book is a funny and exciting book and fun to read and if you like funny and exciting and fun to read books than I recommend reading this book.
Profile Image for Tiger.
218 reviews2 followers
January 25, 2020
Before we begin, I have no mind for what's considered a spoiler and what isn't so, fair warning - POSSIBLE SPOILERS ahead.

Kitty wants to throw the strays into an active volcano oh my grim, I fall more in love with this cat with every book lol Her attitude is too precious.

I really appreciate the Harry Paw-ter and Paw and Order references. Definitely boosted the experience for me.

So this book focuses on Politics and I just have one thing to say: ew. Even as a 26-year-old, that explanation of how it works went over my head and I was completely lost. Is our current youth that smart that they can understand this shit? I don't know, man. In my opinion, kids shouldn't be exposed to politics, especially that young.

I mean, I get that voting is important, but every time I've ever gone to vote, I get handed a list of names and items I've never heard of and voting is just a guessing game of who sounds trustworthy and who doesn't.

I didn't know that Abraham Lincoln was the first president to own a cat in the white house. There were a bunch of other presidents that owned cats, too, which I didn't know!

I only scored 5 on the quiz, which proves how un-smart I am lol And Edna is clearly anti-cat pro-dog so I already don't like her! I have a feeling she'll be coming back in later books, too. The little notes posted to add music were cute, too, I smiled at them anyway!

Finally, here's the form I filled out for Kitty to use! ;)

Profile Image for libreroaming.
408 reviews12 followers
September 23, 2018
Starting off Banned Books Week early. "Bad Kitty Runs for President" showed up on a list of banned/challenged books when it was taken out of a Nevada school library. An uncommon example of a single book being struck out while the series is left in (another example being a Texas school banning "A Bad Kitty Christmas" for showing a lesbian couple in the background). What makes this Bad Kitty so much more immoral?

Well, this Bad Kitty book does have a slight shift in tone. It trades some irrelevant humor for a more solid criticism of political campaigning lampooning that makes for a funny (but not yet too satirically helpless kind of funny) experience. The objectionable content seems to be the "Holy %#@$" type that is indicative of...stronger feelings, but incomprehensible to kids who don't know what kind of word it should be substituted for. And since most Bad Kitty humor relies of how this curmudgeonly feline would be cursing her frustration upon Uncle Murray, Puppy, the reader, and all sentient beings, I thought it was a little odd for this title to be singled out.

Maybe the grassroots potty joke was the tip off. Especially since the book called attention to it by putting its own humorous censor in with a digression of Puppy politics while Kitty did her business. But infinitely less vulgar that the actual stuff we hear on the news. Funny, acerbic, another proof that Bad Kitty is still very Good.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 298 reviews

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