Bad Kitty Drawn to Trouble

Bad Kitty Chapter Book #7

by Nick Bruel

In this seventh installment of the New York Times–bestselling series, Kitty encounters what may be her most formidable foe yet: her creator! Kitty soon learns that feline manipulation works both ways—especially when you're at the wrong end of your author's pencil. Along the way, Nick shows kids how a book is created, despite the frequent interruptions from you-know-who.
 
A Neal Porter Book

Genres: Childrens, Humor, Fiction, Chapter Books, Cats, Writing, Juvenile

128 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2013

About the author

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

Reviews

[Readaholic Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A seriously hilarious book. I love "meeting" the author.

[Erik This Kid Reviews Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bad Kitty is back! But, this time, she’s not alone! Her creator, Nick Bruel, is right in the plot! With the (unwilling) help of Kitty, Mr. Bruel tells us readers how to write a good story . The reader learns about protagonists, setting, plot, conflict, foreshadowing and much more in a fun-filled way. The is that Kitty needs to go on a diet of turnips, because she’s gained a LOT of weight recently (thanks to Mr. Bruel and his trusty paint brush). But, the thing is, Kitty doesn’t even LIKE turnips. And, Puppy is eating all of her food. Plus, the giant octopuses outside the house (generously provided by Mr. Bruel) keep Kitty from running away.

This is a hilarious addition to the Bad Kitty series. In fact, I think this is my new favorite (sorry Bad Kitty vs. Uncle Murray) because of all the information it gives about writing a book. Mr. Bruel’s humor is awesome. I love that the antagonist in the story is a turnip. :) Mr. Bruel wrote a great book that teaches kids all about writing and made it a totally enjoyable story. The idea of the author/illustrator and character interacting is very cool (even though Bad Kitty is NOT impressed by it). I like how Mr. Bruel adds comments from his editor, “Neal”, on little sticky notes “stuck” to the pages reminding him of things he shouldn’t be doing in the story. There is also a handy glossary in the back of the book with the definitions of the parts of the story Mr. Bruel goes over (and a recipe for roasted turnips hee hee :lol: ). I think kids of all ages will enjoy this book for the hilarious story and learn something along the way!
*NOTE I bought my own copy

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was written by my 9 year old daughter and it's posted on her blog KK's Books and Reviews


Today is World Literacy Day and I bought this book at my school Book Fair.

It's really funny because Kitty is hilarious. This time the author was in it. Nick Bruel got scratched up by Kitty. On my favorite page he's like AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!

Nick Bruel made Kitty fat, and made her eat turnips, and he was like "You have to eat a better diet, Kitty."

Then he wrote 3 stories about her that were fake and they were to show Kitty that she had to eat better. At the end of the book is a turnip recipe that says kids better have an adult supervising. Maybe because it'll explode? I don't know but my mom says we can cook a turnip with that recipe this week.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars. My kids LOVE Bad Kitty chapter books, and as a parent, I find these books fun to read with them. This Bad Kitty book was a departure from the rest. The author is the narrator, and he uses the book to explain the writing process and writing concepts - protagonist, plot, antagonist, and many more. It's a great book for introducing these concepts to kids, and he does it in a really fun way.

My kids had mixed reactions to the book, as did I. My middle grade son was disappointed that the book was really about writing instead of a straight-up bad kitty story. My lower elementary daughter loved the book, but I'm afraid that the concepts went over her head. Still...good exposure. And me - I fall in the middle. I love that the author used this platform to explain writing in a fun, kid-accessible way. (Teachers! Take note and use this book in your classroom!) But, like my son, I didn't find it as enthralling as a story as the rest of the Bad Kitty books.

[Stay Fetters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bad Kitty put on some weight and now she must go on a diet.... a turnip diet... ewww yuck!
Bruel gives us instructions on how to make your own little Bad Kitty story.
I wonder what kind of trouble we can make her get into......

[Karin]

I read this at the request of my daughter! A fun book!

[Romelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really fun way for children to learn how to write a book. Author Nick Bruel narrates the story as himself. Love the humorous interaction between Bad Kitty and Nick Bruel. A great example of breaking the 4th wall. The book is broken into 6 chapters: Meet the Author, Meet the Character, The Conflict, Meet the Antagonist, Plot Points, and The Most Important Rule About Writing Stories. A glossary of literary terms is also included. I recommend this for the aspiring young writer!

[Cindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like I am the only one who did not love this book. Unless my daughter insists on reading another one, I will not be buying any or getting them from the library. There is good children's literature out there and this is not it.

[Maximilian Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

😆I liked this book because it was very humorous.😆 It was very humorous because Nick drew a speech bubble to Kitty that says "I love turnips!" even though Kitty thinks it is the worst thing in the world.
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[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book because I like Bad Kitty books - they are funny. I also enjoyed this book because I liked the part when Nick Bruel showed me how to draw Bad Kitty.

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bad Kitty Drawn to Trouble by Nick Bruel was very funny. I loved this book and want to read the others. Nick Bruel is the narrator of the book and tells how to write a book. He tells about how to chose a setting for your book.

I loved this book, i have read the others and would like to read the newer ones. It is an enjoyable book and is very funny. If you are looking for a funny, shorter book I would recommend this book and the series to you.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picture Book. Great book that breaks the fourth wall and teaches children through the story about how to write their own stories. Lots of information, but not quite as funny as his other Bad Kitty books.

[Sandra The Amazing · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book was great and funny!

[Maci Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay... This book doesn't have a real 'story' to it, but I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!! It includes most of the Literary Devices and gives young readers a view of what every author/Illustrator has to process while creating a book. The page's explanations were pretty self explanatory whenever it came to the Literary Terms. Not to mention, this is a cute and random book... And who doesn't love Nick's nutty personality!?!? This Book also shows kids that they can make their own books and stories and create it how they want.

This is one of those 'I wish that book was made when I was younger' books. I personally feel that this book could influence many talented kids to become writers. I know if this book was published whenever I was around 9, I would go ga-ga over the "little writer's guide".

Because I am a write-a-holic, I definitely recommend this book to every writer out there!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bad Kitty wasn't born bad. She was drawn that way, imagined, created, and put onto the pages of many popular children's picture books by Nick Bruel. In this longer book, a primer on writing, Bruel explains how to write a book. While doing so, he introduces terms such as plot, protagonist, theme, and open and closed endings. All of these relate to Bad Kitty, and in his attempts to make the craft of writing easier to understand, he puts poor Kitty in all sorts of unpleasant situations. In fact, he even has the audacity to put her on a turnip diet. The book is hilarious, of course, and the fact that the author keeps intruding on the text adds to its appeal.

[Dingleberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Bad Kitty, and I'm 35.

I love Bad Kitty because it's hilarious and my children will listen.

This installment was a bit lackluster compared to other titles, such as Bad Kitty Gets a Bath, which had me just as cracked up as my girls. It was, however, still relevant to children and answered some of their questions in a helpful and informative (and funny) way.

I feel this series will belong amongst the children's classics of my daughter's generation. I can see them sharing these books with my grandchildren in time.

It makes me smile.

[Katie Lovett]

My daughter has been a fan of Bad Kitty for quite some time, and when I read this one, I was SUPER excited. In this latest Bad Kitty adventure, her story is also a teaching tool--it teaches kids how to write their own stories. I read it as I was in the planning stages of a creative writing class for kids ages 8-10, and now I'm planning to use the book to supplement my lessons. It was an incredible find, and Kitty is delightful as always.

[Shanna Hurd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nick Bruel teaches kids how to write a story (with a little help from Kitty). As an adult who studied creative writing in college, the book didn't break new ground for me, but for a kid who is just learning about storytelling, this would be a great introduction. I would recommend it to Bad Kitty fans, kids that are interested in writing, and for kids that need to learn about writing, but don't like nonfiction.

[Kaethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of Bad Kitty as well as those interested in writing, cartooning, and drawing, will enjoy learning how a best-selling author creates a book. Bruel keeps his lessons to the same light, humorous tone as the other books. I quite like that he includes even the colors he uses.

Library copy.

[Andrew DeMars · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awe$ome $auce

I just love your books and the recipes in this book are you still going to make more books and you make a lot of money and $$. who hates bad kitty?
I think your books are better than other books.

[April Bauer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would get four stars, but this humorous story uses a plot line that involves a kitty going on a diet which I'm not entirely sure is appropriate for kids this age.

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bad Kitty Drawn to Trouble is a book like magic. It's written by this super smart guy named Nick Bruel, and he's like a writing wizard. He doesn't just tell a story, he shows us how to make our own stories! How cool is that?

He starts off by introducing us to Bad Kitty, and let me tell you, this kitty is one cool cat. But the best part is, Nick Bruel wants us to learn how to make our own stories like he does. He's like a teacher, but a fun one!

He gives us all these tapes. Not like sticky tape, but like ideas and tools to help us write awesome stories. He talks about things like "conflict" – that's when characters have problems. And he teaches us about "twists" – that's like a surprise in the story that makes you go "whoa!"

But wait, there's more! He shows us how to make our own characters and how to make them do things in our stories. And guess what? He even teaches us how to draw Bad Kitty! It's like magic, 'cause now I can draw a super cool kitty.

And you know what? This book is like a secret code to writing. It has all these cool parts, like the beginning, the middle, and the end. It's like a roadmap to making stories that people will love to read.

I really, really like this book. It's like Nick Bruel is right there with us, cheering us on to write our own stories. It made me so excited that I want to write my own book too. I haven't done it yet, but I know I can because of this book!

So, if you love reading and you wanna be a writer like Nick Bruel, you gotta read "Bad Kitty Drawn to Trouble." It's like having a secret writing club with the coolest teacher ever. Get ready to be drawn into the world of writing fun!

I just posted my full review of this book on my YouTube channel. It's a must-watch for anyone interested in this topic!
https://youtu.be/4OrFJmUpIiw

[Chazzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one in a series of books. The main character is Bad Kitty; a grouchy, uninterested and uncooperative cat. The book explains about books, parts of books and how they are written. The author, Nick Bruel, explains it in text and picture with kid-oriented humour.

Nick Bruel is the author and artist. The book is filled with illustrations throughout. In various chapters things such as author, character, conflict, antagonist, and plot points are explained. Done in a humourous way, it strives to not just explain writing but to encourage kids to write stories that are their own.

It is a fun read and I think adults can learn from this as well as kids. It takes a topic that could be dry and boring and makes it funny and interesting.

I will keep my eye out for more of the books from this series!

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bad Kitty is a favorite series that my daughter loves. She can't get enough of this naughty kitty. I finally read one and this was my first book of the series. Hilarious story for kids with a few sentences to each page but mostly is about the author creating his characters in his story and even arguing with them, getting their opinions, and telling them why they are being used in the text they are in. As the author continues with his story, it becomes clear that he is actually explain how you write a story yourself. Bad Kitty helps the author teach young children how to write their own story and how to use the story elements to make their book. Great book and I can see why my daughter loves this kitty and the author who created it.

[Anna Friggeri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about the creation of the story by the author. It takes the reader through the steps of creating a good story and contains a lot of tips as well. The author discusses how he draws his main character, Bad Kitty, and the steps he takes into creating a good story. He discusses how characters need to have emotions, how a plot is formed, how to pick a good setting for the story, how to create conflict to make the story interesting, and so much more. The language of the book is easy for the children to understand while containing a lot of good information. This book is very well formed for the intended audience and even though it is informative, it contains a load of humor that kids are guaranteed to find funny and interesting.

[Kristy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t like the book, but my 5 year old seemed to like it even though the topic was for older students. I understand the author’s premise - educate students on how to write a story and teach them vocabulary associated with writing a story. Perhaps later on, it will be more relevant to my child. I felt it was much too advanced for a beginning chapter book reader. It would be a great book for a teacher to read to students and have lessons on writing stories and learning about plots, etc. However, it was way too boring compared to author’s other books. I disliked it completely when I evaluate it in a purely entertainment, fun book to read with my child context. As a former teacher, I do see the educational value of it for students in middle elementary classes.

[Min · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a fully irreverent, and entertaining way, we the reader are given a delightful way to learn how Bad Kitty comes to life in a story. Beginning with how to draw our protagonist, and then how to build from questions we ask about the character that moves the plot.
So many ways that this can happen, and the author is certain to toss in a few.
There is a humorous, and very informative discussion about plagiarism, and a handy dandy appendix for all new words.
All this in aid of sparking that budding author to give it a try.
Last, but not least, a roasted turnip recipe-- it makes sense in the book.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's so clever how the text of the story explains the main parts and vocabulary of writing a story, like plot, theme, protagonist, etc. I'm sure Caleb didn't completely learn what they all mean from this one reading, but it certainly introduced them, and he did enjoy the book and laugh at the illustrations quite a lot. I appreciate the cleverness and the humor, but still did not actually enjoy reading the book myself.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the tenth book of the series, the author, explains to the reader how to write a book, but Kitty isn't amused with the plot, which involves her going on a diet, and only eating turnips. Uncle Murray provides a few fun facts on the difference between plot and theme, the importance of using a dictionary, and a thesaurus, and the two kinds of endings to a book; closed and open. But in the end will Kitty stay on her turnip diet, and will the author survive her wrath?

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute. In this episode, Nick Bruel attempts to teach young readers the basic building blocks of writing their own story. Of course he does this at the expense of Kitty, but don't worry. He gets his. This was the second Bad Kitty book I read, and even though I am (far and away) not the target age for this series, it makes me smile. Definitely recommend for any young readers you may have in your life.