Puppy's Big Day

Bad Kitty Chapter Book #8

by Nick Bruel

Bad Kitty's in a bad mood . . . a very bad mood, and Puppy is not helping.

Enter Uncle Murray, who's tasked with taking care of Puppy for the day, but that's when the trouble begins. When they go on a walk through the park, Uncle Murray almost gets himself arrested while Puppy ends up in the pound, where he meets some very peculiar new pals.

Genres: Humor, Childrens, Animals, Fiction, Cats, Chapter Books, Graphic Novels

160 pages, Hardcover

First published December 30, 2014

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

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one has such a cute ending!

4 ⭐️.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, this is a "middle reader's" book, and I admit I've been hooked on "Bad Kitty" since my kids couldn't read to themselves. ;)

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Puppy has an adventure with Uncle Murray that mostly involves Uncle Murray being harassed by a police officer about leash laws, pet registration, and other such ordinances. Some other dogs are also introduced, but they cannot offset the absence of Bad Kitty. It's hard to admit as a dog person, but that surly cat really carries this series.

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore all the Bad kitty books, and have been lucky enough to read them with some lovely kids.
Fabulous feline fun.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four Stars: Another funny installment in the Bad Kitty Series.

Kitty has gone nuclear! The family is shaking in fear because Kitty is on a inexplicable rampage. In order to protect Puppy, lovable Uncle Murray is called over to take Puppy out. Poor Uncle Murray is in for a few headaches as he heads out with Puppy on his big day. Will Puppy survive his outing? Will Kitty settle down?

What I Liked:
*My six year old daughter is a big fan of The Bad Kitty Series. I am happy to report, that this latest installment is another winner. It has a fun story with a surprise happy ending that left us smiling. If you enjoy the Bad Kitty Series, I highly recommend this book.
*What makes this series are the illustrations. I especially enjoyed the drawings of Kitty in this book. Kitty is having a bad day, and the pictures reflecting Kitty's bad mood are hilarious. I also love the drawings of lovable Uncle Murray. *This is the perfect book to read to younger kids as there are illustrations on each and every page, so they always have something to look at while reading.
*Like any Bad Kitty book, there is lots of humor. Kids will enjoy the laugh out antics of Puppy and Uncle Murray in this one.
*The ending was adorable. I finished this one with a smile. Puppy truly saves the day in more ways than one.
*I appreciated that Mr. Bruel included some information at the end of the book regarding pet adoption.
And The Not So Much:
*Every Bad Kitty book has two or three sections in it with interesting facts. This book has three parts that feature fun facts as to why dogs need to be walked, why dogs sniff butts and why dogs lick faces. As an adult, I think these sections are funny and informative. My only hesitation is that these cut aways aren't pertinent to the story, and they tend to be aimed at more mature readers. Younger kids will not understand the vocabulary or get some of the concepts. I noticed that my six year old tends to zone out a bit when I hit these parts, so I usually skip over them. However, they do have some great fun facts, and I am sure older readers will love them.
*Part of the book is about the dog shelter. Even though the author doesn't come right out and discuss the ugly truth about what happens to dogs who aren't adopted. He glosses over it and it is implied. While I appreciated that he doesn't spell it out, I am sure if you have an older inquisitive reader, they will question you as to what is going on. Be prepared to answer some hard, cruel facts of life.

Puppy's Big Day was one of our favorite books in the series to date. This book follows the easy going and lovable duo of Puppy and Uncle Murray as they spend the day out together and manage to get into some trouble. This book is packed full of hilarious illustrations and bursting with humor. My young daughter is a big fan of this series, and I think these books are perfect to help instill excitement in younger readers.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come courtesy of the 10YO. :)

[silly_person · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the series

[Liam Johnstone · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was very entertaining to my youngest. Not sure if it's a good story, but something that my kids like is good enough for me.

[Samuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of good. Not the best. Could most definitely be better.

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still funny but as the focus was not the cat (who may in fact be a combination eel and howler monkey) it was not as funny as the others.

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's about Bad Kitty, who is usually a grumpy cat, but this time, she's even grumpier than ever, and no one knows why!

So, Bad Kitty's mood is all gloomy, and guess what? Puppies show up! Yep, little cute puppies! But instead of making things better, these puppies make everything go topsy-turvy. They make messes, knock things over, and just cause a lot of chaos! Bad Kitty is like, "Oh no, what's happening?"

Then, Bad Kitty's human decides that maybe a change of scene will help. So off Bad Kitty goes to Uncle Murray's house. But you know what? Bad Kitty almost gets in big trouble with the police! It's like a big mix-up, and it's really funny, but also a little scary. But don't worry, everything turns out okay.

Guess what happens next? One of the puppies ends up in the pound! Yeah, that's like a place where lost animals stay. But you know what? Even in the pound, the puppy makes friends! And these friends become buddies for life. It's like, even when things are really bad, you can still find good things and make friends.

The funniest part of the book, and also a bit icky, is when Bad Kitty's Uncle Murray gets into a funny situation. He almost gets arrested because he lets out a "number two" in a bush. It's really silly and weird, but it made me laugh a lot!

So, the big lesson of this book is that no matter how bad things seem, you can find good friends and good things around you. Even when you're in a grumpy mood like Bad Kitty, there's always a chance for things to get better. And you know what? Sometimes, even the silliest moments can turn into fun adventures!

I had so much fun reading "Bad Kitty Puppy’s Big Day." It's a hilarious and heartwarming story that shows us that even in the darkest times, there's a light waiting to shine. So, if you love animals, funny adventures, and making friends, this book is definitely for you!

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

[J · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a book that I was given by my sister and although I did start to read it while enjoying the first few pages it definitely dropped from there. The main character that the series is named for I am guessing barely made an appearance but instead was the drive for getting Puppy out of the house. Although she added some comedy at the front it wasn't enough to warrant this book to be considered a part of the series.

Second of all there was quite a change in narrative. I truly did enjoy the story being told by the narrator as it seeming like you were just overhearing a conversation within the house itself but unfortunately the introduction of Uncle Murray threw that out the window. Instead at that point it was like having to listen to a monologue by a very annoying guy who was overthinking and then every five seconds sucking up to someone whether it was the unseen bullied-made officer(s) trying to keep the law system or to a pup that didn't seem to care.

Puppy was made into a mute who had the most adorable facial expressions as well as Bad Kitty but the other animal characters ranged from being humanoid and being able to speak to either being very animal-ish while overly talking in their own monologues that were just random barks, woofs, growls, etc. This completely threw me off from enjoying the rest of the story especially when you almost had a five-minute piece-by-piece on what her butt-sniffing skills were picking up.

The fact that there were fun facts about dogs and cats included as well as two appendixes concerning dog breeds included and how to adopt couldn't save this sinking book from its own watery grave.

[Asho · Rating 3 out of 5]

L got this book at a book fair at S's school a while ago, well before she was ready to actually read it or even listen to it (it had a dog on the cover, and that's all she cared about). I think she would page through it occasionally during rest times in her room, but she finally requested it as a bedtime story this summer. I'd say at age 5 it's pretty appropriate for her reading comprehension, although she isn't able to read it to herself yet. I read her a chapter or two a night and it took us a few days to read it. It's not my favorite style: a little bit too goofy, the illustrations are kind of grotesque (in the "comically distorted" sense of the word). But there were some parts that made me laugh, and L seemed to like it pretty well. She said she's interested in reading more books from this series, but she doesn't care much for Bad Kitty. She'd like to have more books featuring Puppy.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn't like Bad Kitty?! Bad Kitty gets into all sorts of trouble. In this book, it's Puppy trouble. In fact, Puppy and Uncle Murray go out for a walk while Bad Kitty gets over a big sulk at home. Uncle Murray needs puppy walking smarts: poop bag, leash, dog park only for off leash, a licence! Oh boy, lots of shenanigans ensue with Puppy ending up in the pound making new doggy friends until Uncle Murray finds and fetches him home PLUS, there's a very happy ending for Puppy, his new pals and Bad Kitty's lost mousie friend. Fun all around!
Sprinkled in between the story pages are dog facts like why do dogs sniff each others butts and why cats do not, hilarious!
All ages of readers will love this, seriously good stuff.

[Aina]

Bad Kitty: Puppy's Big Day was an interesting book but I did enjoy reading it because the layout of the book was formatted in different ways and I haven't read these kinds of books since when I had to read them for a project so, it was a nice experience to feel like a kid again. :)

This book is a very good book for kids who love dogs because it teaches a lesson about how to take care of a dog. Also, you can learn some interesting new facts about cats and dogs. I learned that dogs can sniff to check each other's health condition.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bad Kitty is totally freaking out, so Uncle Murray comes over to save Puppy from the ordeal. But then Uncle Murray ends up having quite a few hiccups in puppy watching.

Wow, Bad Kitty's town must have the most bored cops in the country to be constantly on Uncle Murray like that. Poor guy. Things end well, though, with Puppy figuring out why Bad Kitty has been freaking out and a pet shelter adoption story. (The characters in the shelter were quite entertaining.) Hand this one to reluctant readers who like animals and silly stories.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the kooky bunch of characters introduced in this book in the bad kitty series. As Puppy heads out for the day with Uncle Murray, to escape the horrific rampage of Bad Kitty, he meets a colorful bunch of dog characters throughout the day, and all the while is waiting to get home because he holds the key to soothing Bad Kitty's mood. Packed with humor and seasoned with sweetness, this is one of my favorite Bad Kitty books I've read so far. ( I love how the informational pages about dogs are told from the cats perspective- very funny).

[Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished reading this to my son. He (and I) both thought it was one of the better Bad Kitty books that we’ve read together, up to this point. We both like the character of Uncle Murray, and my son really liked Kitty’s explanations as to why dogs behave certain ways. One of the few drawbacks to this book is that the chapters were much longer than in other Bad Kitty books. I ended up reading over 100 pages the first night, expecting to finish the third chapter, but we had to stop in the middle of the chapter.

Now I’m on the hunt to find some more Bad Kitty books to read with my son!

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kitty is in such a bad mood, that Uncle Murray has to take puppy for a walk. However, during the walk several mishaps occur, and puppy ends up at the dog pound. Puppy meets a few new pals while there, and all are rescued by Uncle Murray. Kitty reveals horrible, but true facts about dog's behavior, and several breeds of dogs are described in the appendix. Oh! And the reason behind Kitty's over the top bad mood of the day is revealed.

[Rachel Horon · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute

This story is a change of pace from the usual Bad Kitty books with its focus on Puppy. Uncle Murray has always had a soft spot for dogs. Kitty gives them the opportunity to have some one-on-one time and it turns into a wild story. It still full of facts and hilarious situations but there is more attention to the canines and what it takes to adopt and raise them. Petunia is one of my favorites.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Things aren`t looking good for Puppy when Kitty is in a terrible mood and nobody knows why. Uncle Murray arrives and gets Puppy out of the house but then gets himself into trouble accidentally, resulting in Puppy being put into the pound. When Uncle Murray comes to rescue him, Puppy has already made some interesting friends.
Funny illustrations.

[Narariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Focused on Puppy & Uncle Murray (typically much more minor characters from the Bad Kitty books,) the book is easy to read for/with young readers while still having enough silliness and humor to keep an adult from getting bored. It does faintly hint at euthanasia for animals at the pound/shelter so parents of younger kids may want to be prepared for possible questions.

[Della Tingle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an adorable little book for children learning to read chapter books full of pictures also by the author about a “bad” kitty (“Sometimes I’m not convinced she really is a cat. I’m thinking she’s more like a weird cross between an electric eel and a howler monkey” [16]) and the dog she lives with.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book focuses on Puppy and Uncle Murray's day together while Kitty has an epic meltdown at home. Lots of the usual over the top hijinks and silly humor, and Kitty's voice takes a turn at the info breaks that are usually done by Uncle Murray. Puppy is the sweetest character, and so there is a sweet end. Lillian read ahead one night, so a good book on our end

[Naomi towns · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book so much because I love the characters in it. It reminds me of my cats. My favorite part is when Uncle Murray says "Hey, You!!" I also thought it was funny when they showed a picture of poop and said this is poop. This is another great Bad Kitty book.

[blueygurl2016 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was okay. The romance plot between the bulldog and Puppy kinda bothered me because the bulldog forced her romance on Puppy. I also wanted this to be about Kitty and it was about Puppy mostly but it had good themes about pet adoption.

[Heather Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

megan spring reading 2017, children's book, chapter book, series, bad kitty, dogs, humor, bad days, friends, second grade, third grade,

[Grace Stromquist · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was silly because bad kitty just lost a toy and he was ripping the couch up because he was so mad.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one has the LONGEST CHAPTERS! Makes bedtime reading onerous. :) But Alex adores these books, so we'll keep reading.

[DW McQuain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this entire series.