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Bad Kitty Picture Books
Bad Kitty
From the creator of The New York Times bestseller Boing! comes the riotous story of a cat gone berserk -- four times over an in alphabetical order each time. Kitty is not happy when she's told that her favorite foods are all gone and all that's left are Asparagus, Beets, Cauliflower, Dill...and 22 other equally unappealing vegetables. So Ate my homework, Bit grandma, Clawed the curtains, Damaged the dishes, and so on, through Z. Only when tastier things arrive (An Assortment of Anchovies, Buffalo Burritos, Chicken Cheesecake...) does she Apologize to Grandma. Now, Roaring Brook is proud to introduce a new edition so deliciously funny, someone's already taken a bite out of it. With two die-cut ñbitesî on its side, special endpapers, and a brand new piece of artwork within, this eye-catching novelty edition of a proven best-seller is sure to be . . . devoured!
40 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2005
410 people are currently reading
5246 people want to read
About the author
Nick Bruel
115 books412 followersNick 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
http://us.macmillan.com/author/nickbruel
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 678 reviews
December 25, 2021
I’m not sure why this book was banned?? 🤷🏼♀️
Note: this book is listed as one of the most popular books to be banned, over the past decade, from both schools and private libraries. Support freedom of expression by reading and buying banned books! ❤️📚
Note: this book is listed as one of the most popular books to be banned, over the past decade, from both schools and private libraries. Support freedom of expression by reading and buying banned books! ❤️📚
November 16, 2016
So you think cats are for your entertainment, fella?
Bad Kitty has its share of legends.
Loved the graphical evidences collected by the author and presented to the court in an organized A-Z sorting.
*GEAR UP FOR A FELINE INVASION
September 28, 2018
When the food is not to Kitty's liking, she becomes a very, very, bad, bad BAD kitty. From A-Z sorting we learn of the foods Kitty doesn't like and the bad behaviors she performs. When the narrator comes back from grocery shopping, Kitty changes to a very, very, good, good, good kitty. From A-Z sorting we learn the foods Kitty likes and the good behaviors she performs. This delightful book has imaginative pictures and alphabetical texts. It was a fun read.
December 10, 2009
This picture book follows an exceptionally bad kitty that proceeds to punish its family for not coddling it as they should. Basically, this is a picture book for kids -- which sounds obvious, but usually isn't. I often pick up books for my kids because they appeal to me -- they're quaint, beautiful, or have a great message. As an adult, I found the illustrations in this one garish, the cat ugly, the text way too long, and the meaning pretty much absent.
My kids love it.
They find it hilarious and read it again and again, so this guy gets five stars. And hey, the fugly cat is starting to grow on me.
My kids love it.
They find it hilarious and read it again and again, so this guy gets five stars. And hey, the fugly cat is starting to grow on me.
November 19, 2010
This was a fun story, if a bit long (IMO). The copy I checked out from the library came complete with the kitty bite marks out of the cover--fun! I think this is a very creative ABC book but the antics seemed to go on a bit too long since we go through the alphabet three times (four if you count what is inside the cover). Still, I can see some children will really delight in all the kitty's antics when it doesn't get its way; and then how cute it can be when it is happy.
December 10, 2024
Bad Kitty is a 2005 picture book (and more specifically an alphabet book, which is fun, but with four separate alphabet sections for me also potentially a trifle textually overwhelming and in particular if used primarily for educational, if Bad Kitty is meant mostly or only for language arts instruction) where Nick Bruel textually and illustratively presents a house cat (black with a bit of white and looking both cute and also as necessary devious and full of mischief, in other words with aesthetically really humorous, wonderfully engaging and variable facial expressions) and who is shown by Bruel's images and his text as deliberately and rather exaggeratedly misbehaving when her family both runs out of kibble and then tries to force poor and unfortunate Kitty to consume only vegetables instead, and which are colourfully presented in Bad Kitty using a noun highlighting alphabetic format from A to Z, from asparagus to zucchini (as vegetables are supposedly much healthier, even for cats).
However and no, no, no, the latter in fact is huge and total BS, since cats are obligatory carnivores and if they are fed only vegetables and no animal products, no meat at all, they can and often do become sick. So yes indeed, Bad Kitty showing Kitty illustrated and described by Nick Bruel as upset and angry after her family seemingly puts her on a restrictive all vegetable diet is at least and in my not at all humble opinion totally relatable, understandable and also hugely justifiable, even if Kitty's manner of showing and demonstrating her displeasure is both ridiculously and hilariously over the top so to speak and leaves quite a bit to be desired (and with Kitty's antics, with her shenanigans and horrible behaviour also being shown alphabetically in Bad Kitty and this time highlighting not nouns like with the vegetable but instead simple past verb forms and adjectives, from the letter a showing how Kitty ate homework and the letter z that Kitty zeroed the zinnias).
But yes, I totally and hugely am giggling appreciatively and joyously at Kitty's antics and misbehaviour (both verbally and visually) in Bad Kitty (even if a bit guiltily) and considering the premise of an unacceptable and in fact very unhealthy feline diet of solely vegetables, I both absolutely and personally understand and am also kind of rooting for Kitty (even if sometimes shaking my head a bit as well) but that I equally and probably even more so enjoy how later in Bad Kitty Nick Bruel has Kitty apologise and make amends for her erstwhile bad behaviour (again with an alphabetical focus on verbs and adjectives) after her family finally gets the type of food Kitty both likes and needs to eat (alphabetically featured again, although truth be told, I definitely would prefer if the acceptable Kitty kibble presented by Bruel in Bad Kitty were like the vegetables originally shown bona fide and not imaginary and often outrageous food items, although I guess young children, I guess the intended audience for Bad Kitty would probably find this amusing and that my inner child also is really tickled and not at all bothered by those weird and wacky "food" objects which my older adult reading self kind of finds too silly and too outrageous).
A fun picture and clever alphabet book is Bad Kitty (although and as already mentioned above with regard to all of the presented nouns, verbs and adjectives being perhaps a bit too much of a proverbial good thing and the acceptable feline kibble ideas kind of a bit too exaggerated and strange) and with Nick Bruel's text and artwork very nicely and also humorously reflecting and mirroring one another and showing much visual and also verbal colour and vive. And while my personal rating for the combination of Bruel's artwork and his words would generally be a high three stars (if I look at my own reading joy and pleasure), because I cannot believe and tolerate, because I am unable and unwilling to accept that Nick Bruel's Bad Kitty series has often been challenged and banned particularly in the USA and was in fact number thirty-seven on the list of the ALA's top one-hundred most banned books from 2010-2019, well and indeed, this ups my rating for Bat Kitty from three to five stars. For this silly book banning and censorship makes me not only sad but it also causes me to with no feelings of guilt or contrition whatsoever absolutely and vehemently despise ALL book banners and collectively consider them as hugely and utterly worthless wastes of skin, as all-encompassing lowlives who pollute and destroy with their puritanically vile and depraved idiocy, with their dangerous and ignorant Fascism and Stalinism, and that guess what book banners and ignorant haters, just because Bruel has Kitty engage in all kinds of antics and naughtiness in Bad Kitty that does not mean children reading the book will imitate this and honestly if this happens, this is not on Nick Bruel but on inadequate and lazy parenting.
However and no, no, no, the latter in fact is huge and total BS, since cats are obligatory carnivores and if they are fed only vegetables and no animal products, no meat at all, they can and often do become sick. So yes indeed, Bad Kitty showing Kitty illustrated and described by Nick Bruel as upset and angry after her family seemingly puts her on a restrictive all vegetable diet is at least and in my not at all humble opinion totally relatable, understandable and also hugely justifiable, even if Kitty's manner of showing and demonstrating her displeasure is both ridiculously and hilariously over the top so to speak and leaves quite a bit to be desired (and with Kitty's antics, with her shenanigans and horrible behaviour also being shown alphabetically in Bad Kitty and this time highlighting not nouns like with the vegetable but instead simple past verb forms and adjectives, from the letter a showing how Kitty ate homework and the letter z that Kitty zeroed the zinnias).
But yes, I totally and hugely am giggling appreciatively and joyously at Kitty's antics and misbehaviour (both verbally and visually) in Bad Kitty (even if a bit guiltily) and considering the premise of an unacceptable and in fact very unhealthy feline diet of solely vegetables, I both absolutely and personally understand and am also kind of rooting for Kitty (even if sometimes shaking my head a bit as well) but that I equally and probably even more so enjoy how later in Bad Kitty Nick Bruel has Kitty apologise and make amends for her erstwhile bad behaviour (again with an alphabetical focus on verbs and adjectives) after her family finally gets the type of food Kitty both likes and needs to eat (alphabetically featured again, although truth be told, I definitely would prefer if the acceptable Kitty kibble presented by Bruel in Bad Kitty were like the vegetables originally shown bona fide and not imaginary and often outrageous food items, although I guess young children, I guess the intended audience for Bad Kitty would probably find this amusing and that my inner child also is really tickled and not at all bothered by those weird and wacky "food" objects which my older adult reading self kind of finds too silly and too outrageous).
A fun picture and clever alphabet book is Bad Kitty (although and as already mentioned above with regard to all of the presented nouns, verbs and adjectives being perhaps a bit too much of a proverbial good thing and the acceptable feline kibble ideas kind of a bit too exaggerated and strange) and with Nick Bruel's text and artwork very nicely and also humorously reflecting and mirroring one another and showing much visual and also verbal colour and vive. And while my personal rating for the combination of Bruel's artwork and his words would generally be a high three stars (if I look at my own reading joy and pleasure), because I cannot believe and tolerate, because I am unable and unwilling to accept that Nick Bruel's Bad Kitty series has often been challenged and banned particularly in the USA and was in fact number thirty-seven on the list of the ALA's top one-hundred most banned books from 2010-2019, well and indeed, this ups my rating for Bat Kitty from three to five stars. For this silly book banning and censorship makes me not only sad but it also causes me to with no feelings of guilt or contrition whatsoever absolutely and vehemently despise ALL book banners and collectively consider them as hugely and utterly worthless wastes of skin, as all-encompassing lowlives who pollute and destroy with their puritanically vile and depraved idiocy, with their dangerous and ignorant Fascism and Stalinism, and that guess what book banners and ignorant haters, just because Bruel has Kitty engage in all kinds of antics and naughtiness in Bad Kitty that does not mean children reading the book will imitate this and honestly if this happens, this is not on Nick Bruel but on inadequate and lazy parenting.
October 6, 2015
Nick Bruel knows cats. His illustrations of the cat are so fun as good kitty turns to bad kitty and back to good kitty as a result of not having food. Along the way we get 4 turns through the alphabet. Healthy food that kitty doesn't want to eat (Dill, Garlic, Horseradish, etc.), bad kitty deeds as a result of being hungry (Bit grandma, Clawed the curtains, Devoured my new book, etc.), foods kitty gets excited about (Elephant Eggs, Fried Flies, Goose Goulash, etc.) and good kitty deeds now that he's been fed (Repaired the curtains, Saved the day, Tied my shoes, etc.).
This is one of 15 Bad Kitty books - recommended for kids of all ages.
This is one of 15 Bad Kitty books - recommended for kids of all ages.
June 19, 2008
This bad kitty does everything in the alphabet, more than once. I laughed out loud. It's irreverant and would be truly appreciated by any child who ever had to face life in a house with a maniacly moody cat. If you have kitties instead of kids you will love this book, even if you need to give it to some kid or family you know just to keep up appearances.
November 27, 2022
A most hilarious alphabet book with a kitty who goes bad due to vegetables and healthy food. Her subsequent terrorism pays off with capitulation that includes a donkey named Dave and an offering of human sacrifice!
Twisted and laugh out loud funny!
Twisted and laugh out loud funny!
November 21, 2018
When her family runs out of cat food, and attempts to feed her healthy vegetables instead, a good kitty goes bad. Very, very bad! An A-Z list of veggies is followed by an A-Z list of bad behaviors the kitty gets up to, until someone finally arrives with the proper food for our feline heroine. Now determined to reform, kitty engages in an A-Z list of good behaviors, until another turn of events - the introduction of a new puppy companion - leads to another (possible) change of heart...
As a girl I simply loved Jack Gantos's Rotten Ralph books, about one very badly-behaved feline who was constantly up to no good, so Nick Bruel's Bad Kitty felt like familiar territory to me. I enjoyed this story of one kitty's vacillation between good and bad behavior, and think it will make for a uniquely entertaining alphabet book. The artwork is a little more cartoon-like in style than I care for - it felt a little flat to me, to be honest - but it works well with the story. Recommended to all young cat lovers, and to anyone looking for alphabet books with a story attached to them.
As a girl I simply loved Jack Gantos's Rotten Ralph books, about one very badly-behaved feline who was constantly up to no good, so Nick Bruel's Bad Kitty felt like familiar territory to me. I enjoyed this story of one kitty's vacillation between good and bad behavior, and think it will make for a uniquely entertaining alphabet book. The artwork is a little more cartoon-like in style than I care for - it felt a little flat to me, to be honest - but it works well with the story. Recommended to all young cat lovers, and to anyone looking for alphabet books with a story attached to them.
July 5, 2013
This is a gem. Not only does it give the very young reader a bright and colorful look at vegetables (some of which might not often show up at the family table), but it features a delightfully disobedient main character: Bad Kitty. She is not to be overlooked--or, most certainly, fed anything inappropriate to the feline diet! Kids will love Bad Kitty's awful attitude, whether they like their vegetables or NOT!
August 21, 2015
This was such an adorable read. The A to Z format of the book would definitely capture the attention of young readers and Bad Kitty is such a funny character. She reminds me so much of my bad kitty, I truly enjoyed reading it. My cat would (and has) torture me for running out of his favorite foods and only having the A-Z "nasty" things to eat. The difference is my cat wouldn't do the A-Zs of apologizing for his bad behavior. He'd figure I had gotten what I deserved.
February 13, 2017
Oh come now, what kitty is ever really bad? They're too cute to stay mad at for long anyway!
October 19, 2014
Utterly brilliant.
Bad kitty is the naughty spirit in all of us.
Bad kitty is the naughty spirit in all of us.
February 5, 2025
This bad kitty became a villain because of food. The humans ran out of food and all heck broke loose! I would really be worried to find out what this kitty would do if it was upset from something actually wrong happening to them !! This was freaking hilarious and made the kid laugh on the ride to school. His school is across town and these long morning rides require entertainment from Donkey’s named Dave and rhino ravioli !!
August 8, 2018
This is a great book for teaching your kids the ABCs. Not only does it go through the whole alphabet once, but it goes through it TWICE. What a deal! And it is funny. Bad Kitty is a bad kitty who does bad stuff in round one, then cleans up the mess in round two. It is decently long for a children's picture book, especially compared to lots of newer ones that seem to end as quickly as they began, so you get a lot of bang for your reading buck.
May 15, 2016
This book I thought was sort of funny, sort of sad, sort of everything, but it was mostly an exciting book. I read it once with my cousins and they laughed.
September 14, 2016
I just don't enjoy these books. They don't even work well for kids learning to read in my view.
January 20, 2012
Here is the bedtime story from last night. Sadly I am nursing a bad cold so reading is out for me. Thank goodness Vanessa Williams agreed to read for us. She is willing to read for your babes too! How? Well she is on CD reading Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel. It sure did save me since I was really down and out last night. It was hard when kitty was told that her favorite foods were all gone and that all that was available was asparagus and beets and cauliflower and dill and lots and lots of other vegetables kitty did not like. The she became a very bad kitty indeed.
Kitty…Ate the homework…Bit Grandma…Clawed the curtains…Damaged the dishes…BAD KITTY!
So her owner went to the grocery store and bought her anchovies… buffalo burrito…chicken Cheesecake. All of kitty's favorites.
Thankfully kitty then apologized to grandma…cleaned her cat box…and all was well. Well until the new puppy arrived!
The Grandbabes enjoyed the story, bright pictures and was glad to have it 'read' to them even if Nonnie could not do it. I liked the story but was not happy that kitty was bribed with her favorites in order to mind. I would have preferred for her to learn to eat her veggies....even if she did not like them the best.
Kitty…Ate the homework…Bit Grandma…Clawed the curtains…Damaged the dishes…BAD KITTY!
So her owner went to the grocery store and bought her anchovies… buffalo burrito…chicken Cheesecake. All of kitty's favorites.
Thankfully kitty then apologized to grandma…cleaned her cat box…and all was well. Well until the new puppy arrived!
The Grandbabes enjoyed the story, bright pictures and was glad to have it 'read' to them even if Nonnie could not do it. I liked the story but was not happy that kitty was bribed with her favorites in order to mind. I would have preferred for her to learn to eat her veggies....even if she did not like them the best.
December 2, 2015
This is a book filled with interesting alliterative lists. It is about a pet kitty who turns bad due to the fact that its owners ran out of yummy foods and started feeding it healthy foods such as asparagus and cauliflower. The kitty starts doing bad things in rebellion and becomes a "very bad kitty" until the owners go to the grocery and buy the cat's favorite foods, such as "turtle turnovers" and "shark sushi". The kitty is overjoyed and sets out to make up for all the bad things it did. The illustrations in this book are very interesting, with vibrant colors and cartoon-like drawings. There are multiple pictures to each page, including an illustration for each item of every list. There is a picture for every food and every good and bad deed the kitty does. This is a fun and interesting read. It is simple due to the listing format.
April 1, 2016
Bruel, Nick Bad Kitty (2006) Bad Kitty is a ABC concept book that uses humor to keep the reader interested. Kitty is told that all her food is gone so she has to eat some healthy food. Then the story goes through the alphabet with all fruits and vegetables. The illustrations show kitty making disgusted faces like she is going to be sick. The cartoon like quality of the illustrations as the kitty acts very badly are quite humorous. The bright colorful illustrations work together in telling the story about why kitty is angry. After the alphabet is run through another time as the kitty preforms different bad behaviors that correspond with the letters. This book is an enjoyable read aloud that will have the children laughing as they learn the letters of the alphabet. Target audience is 4-6 year olds.
December 6, 2017
Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel discusses the alphabet in an interesting way and gives many examples of words that begin with each letter. This book would be a great way to introduce and practice the alphabet.
Kitty believes her owner ran out of her favorite food and she turns into a bad kitty. Through Kitty’s adventures, we travel through the alphabet three times which will allow children to learn the alphabet while having fun. Seeing how Kitty approaches all her problems makes the story interesting and hysterical to children to hear. To find out if Kitty turns back into a good kitty, you'll have to read about it.
I loved this story for the educational benefit as well as the story itself.
Kitty believes her owner ran out of her favorite food and she turns into a bad kitty. Through Kitty’s adventures, we travel through the alphabet three times which will allow children to learn the alphabet while having fun. Seeing how Kitty approaches all her problems makes the story interesting and hysterical to children to hear. To find out if Kitty turns back into a good kitty, you'll have to read about it.
I loved this story for the educational benefit as well as the story itself.
February 20, 2010
As an alphabet book...not the best. Some of the items on this book's THREE trips through the alphabet are just a little bit too goofy and weird (although admittedly the goofy is part of the appeal) for it to be effective for teaching the alphabet. But for cat lovers, this book will please well enough.
February 9, 2011
The book of the night. I can't believe I hadn't read this before. It's probably been on our shelf for ages. I loved it. The pictures were a riot, as were some of Kitty's favorite foods.
You know, I'm a dog person - but this book made me love the evil inside every cat.
You know, I'm a dog person - but this book made me love the evil inside every cat.
January 1, 2012
Well, while I understand why the kids love Bad Kitty, it isn't my favorite. I think the kids just like all thr rhyming and variety of words. Because of the variety of words and pattern of the books, I also think that kids find these books appealing.
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May 11, 2017Kitty is not excited about the food choices available. She decides to become Bad Kitty. She wreaks havoc on her household and neighborhood. Will her bad behavior pay off? Wonderful alphabet book, fun and hilarious. – Tiffany J.
September 11, 2017
This was an excellent alphabet book. Going through the alphabet four times humorously.
One time for kitty bad food, the next for what bad kitty did because of bad kitty food. Then she got good kitty food and the fourth time what she did when she got good kitty food. Love the artwork.
One time for kitty bad food, the next for what bad kitty did because of bad kitty food. Then she got good kitty food and the fourth time what she did when she got good kitty food. Love the artwork.
October 9, 2018
This book is like a Disney movie. Everyone has fun, and there are some jokes thrown in just for the grownups. The alphabet listing was a bit long for the kiddos, but it was just silly enough to hold their attention.
December 30, 2018
I'm going to have to side with the kitty on this one. I wouldn't want to eat ONLY healthy food.
June 14, 2019
Super cute and fun!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 678 reviews