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Flubby #1
Flubby Is Not a Good Pet!
Meet Flubby--the lovably lazy feline who prefers a purr-fectly laid-back lifestyle!Flubby is a big, sleepy cat who refuses to do the things that other pets do. He won't sing, catch, or even jump! But when a scary situation brings Flubby and his owner together, they realize they really do need each other--and that makes Flubby a good pet after all.
32 pages, Library Binding
Published February 11, 2020
16 people are currently reading
239 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer E. Morris
30 books20 followersJennifer is an award winning illustrator and children’s book author. She has illustrated picture books, children’s magazines, greeting cards, party ware and educational materials. She authored and illustrated four books for Scholastic. The best selling of which, "May I Please Have a Cookie?" has sold over one million copies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
July 11, 2020
Cute
I would have added that Flubby purrs and gives love to make it 5 stars. It's a cute premise that cats aren't the same as other animals in that they don't usually do tricks but they could have driven their message home about their being affectionate and comforting to pet when you're feeling insecure. I think the story could have gone farther, but it is sweet and it can work on this alone.
I would have added that Flubby purrs and gives love to make it 5 stars. It's a cute premise that cats aren't the same as other animals in that they don't usually do tricks but they could have driven their message home about their being affectionate and comforting to pet when you're feeling insecure. I think the story could have gone farther, but it is sweet and it can work on this alone.
May 18, 2020
Perfectly fine for cat lovers I suppose, but Flubby does not have enough personality to endear himself to this dog man.
February 15, 2020
This children's book compares the cat to other pets who sing, catch, run, and jump. Since Flubby doesn't do those things, the book concludes "Flubby is not a good pet." However, there's a silver lining in a shared need between pet and human. I think the book misleads about cats because cats can do all those things. The singing may not be like that of a bird, and they may only do the other things when not being asked to do them, but cats are great pets. I am happy to see the mutual need element. The illustrations are okay. This book is good for beginning readers.
May 18, 2020
Awwww. Cat lovers everywhere will love Flubby, even though he is NOT a good pet. With repetitive text, we learn that Flubby doesn't do any of the cool stuff other pets do, like sing or play catch. Still, he needs his owner and she needs him.
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
August 13, 2020
This was a book that my sister chose from a group of books that were being given out to young readers. As a result the audience is definitely geared towards younger readers or for those who are learning to read so isn't meant for a deep read.
Given the audience, the book is composed of very easy to pronounce words and very simple sentences. Although adults or older children may have to help the very young readers but once these words are owned then the story will be quite easy to learn.
What irritates me, though, about this book is its whole anti theme. The book is given in the context where the cat's owner (I can't tell whether this character is a boy or girl) is talking about friends and their pets as well as the tricks these animals are known for - species-based. But unfortunately this very lazy cat is a good-for-nothing who cannot do as the others in singing, catching, jumping and eventually running on command. This partial message stinks for cats can actually do all these mentioned tricks but being cats they just don't do them on demand. And of course the author at the same time doesn't decide to mention the fact of what cats can do for their humans so it is an unjust telling when taken as a whole.
The illustrations are rather on a neutral scale without the bright colors of most children's book while the cat seems to be based on a combination of the Pusheen character as well as Simon's Cat. As a result the cat is adorably fat, has the big expressive eyes like Simon's Cat and also acts like latter.
All in all it can be a cute children's book but this won't be one I would recommend even if they may be a cat fan.
Given the audience, the book is composed of very easy to pronounce words and very simple sentences. Although adults or older children may have to help the very young readers but once these words are owned then the story will be quite easy to learn.
What irritates me, though, about this book is its whole anti theme. The book is given in the context where the cat's owner (I can't tell whether this character is a boy or girl) is talking about friends and their pets as well as the tricks these animals are known for - species-based. But unfortunately this very lazy cat is a good-for-nothing who cannot do as the others in singing, catching, jumping and eventually running on command. This partial message stinks for cats can actually do all these mentioned tricks but being cats they just don't do them on demand. And of course the author at the same time doesn't decide to mention the fact of what cats can do for their humans so it is an unjust telling when taken as a whole.
The illustrations are rather on a neutral scale without the bright colors of most children's book while the cat seems to be based on a combination of the Pusheen character as well as Simon's Cat. As a result the cat is adorably fat, has the big expressive eyes like Simon's Cat and also acts like latter.
All in all it can be a cute children's book but this won't be one I would recommend even if they may be a cat fan.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2019
I thought this would be a cute book... but I actually took it very personally. I know that wasn't the authors intent, but it really did feel a bit anti-cat, even at the end when the kid realized they loved Flubby. Lol call me a crazy cat lady who took a children's picture book too seriously - at least I can admit to it. Well, the illustrations certainly are cute. And Flubby is a great pet!
August 16, 2019
This book is all about how cats are not as good as dogs. At the end, it does say they are good companions, but it is still kind of sad overall because it ends during a bad storm.
February 2, 2020
Funny story for the very newest beginning reader. Simple text and sentence structure, repetition and lots of visual cues. A Geisel Honor for 2019.
October 8, 2021
Every cat owner must read this series!
December 29, 2021
This charming story about a cat named Flubby is perfect for beginning readers. The story has humour, repetitive language, fun illustrations, and a happy ending. What more could you ask for?
April 2, 2019
This is a low-level reader for those who are just starting to read on their own, not unlike the Hi! Fly Guy series by Tedd Arnold. The illustrations are cute and the text is simple enough, but it is not particularly engaging. It's certainly a serviceable book that will find some fans--it would be hard to dislike Flubby, unless one truly hates cats--and definitely find some appeal among the young feline frenzy crowd, but not one that I'd particularly recommend or even remember much after awhile.
Thanks to Penguin Young Readers for the review copy.
Thanks to Penguin Young Readers for the review copy.
June 19, 2020
A little girl tries to get her pet cat, Flubby, to do the tricks her friends' pets can do. But Flubby doesn't cooperate. Is Flubby good for anything?
A cute and lightly humorous look at the pitfalls of cat ownership. Theoretically Flubby could totally do several of the things that his owner asks him to do, but he is a cat. They do what they want. But some thunder and lightning reveal something Flubby is good at. Kids who own cats or know a cat well will likely find this funnier. A lot of sections of text are repeated so it is a good choice for begging readers. Hand this to little cat lovers learning to read.
A cute and lightly humorous look at the pitfalls of cat ownership. Theoretically Flubby could totally do several of the things that his owner asks him to do, but he is a cat. They do what they want. But some thunder and lightning reveal something Flubby is good at. Kids who own cats or know a cat well will likely find this funnier. A lot of sections of text are repeated so it is a good choice for begging readers. Hand this to little cat lovers learning to read.
September 15, 2021
This book was one of the 2020 winners of the Theodor Seuss Geisel award. I'm a huge cat lover myself and will enjoy any book that features one of these fuzzy creatures, but I felt this story was a little bit lacking. I wish that the ending had included some of the great things about cats- they purr, they're great snugglers, etc. but instead it only points out the reasons why Flubby is a bad pet. I think this book had way more potential to teach a lesson about how to treat pets with respect. Overall, it's a solid book for beginning readers, but it misses the mark for me.
January 29, 2020
There isn't much to this story. It would appear that Flubby isn't the perfect pet because Flubby is not a dog, bird, or frog. Rather than focusing on Flubby's "flaws" I would much prefer to see Flubby's strengths showcased. Overall, the story is cute but it's the artwork that makes this book a winner. Anyone who is familiar with cats will recognize all of Flubby's behaviors as depicted in the pictures.
May 8, 2020
This is a very cute story that points out every stereotypical thing about cats. This girl compares her cat, Flubby, with all of her friend's pets and Flubby doesn't seem as cool. This story shows students that we should appreciate what we have and not compare ourselves to others. I would definitely recommend reading this with a child and explaining to them their uniqueness is what makes them special.
January 22, 2021
The girls thinks Flubby is not a good pet because the girl is not acknowledging that Flubby is a cat who just so happens to act like a cat. Imagine that! By her logic then, the girl herself is not a good elephant. The girl is not a good warthog. Should we unfairly judge her for that? Gee wizz, give the poor cat a break. And even after she decides she needs him, she still never says he's a good pet. This one stinks.
September 16, 2019
Flubby is NOT a Good Pet by J. E. Morris, PICTURE BOOK. Penguin Random House, 2019. $10. 1524787760
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
Read
November 24, 2019Summary:
This is a story about a cat named Flubby. Flubby is a very sleepy and lazy cat with an ambitious owner. His owner tries to get Flubby to do a lot of different things that other pets do, but Flubby does not do any of them. All he does is sleep. In the end, a scary storm approaches them and they realize that although it doesn't seem like it, they both need one another.
Evaluation:
I loved "Flubby Is Not a Good Pet!" because of the ending of the book (and because it was about cats and I love cats). The whole story goes on and on about how the owner thinks Flubby is awful and won't do anything that normal pets do but then in the end, it comes to the sweet conclusion that although Flubby is not like other pets, they still love and need one another. I would recommend this book to students and teachers in the lower elementary grades. It is a geisel award winner so it would be perfect for beginning readers.
Teaching idea:
I would use this book in a kindergarten or first grade classroom. The teacher could begin by taking the students through a picture walk of the book and practice making predictions about what they think is happening in the book. Then, the teacher could bring the students to the carpet and do a read aloud of the book to the class. After finishing the read aloud, the teacher could read through it one more time, making sure to emphasize the ending. Lastly, the teacher would have the students go back to their seats and draw a picture of a time when they felt scared and needed someone. If the students are able to, they can also write a short sentence to go with their drawings. This would help students practice making connections to books.
This is a story about a cat named Flubby. Flubby is a very sleepy and lazy cat with an ambitious owner. His owner tries to get Flubby to do a lot of different things that other pets do, but Flubby does not do any of them. All he does is sleep. In the end, a scary storm approaches them and they realize that although it doesn't seem like it, they both need one another.
Evaluation:
I loved "Flubby Is Not a Good Pet!" because of the ending of the book (and because it was about cats and I love cats). The whole story goes on and on about how the owner thinks Flubby is awful and won't do anything that normal pets do but then in the end, it comes to the sweet conclusion that although Flubby is not like other pets, they still love and need one another. I would recommend this book to students and teachers in the lower elementary grades. It is a geisel award winner so it would be perfect for beginning readers.
Teaching idea:
I would use this book in a kindergarten or first grade classroom. The teacher could begin by taking the students through a picture walk of the book and practice making predictions about what they think is happening in the book. Then, the teacher could bring the students to the carpet and do a read aloud of the book to the class. After finishing the read aloud, the teacher could read through it one more time, making sure to emphasize the ending. Lastly, the teacher would have the students go back to their seats and draw a picture of a time when they felt scared and needed someone. If the students are able to, they can also write a short sentence to go with their drawings. This would help students practice making connections to books.
September 15, 2020
Genre: Picture book - easy-to-read
Awards: Geisel honor award
Source: http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/...
Audience: Grades K - 2
Response:
This book fits into the picture book category because it is an easy-to-read book which contains many pictures and little text. The text that is included are very simple words.
The author uses space to convey urgency when there is thunder that scares Flubby and Flubby’s owner. Instead of the zoomed-out perspective that is shown in the rest of the story, when the thunder happens big, bold letters say “KA-BOOM”. These letters fill up the page, showing that it disrupts normalcy and is a sudden change in the story.
I would use this book as a read aloud book because it is easy to read and has fun sounds they could make (KA-BOOM). I would also make personal connections about the animals each student has and how they behave since the book is about how a cat does not do much but the cat and his owner love and need each other.
Awards: Geisel honor award
Source: http://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/...
Audience: Grades K - 2
Response:
This book fits into the picture book category because it is an easy-to-read book which contains many pictures and little text. The text that is included are very simple words.
The author uses space to convey urgency when there is thunder that scares Flubby and Flubby’s owner. Instead of the zoomed-out perspective that is shown in the rest of the story, when the thunder happens big, bold letters say “KA-BOOM”. These letters fill up the page, showing that it disrupts normalcy and is a sudden change in the story.
I would use this book as a read aloud book because it is easy to read and has fun sounds they could make (KA-BOOM). I would also make personal connections about the animals each student has and how they behave since the book is about how a cat does not do much but the cat and his owner love and need each other.
February 6, 2021
Summary: Kami has a pet cat named Flubby. He is a very boring cat compared to all of his friends' pets! He does not sing, jump, or even play fetch. Kami starts to think that Flubby is boring and not fun. But then during a thunderstorm both Kami and Flubby need the comfort of each other and that is what matters most in a pet.
Response: This was a cute, very relatable book for kids I think. It was an easy read and allows the reader to somewhat question the purpose of the cat and make an educated guess of what is going to happen. I think this is book does a good job of truthfully representing the way we feel about the things we have and how we compare them to others.
Classroom idea: This would be great to teach students about appreciating what you have as well as what jealousy means. I think the students could make a list of some things they have and describe why they are important to them.
Response: This was a cute, very relatable book for kids I think. It was an easy read and allows the reader to somewhat question the purpose of the cat and make an educated guess of what is going to happen. I think this is book does a good job of truthfully representing the way we feel about the things we have and how we compare them to others.
Classroom idea: This would be great to teach students about appreciating what you have as well as what jealousy means. I think the students could make a list of some things they have and describe why they are important to them.
October 18, 2021
As a cat lover, I loved this book. I felt that this book protrays a typical cat. I laughed as I read this book as I reminsced all the cats that I have owned over the years and how their behavior matched those of Flubby.
In this book, the main character is a girl who compares her pet cat, Flubby with all friend's pets. This comparsion is like apples to oranges as she compares Flubby a cat, to a bird, a dog, and a frog. She then comes up with the conclusion that Flubby is not a good pet because Flubby can't do the things that these other pets can do YET, and I say YET, Flubby does meet the needs that this girl has when she has them. This my friends, is the important thing! Can the other pets do what Flubby can do? No! Does she compare what Flubby does to the other pets? No! So, Flubby is amazing, Flubby is perfect, Flubby is a fantastic pet for her.
In this book, the main character is a girl who compares her pet cat, Flubby with all friend's pets. This comparsion is like apples to oranges as she compares Flubby a cat, to a bird, a dog, and a frog. She then comes up with the conclusion that Flubby is not a good pet because Flubby can't do the things that these other pets can do YET, and I say YET, Flubby does meet the needs that this girl has when she has them. This my friends, is the important thing! Can the other pets do what Flubby can do? No! Does she compare what Flubby does to the other pets? No! So, Flubby is amazing, Flubby is perfect, Flubby is a fantastic pet for her.
July 19, 2020
The first of a new series of beginning readers, this one talks about the relationship with Kami and her cat Flubby.
Kami introduces her pet cat, Flubby, and compares him to the pets of all of her friends with disappointing results. During a thunderstorm, Kami and Flubby realize they both need each other.
Morris uses a diverse group of children with different kinds of animals to populate Kami's friends and their pets. The digital images frame and support this patterned beginning reader. Full of repetition, it is sure to elicit chuckles from its readers.
Recommended for PreS-grade 1.
Kami introduces her pet cat, Flubby, and compares him to the pets of all of her friends with disappointing results. During a thunderstorm, Kami and Flubby realize they both need each other.
Morris uses a diverse group of children with different kinds of animals to populate Kami's friends and their pets. The digital images frame and support this patterned beginning reader. Full of repetition, it is sure to elicit chuckles from its readers.
Recommended for PreS-grade 1.
April 20, 2019
Kami has a cat named Flubby. Kami's friends all have different pets that do cool things like sing and jump and catch, but Flubby doesn't do any of those things. Flubby doesn't even run. What can Flubby do?
J.E. Morris' illustrations are adorable and so funny. Flubby is everycat - we can totally see our favorite feline in Flubby's reactions, and a bit of ourselves in Kami. This would make a nice early reader, and a fun share.
For this and more of my reviews, visit Kiss the Book at https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
J.E. Morris' illustrations are adorable and so funny. Flubby is everycat - we can totally see our favorite feline in Flubby's reactions, and a bit of ourselves in Kami. This would make a nice early reader, and a fun share.
For this and more of my reviews, visit Kiss the Book at https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
March 11, 2021
An adorable book that compares Flubby to a lot of other pets. It wasn't much of a win for us, just because this book really should have been read solo by my son (7) but he still reaaaaalllly wants me to read allll the books to him. So we read it together and it just wasn't as awesome as it probably could have been for a new reader reading solo and taking the time to take in the simple but funny illustrations. I do recommend for kids starting to read on their own.
Also, I feel you Flubby. I feel you. I don't want to jump either. Yawn.
Also, I feel you Flubby. I feel you. I don't want to jump either. Yawn.
March 17, 2022
This is a very simple book that has easy vocabulary. However, the lessons that this book teach are important and very deep. This story follows a little girl who's cat doesn't do what other pets can do. However, in the end the little girl learns that it doesn't matter what everyone can do. If you are loved and you matter to someone then that is all that matters. Ability does not matter when it comes to having meaning in someone's life. This book has a deep lesson to be learned for people of all ages.
December 2, 2024
Flubby is a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor book which awards authors and illustrators for the most distinguished children's book for beginning readers. This is a cute little easy read! The cat, Flubby, is not able to do things that other pets can do like run, jump, and catch, and Flubby's owner says Flubby is not a good pet! But, at the end of the story, there is thunder and Flubby's owner says Flubby needs her, and then says she needs Flubby! This is great in the classroom to have as an easy read!
April 28, 2020
Flubby Is Not a Good Pet! by Jennifer E. Morris is a simple read with cute illustrations. The story explains why Flubby, a lazy cat is not a good pet. Since Flubby won't do the silly and fun things other pets do. But a scary situation brings the cat and the owner together, realizing that although Flubby is not the most energetic, the cat is still a good pet. This book is not entirely engaging for the audience, but more of a simple story for the children to begin reading on their own.
November 17, 2020
After reading Flubby Is Not a Good Pet!, I can say that this book is a good book for beginners in reading. I think this book is very simple and starts off with easy words. This will help the beginner to not be as overwhelmed when they are reading. The pictures throughout the book connect to the text and also help the reader better understand what is happening. I would recommend this to a new reader!
May 5, 2021
Cute EARLY early reader. Very simple terms and repetition and reminiscences of Dick and Jane (“Sing, Flubby! Sing!”) but not annoying/lame like D & J. I could also see some good extension questions with young readers questioning and challenging the meaning of “good pet” in this book. DOES a pet have to sing, catch, jump, etc. in order to be a good pet? In fact, who determines what GOOD is? Isn’t good subjective?
April 4, 2022
We learn that Flubby is a large cat who does not do much of anything. He does not act like other pets in the slightest. A major event occurs, and Flubby and his owner end up making a strong connection than what they thought they had. The comic book style panels make this picture book stand out from other picture books. Switching up the way text is presented is a great way to keep a reader engaged throughout the entire story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews