Bad Kitty vs Uncle Murray

Kitty’s owners go away, leaving Uncle Murray in charge. Of course, Kitty sees him as a terrifying “ogre,” which leads to nonstop chaos, chases, and misunderstandings. The exaggerated reactions, silly antics, and over-the-top illustrations had my kids giggling from start to finish. The mix of text and cartoon-style drawings keeps reluctant readers hooked. The bold fonts and expressive art make it feel like part comic, part chapter book. He’s both the “villain” and the comic relief, and his exasperation is something parents can relate to. The short chapters, playful tone, and visual storytelling make it perfect for grades 2–4, or as a read-aloud for younger kids.

I cannot say enough about these Bad Kitty books. My 7 year old son has struggled with speech and reading, he needs a lot of help and encouragement. He started with IEPs, aLexia Core at school, lots of help at home etc. We got the Elephant and Piggie books and those really honed in all his skills he had been working on and boosted his confidence – he could read them all by the end of 1st grade. Now for his summer reading (between 1st and 2nd grade) he is reading and enjoying these Bad Kitty books!! He can read these books 95% ON HIS OWN, a chapter a day. We tried the TreeHouse series, but he’s still a slow reader that has to sound out most words, so the TreeHouse books wouldn’t move quick enough (or interesting enough) and there’s hardly any pictures in them – for my still struggling reader). These Bad Kitty books have pictures on every page, they have some pages with a lot of words, and some with a little … so it doesn’t get discouraging but it’s still challenging. There are also Fun Fact pages which I mostly read to him, to give him a break, and so he learns something new, interesting, and fun. I really cannot say enough about these books for my son – they are exactly what he needs right now to continue to challenge and improve his reading skills, give him confidence, and dare I say an interest in reading. 😊 Oh these books are also hilarious!!! We both enjoy them 😊 so cleverly written we genuinely find them funny and want to keep reading, so helpful!!! THANK YOU!

My 8 year old is a excellent reader so really doesn't need encouragement to read, but these books certainly fit that bill! If your child is a hesitant reader, give this series a try. Lots of pictures and fun bits. Perfect for a typical grade 2 level reader.

I have never written a review of a book on Amazon before, but I just had to add a comment to this one. Never ever before has my daughter had a book that caused her to break into peals of laughter at each page (and myself as well). Bad kitty is literally a scream. Nervous and crazy, she has an out-of-control imagination and deep-rooted paranoia. Her companion dog always has exactly the same stupid grin on his face, and I assume this depiction is because this is how Bad Kitty sees him. The book's illustrations are minimalistic, still conveying characterizations and frenetic action perfectly. I love how the author changes up the pace, stopping the story at times to explain why a cat acts the way it acts, or to have Uncle Murray explain why he loves animals so much...a story within a story that seems so sweet and genuinely heartfelt, it actually brings a tear to my eye each time I read it. When getting this book, I would definitely recommend the other two in the series, "Bad Kitty Gets a Bath" and "Bad Kitty's Birthday", as it introduces and develops some other characters, like the neighborhood cats, that reappear in "Bad Kitty and Uncle Murray". The new one out... the one about the baby, we will also buy when it comes out. We are now dedicated fans! However, Uncle Murray is far and away the one my daughter likes the best, and I'm actually thinking of getting the hardcover, because our paperback may not stand up to the amount of re-reading this book is going to continue to get, as each person who comes to our house is required by our daughter to read and enjoy it with her.

I have purchased at least five copies of the original Bad Kitty picture book so far, as it is my go-to gift for the youngest readers I know, and it's a book that can hold up to multiple readings. The first two books, Bad Kitty and Poor Puppy, are traditional picture books that cover ABCs and counting. The three books that follow (Bad Kitty Gets A Bath; Happy Birthday, Bad Kitty; and Bad Kitty vs. Uncle Murray) are chapter books that still have many pictures, and are designed to bridge the gap between picture books and traditional chapter books. The Bad Kitty books are hilarious, and Bad Kitty is a great character. In this book, the unseen human owners are going away, and Uncle Murray is left in charge of Kitty and Puppy. Those familiar with Kitty's personality know that this can't end well. Kitty's adventures with Uncle Murray are broken up by Uncle Murray's informational asides about why cats act like they do. Kitty and Uncle Murray do make peace in time for the owners return, and the owners have brought with them something that is sure to make young readers (and this adult reader) very excited for the next book.