I'd heard of the Bad Kitty books before, but never had an opportunity to read them until now. Someone was nice enough to leave on in my Little Free Library, to which it will be returning now that I've read it.

Definitely a fun read, and quite funny, especially for anyone who has ever owned a cat. I see so much of my Ringo Luna in Bad Kitty, and if she was ever granted outside privileges, I'm sure she would be just as much of a menace to the general population.

Also, I have to wonder just what Kitty Heaven is like, since we really only get a true peek at Doggy Heaven, which seems accurate. ( )

Both kids are longstanding Bad Kitty fans, and when the younger (also a teen now!) saw this at the bookstore, he asked me to get it from the library.

I want to say Bad Kitty has gone downhill, but maybe it's just that with the kids being teens and not reading this sort of thing anymore (me or them), I am just not used to it anymore, and they aren't really either. They both read it, I read it. Dad had to look at the one GREAT page, and we have a new family joke. "It's not THAT kind of thermometer Kitty!"

Yes we have cats. ( )

I rarely read sequels, but I wanted some relaxing reading and took home the newest Bad Kitty for myself.

Bad Kitty may be bad, but she's always been a happy, healthy kitty. In her own way, of course. Until today. When a kitty stops eating, what happens? The dreaded...VET! Will Bad Kitty survive her traumatic experience? More important...will everyone else?

The blended graphics and text deliver another laugh-out-loud adventure from Kitty and her "friends." Fans of classic cartoons, especially Tom and Jerry, will get a big laugh out of the kitty heaven sequence, especially Kitty's desperate attempts to atone for her previous nastiness to Poor Puppy.

One of the things I love about Bad Kitty, asides from the humor, illustrations, and popularity with kids, is their diversity. Have you ever sat down and counted how many anthropomorphic characters are male? Or found yourself referring to animals as male even if it's not delineated in the story? I've been making a conscious effort to break myself of this habit over the past few months and once you start looking it's everywhere. In rhymes, picture books, chapter books, etc. Bad Kitty is one of the few female animal protagonists and, even more rare, she's one bad kitty - nothing sweet and dainty about her at all. In addition, when the rare human character shows up, they are just as likely to have dark skin as not - for example, the veterinarian in this title.

Verdict: Another hilarious entry in a popular series. Your library should definitely own the whole series and, if you are a larger library, multiple copies. Bad Kitty also makes a great read-aloud for younger kids and a good book club selection.

ISBN: 9781596439771; Published 2016 by Roaring Brook; Purchased for the library