How bad can a cat be? This is a story about all the naughty things that cats get up to when we are not looking!
Nicola O’Byrne, author and illustrator, was born in Swaziland, grew up in Singapore, and has lived all over the world. She now lives in Los Angeles. O’Byrne has written and illustrated many books for preschool children.
Bad Cat! is a picture book about a cat called Fluffykins, but don’t be fooled by the cute name! Fluffykins is very naughty! It doesn’t matter what his owner implores him to do or not do. Fluffykins does as he pleases and wrecks absolutely everything. All his owner wants him to do is say sorry but unfortunately, he shows no remorse whatsoever. Fluffykins can almost be likened to a wilful child who has no regard for the possessions of others.
The brightly coloured illustrations with the expressions on the face of Fluffykins show a cat that knows perfectly well that he is doing the wrong thing, but does it anyway. It is a concern about how Fluffykins’ lack of remorse will translate to a young child beginning to learn right from wrong. This is a book that needs discussion with an adult which could centre around topics such as: whether saying sorry is really enough to make amends, caring for other people’s belongings, and following instructions. However, if the child has a cat at home that is destructive and has a mind of its own, then the reader may just see the humour in the story of this naughty feline.
Minimal text of varying size helps the reader inject more expression and would be easy for a young child to memorize. Children with a sense of humour will find this story fun but I recommend an adult makes sure discussion follows the reading of the book.
Reviewed by Sue Mauger
Distributed by: Allen & Unwin
Released: June 2020
RRP: $19.99 hardcover
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