Bad Cat by Nicola O’Byrne
Published by Allen & Unwin|Nosy Crow
Date: 2 June 2020
R.R.P. $19.99
If you have ever watched a cheeky cat video, then I have no doubt you would love this picture book about Fluffkins, a cat that creates calamity. You’ve seen those cats that use their paws to knock something off the table…well that is fairly much just like this story. It is one of the cheekiest books I have seen in a while, and it had me laughing from the outset because you could tell that this cat was one mischievous little creature.
‘Don’t you dare touch my knitting!’
The illustrations are so important to this story because the looks on Fluffykins face are priceless and speaks just as loud as the text. The book has been author illustrated, and she has seamlessly infused the words and pictures to create a fun story. No matter how cheeky Fluffykins is, the adorable kitty will undoubtedly steal your heart and does create mayhem just like real feline friends.
‘Fluffykins!’
I feel the underlying message here is about children learning how to acknowledge when they have done something wrong and apologising for it. On the surface, it is just a fun story about a ‘Bad’ Cat that likes to knock things over and walk away from the damage.
This book is a perfect read for a child that loves humour or for a storytime session where there are bound to be lots of laughs. This book is suitable even for children who think they are ‘too old’ for picture books (I believe no one is ever too old).
Just a little mention about the end pages, they’re subtle with the blue background and slightly darker paw prints. I think the end pages are an excellent addition to the story because, in this instance, they are very telling about Fluffykins and the cheeky felines nature.
As with most Nosy Crow books I read, I highly recommend Bad Cat and the mischievousness it gets up to.
Thank you to Allen & Unwin and Nosy Crow for the opportunity to read and honestly review this book.
Little Big Reads 