Naughty Kitty!

PreS-Gr 2—In this follow-up to Silly Doggy (Orchard, 2011), Lily's mom gives her skeptical daughter a fluffy little kitten instead of a long-hoped-for pooch. The child admonishes her new pet to behave and not make a mess, but each time she leaves kitty alone, she discovers chaotic mayhem upon her return. What Lily doesn't know but readers can clearly see is that the havoc is being wreaked by a huge tiger that hides whenever Lily comes near (the endpapers alert them to his escape from the zoo). The commotion appears to abate when the tiger follows a neighbor's dog, sporting a tiger-striped sweater. The book ends with a promise of more misadventures as a zoofull of animals cavorts, unbeknownst to Lily, in her backyard. The cartoon watercolor-and-ink illustrations use a combination of spreads and small vignettes to capture both the disasters caused by the tiger and the tenderness of Lily's acceptance of her kitten. Children will enjoy the jokes and spotting the tiger lurking, while adults will appreciate the goofy endpaper news items that reveal more about the story beyond its ending.—Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse Public Library, WI