Puppy's Big Day

Gr 2–4—Because Bad Kitty is in a terrible mood, Uncle Murray is enlisted to get Puppy out of the house, and the two set off to spend the day together. Right away, though, they get into trouble with an offstage police officer, who tickets Uncle Murray for violations like walking a dog without a leash and failing to clean up after the pup. They then head for the dog park, where they encounter a rather aggressive bulldog named Petunia, who quickly forms a crush on Puppy. After she chases Uncle Murray up a tree, Petunia and Puppy are picked up by Animal Control and taken to a pound. By the time Puppy is claimed, he has made friends with several of the odd characters at the pound, and soft-hearted Uncle Murray ends up as a dog owner. Scattered throughout the narrative are interjections from Bad Kitty about the yuckier habits of dogs, and the end matter includes information on adopting pets from shelters. As always, Bruel's writing is hilarious, and his excellent illustrations make the story complete. Bad Kitty fans will enjoy this volume immensely.—Sarah Reid, Broome County Public Library, Binghamton, NY