What a Good Kitty

PreS-Gr 2—Books for the earliest readers don't always offer much of a plot, but this one conveys a story, along with the requisite word repetition and focus on phonemic awareness. Little Critter loves his kitty, despite the cat's multiple naughty deeds. Wreaking havoc with Dad's newspaper, Mom's knitting, and Little Sister's dolls gets the response "Bad, bad kitty!" The cat even disturbs the family dog and pet fish. She is exiled to the yard, and the fire department must come when she and Dad get stuck in a tree. But there is an opportunity for redemption. When a mean dog scares Little Sister, Kitty successfully chases him away, earning the response, "What a good kitty." Mayer's signature cartoon illustrations are funny and engaging. Spare text that draws emergent readers into the action makes this a top choice.—Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT