by Nick Bruel
Hmmm . . . Im not too sure what to make of this, Petunia. But I do believe we have to find a way for you to make peace with cats.
Your turn! What have you created today?
Say, that’s pretty good! I
mean . . . that’s really good!
Really, really GOOD!
It’s got feeling! It’s got
y’know . . . depth! It’s subtle
messages of love and hope
touch my very soul!
Wait . . . are you . . .
are you giving this
to me?
Well, its good to see you two finally becoming friends!
Never in my wildest
dreams did I ever
believe that someone
could give me such
a thing of beauty, of
pulchritude, of sheer
exquisite grandeur.
And how are you doing, little puppy?
LOVELY! Just lovely! Lets show it to the whole class!
But please try not to drool on it so much.
Why are you so angry? I really want to know. Is it because I admired Puppys painting so much? Do
you want to tell me?
Do you?
Okay. When you want to tell me, Ill
be ready to listen. Meanwhile, its
time for . . .
•CHAPTER SIX•
I want each of you to SHOW me something thats special to you and then TELL me why its important.
Why dont you go first this time, Kitty. Just step into the circle and show us something special.
Well, that was very . . . interesting. Lets all clap our paws together, class, because thats how we show our support for each other.
Umm . . . Miss Dee?
Can I go next?
Yes, you may, little
bunny. And that was
a very good job of
asking nicely.
TREMBLE, YOU MERE MORTALS, AS I FINALLY REVEAL TO YOU THE INCREDIBLE AWESOMENESS OF MY MUTANT SUPER-VILLAIN POWER! PREPARE YOURSELVES
AS YOU WITNESS
BEFORE YOUR VERY
EYES MY
ABILITY TO . . .
UH . . .
What just
happened ?
Little bunny, you do
understand, dont
you, that . . .
YES, Kitty is right! We
need to clap and show
our support!
Youre next, Petunia!
Well, I . . . uh . . . made two paintings in Arts and
Crafts that I want to show you.
This is the first one. It’s . . . uh . . . still a bit wet.
This is the other one.
It’s . . . uh . . . a portrait I made of . . . uh . . . Kitty, who’s my new best friend, even though she’s got a goofy name like “Kitty.”
That was lovely, Petunia! Just lovely!
Okay, Puppy. Its your turn! What are you going to
show us?
Wait! Where are you going, little puppy?
Oh, I see. You found a recorder you want to play.
Well, were all looking forward to hearing you play it!
Partita in A minor
for Solo Flute
Allemande
J. S. Bach
BWV 1013
That was very nice, Puppy. But I think we still have to work on this drooling issue of yours.
That was very rude, Kitty! I really do think its high
time we had that talk, dont you?
I see. More rudeness.
This negative attitude
of yours is not helping,
Kitty. But maybe . . . just
maybe . . . youll learn
something during . . .
•CHAPTER SEVEN•
Gather around,
everyone! Its been a
long day, and I think
its time for us to all
sit back and
hear a story
with a very
important
message.
Todays story is Love Love Angel Kitten and Her Friends on the Farm.
One day, Love Love
Angel Kitten decided
to go visit the farm.
“Oh, what joy that would
be,” said Love Love
Angel Kitten to herself.
“I’ve never met any farm
animals.”
“And it’s always so
very, very fun to make
new friends!”
So she stepped into
her magic rainbow
helicopter made out
of candy and . . .
But you’re not just plain ol’ Kitty anymore, are you? No, now you’re . . .
LOVE LOVE
ANGEL KITTY!
HEY, EVERYBODY! Look at Love Love Angel Kitty!
She made dinner for
us! She’s so very,
very KIND!
She bought us all
presents! She’s
so very, very
GENEROUS!
She cleaned
her own
litterbox! She’s
so very, very HELPFUL!
Love Love Angel Kitty is such a very, very, good, good, GOOD Kitty! Look at how much she loves Baby!
Now look at
how much she
loves Puppy!
Finally, there is peace in our home. Where once there were screaming temper tantrums, now there are only kisses. Where once there were fights and shrieks and howls, now there are only hugs. Where once there was only mayhem, now there is only love. Sweet, wonderful LOVE.
And it’s all thanks to
Are you all right, Kitty? Did something upset you? Were you frightened by the part where Love Love Angel Kitten tried to hug the disobedient chicken?
Do you want to talk
about what upset you?
*Sigh* Fine. Maybe well finally
have that talk after . . .
•CHAPTER EIGHT•
Well class, this
has been a very
full day. But it's
time for graduation.
Do you remember
what I told you
school is for?
School is
where you
go to
learn
something new.
This means that if you
can show me that youve
learned something new
today, then I will give you
a diploma to show that
youve graduated. And
then you can go home
happy and proud to
know that you will all
be better pets.
What have you learned
today, little puppy?
What a clever puppy! Youve learned how to control your drool! Heres your diploma!
May I go next,
Miss Dee?
Yes you may, little
bunny. What have
you learned today?
I, DR. LAGOMORPH, HAVE
LEARNED TWO THINGS
TODAY! TWO, I TELL YOU!
FIRST, I HAVE LEARNED THE MYSTIC
SECRETS OF TRANSFORMING MY ENEMIES
INTO TWENTY-POUND BLOCKS OF
GORGONZOLA CHEESE BY USING THIS
ANCIENT CRYSTAL I FOUND HERE INSIDE
THIS CHAMBER OF LEARNING! I WILL
USE IT TO FINALLY DEFEAT THAT
DESPICABLE DO-GOODER CAPTAIN
FANTASTICAT AND HIS MINISCULE
SIDEKICK POWER MOUSE.
THEN NOTHING SHALL
STAND IN THE WAY
OF MY COMPLETE
AND TOTAL WORLD
DOMINATION!
Is that my chalk?
Ummmm . . .
probably. Can
I have it, please?
You may, but only if
you tell me what
e
lse you learned.
Well . . . umm . . . I guess
I also learned that people
will pay more attention to
me if I don’t interrupt
them, even though I’m
trying to get their
attention.
Well said, little bunny.
Heres your diploma!
Now then, Petunia . . .
what have you
learned today?
SNIFF
SNIFF
Wait a minute . . .
SNIIIFFF
snort
You smell
like a . . .
OH, HOW WRONG I HAVE BEEN! I HAVE
WASTED SO MUCH TIME HATING CATS WHEN
I SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOVING THEM
AS I DO MY NEW
BEST FRIEND!
FROM THIS MOMENT ON, I SHALL DEDICATE
MY LIFE NOT TO CHASING OR BITING OR
CHEWING BUT TO LOVING THESE
KINDEST AND GENTLEST OF
ALL THE EARTH’S CREATURES.
NEVER AGAIN WILL I SPEAK
ILL OF YOU
BEAUTIFUL
BEASTS.
THIS I VOW!
Nice job, Petunia.
I knew youd
eventually come
around!
Wow. This really
explains why there
are so many cows in
my neighborhood.
Well, Kitty, I suppose
its time you and I
had that talk.
Do you think you
learned anything
today?
Dont you
want to
talk?
Dont
you like
school?
Dont
you like
learning
new
things?
Well, thats too bad.
Im sorry that you say you
didnt learn anything and that
you wont graduate today.
But I learned something
about you today, Kitty.
Do you want to know
what it is?
I watched you help your
puppy friend with his
drooling problem.
I watched you be the first
to support the little bunny
with your applause.
I watched you give Petunia
your painting and make
a new friend.
Do you want to know
what I learned about
you today, Kitty?
I learned that youre
not such a bad kitty,
after all.
So Im sorry you didnt
like school very much,
Kitty. But I want you
to go home today
understanding
one thing . . .
Im very proud to have
been your teacher.
Never!
CAN DOGS AND CATS EVER
BECOME FRIENDS?
Dogs and cats can and will become friends, but they can’t do this by themselves. They’ll need your
help. The key is PATIENCE. Helping your pets to get along could take a long time and will require a lot of your attention.
First, take a few precautions.
Trim the claws on your cat. Put the dog on a leash. Make sure the cat has a place to hide or escape if things get out of hand. And keep some treats on hand . . . you’ll see why in a moment.
If you’re bringing a cat into the home, keep her in her carrier and let the dog sniff the cat through the air
holes. If the dog is calm,
give him some treats as a
reward. If he barks or is
excitable, pull on the leash
and tell him “NO” until he
calms down.
If you’re bringing a dog into the home, also keep the dog in a cage if you can, at first. Bring the cat into the room by carrying her and petting her to let her know it’s okay. If your cat gets wiggly or runs, don’t punish her for being understandably anxious. Just pet her and console her.
Another tactic you might try is to keep both animals inside their respective carriers and place them
both in the same room with their doors facing each other. You should stay in the room, too, if only to give them both treats when they are calm. If either of your pets continues to be anxious about the
situation, you should be prepared to keep them separate from each other the best you can and repeat this process each day for as long as it takes.
In time, you should be able to train each pet to think of the other as another member of the family . . . an annoying member, perhaps, but part of the family nonetheless.
SIGH—I
already have a
lot of annoying
members of
my family.
•EPILOGUE•
Well, Kitty, I’m pretty disappointed with you that you didn’t graduate. I can’t help but think that maybe you just didn’t try hard enough.
*SIGH* And I guess this means that you’re the same old, cranky, ornery, disagreeable Kitty you’ve always been.
Your teacher Miss Dee kept telling me how much she likes you and how much she hopes that you’ll be able to go back to school for another chance. She seemed to really like you, Kitty. But I don’t know. I just don’t see any reason to send you back to that school . . .
unless we really, really, REALLY have to.
KITTY!
HEY GANG!
TURN THE PAGE
FOR AN AMAZING,
SPECTACULAR,
ASTONISHING,
SENSATIONAL
BONUS!
I think I need more muscles.
You have enough. Now hush!
What does
"subterranean"
mean?
Don’t miss BAD KITTY’s picture books!
MEOW!
Bad Kitty
ISBN 978-1-59643-069-3
$16.99 US/$18.99 CAN
Poor Puppy and Bad Kitty
ISBN 978-1-59643-844-6
$16.99 US/$18.99 CAN
A Bad Kitty Christmas
ISBN 978-1-59643-668-8
$15.99 US/$18.50 CAN
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
NICK BRUEL is the author and illustrator of the phenomenally successful Bad Kitty series including the 2012 CBC Children’s Choice Book Award winner Bad Kitty Meets the Baby. Nick has also written and illustrated many other picture books including Who is Melvin Bubble? and Bob and Otto. Nick lives with his wife and daughter in Tarrytown, New York. Visit him at nickbruel.com.
badkittybooks.com
mackids.com
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ISBN 978-1-59643-334-1 (hc)
$13.99 US/$15.99 Can
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ISBN 978-1-59643-342-7 (hc)
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ISBN 978-1-59643-596-4 (hc)
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