Bad Kitty Searching For Santa, early elementary Christmas giggles

Wait; didn’t Bad Kitty just have Thanksgiving? Yes, she did, but it’s a Bad Kitty world and we’re just living in it. Bad Kitty Does Not Like Thanksgiving was a board book. Bad Kitty Searching For Santa gives our grumpy cat an illustrated book format and has her try to figure out is she’s been naughty or nice. For readers in elementary school the answer to that question is an easy ‘yes!’ However, in the world of Bad Kitty it’s never as simple as that.

Kitty is writing a letter to Santa. She’s thinks she’s been good this year, but if you’ve ever read any of her other adventures you know that it’s a mixed bag at best. Once the letter is written she has to get it to Santa. Unfortunately for Bad Kitty it’s late in the Christmas season and Santa is at a store today. She has to navigate her way across town, past all of the people who look a little bit like Santa and get her letter to the only guy who knows for sure.

In Bad Kitty Searching For Santa author Nick Bruel doesn’t mess with the formula that elementary school kids love. Kitty is surly, not too attentive and really could use an attitude adjustment. She’s also remains just the way that people who’ve been reading her for years have grown to love her. Bad Kitty is the go-to series for our eight year-old now and Bruel does a great job of mixing up the age levels his main character.

The Thanksgiving book was a board book for crawlers through early elementary school. Bruel’s regular books are thicker, require a little more reading and OK middle elementary school and up to read without assistance. Searching for Santa is simpler than the later, more difficult for the former and an illustrated book that’s great for ages 4-8.

The text will be a little easy for those in the older range. Our 8 year-old can read the book easily, but then he’ll go through and laugh at the pictures again. There’s a Christmas poster in the back of the book that you can tear out.   Uncle Murray is there along with the hapless yellow mutt who is usually around when Kitty needs help or doesn’t need a caning around her.

Bad Kitty Searching For Santa retails for $9.99, but when you look around online you’ll find it for a couple dollars cheaper. It’s seasonal comfort reading for those who are trying to demo up to Kitty’s older adventures, but want to remain in the safe world of illustrated books.