Kitty is not a cat: Bath time by Jess Black

Hachette, 2020. ISBN: 9780734419798
(Age: 5-7) Highly recommended. Bath time is one of a series of junior fiction books based on the popular animated television series Kitty is not a cat produced by BES Animation based in Melbourne. The TV series has screened in over 85 countries and is voiced by well-known Australian actors and comedians. So, it is no surprise that the book series, written by Jess Black, has been very well received.
There are 4 books so far; Lights out! , Teddy's bear, Hired hound and Bath time.
In this series Kitty arrives at the front door of a house filled with stray cats who love making music and parties. The cats have strict rules about not allowing any humans in their house, but this human seems to believe she is a cat. She is dressed in an orange cat suit and only purrs, meows or hisses. Slowly the clueless cats take on the task of teaching Kitty how to be a human, in the hopes of sending her back to the human world, and in this book they tackle the task of keeping clean. But cats and water are never an easy mix and it seems Kitty also shares their aversion to the idea of getting wet. But with furballs seriously cramping her singing abilities Kitty needs to stop licking herself clean and take the plunge. The cats just need to work out what will make the bath attractive enough for Kitty to jump in.
This easy to read novel uses illustrations that match the graphics from the TV series except not using full colour, just blacks, greys and orange. It is a funny and engaging novel for early readers. Themes: Girls, Cats, Baths.
Gabrielle Anderson