Bathe the Cat
Hilarity and chaos ensue as two Black dads and their three racially diverse children realize that the clock is ticking and the house must be cleaned before Grandma arrives for a visit. There’s a lot to be done. Daddy spells out who will do what in alphabet magnets on the fridge: “Bobby, mop the floor. Dad will scrub the dishes. I’ll vacuum the rug. Sarah, feed the fishes. Dad will mow the lawn, and Sarah, sweep the mat. Bobby, rock the baby, and I’ll bathe the cat.” “Bathe the cat?” thinks the orange feline, eye twitching. With a few swipes of its paw, the letters are rearranged—and so are the chores. The family assumes their nonsensical duties: Sarah feeds the floor. Daddy sweeps the dishes. Bobby rocks the rug, and Dad scrubs the fishes. But when it comes time to “mow the cat,” the cat hastily works its magic on the letters once again. Tasks get increasingly bizarre: “Sarah, mop the Bobby! … I mean, Bobby bathe the bathtub! Sarah, Bob the mat! Dad will feed the lawnmower! And I’ll catch the cat!” The cat thus secured, Daddy sets the magnets straight, and the family tidies up just in time for Grandma’s arrival. Neon yellow and pink predominate in pencil-and-watercolor illustrations that depict the family straightforwardly going about their comical chores. ©2022 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by David Roberts
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 3-5
Age Range:
Babies/Toddlers (birth – 3)
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Format:
Picture book
Subjects:
Families
Gays
Humor
LGBTQ+ Persons
Pets
Stories in Rhyme
Wordplay
Diversity subjects:
Black/African
LGBTQ Character/Topic
LGBTQ Family
Publisher:
Chronicle
Publish Year: 2022
Pages: 40
ISBN: 9781452142708
CCBC Location: Picture Book, McGinty