Synopses & Reviews
Bathe the floor? Sweep the dishes? This riotous romp of a picture book follows a frantic family as they try to get some chores done — with no help from the family cat, who keeps scrambling the list of chores with hilarious effects. Get ready for a rollicking read-aloud with a truly purrfect ending.
It's cleaning day, but the family cat will do anything to avoid getting a bath. So instead of mopping the floor or feeding the fish, the family is soon busy rocking the rug, vacuuming the lawn, and sweeping the dishes. Bouncy rhyme carries the story headlong into the growing hilarity, until finally Dad restores some kind of order — but will the cat avoid getting his whiskers wet?
HILARIOUS READ-ALOUD: Word scrambles are a delight in this silly rhyming picture book! Kids will love the accessible rhyming text, and emerging readers will be able to anticipate words after repeated reads, making for an engaging and interactive read-aloud experience.
CATNIP FOR CAT LOVERS: This sweet and sneaky feline will do anything to get out of having a bath! Ample cat antics and scenes of increasing mischief (and increasing chaos!) will tickle young readers and entice parents — particularly those with a furry feline member of their own households.
TWO DADS LEAD THE WAY: Dad and Papa are the heads of this large and loving biracial family, mirroring illustrator David Robert's own orientation and providing picture book readers with a positive depiction of LGBTQ+ characters in a fun and funny family story.
WINNING AUTHOR-ILLUSTRATOR TEAM: Alice McGinty is a prolific author of books for children, and David Roberts is well-known for his work on the popular Questioneers series. Together, their upbeat text and energetic art with pops of neon color make for a standout picture book, just right for gifting and enjoying together at storytime.
Perfect for:
Parents
Gift-givers
Cat lovers
Review
"[Bathe the Cat] will be an absolute hoot at storytime with the rhythmic text lending bounce and energy, and the wacky word play guaranteeing giggles." The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Review
"Clean-up time turns topsy-turvy when an interracial family’s mischievous cat jumbles up their to-do list in this sure-footed picture book." Publishers Weekly
About the Author
Alice B. McGinty is the award-winning author of more than 40 books for children. Her picture book biography Darwin was named a NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor book and was a 2009 Booklist Top Ten Biographies for Youth. Alice was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and has lived in New York, New Jersey, Kentucky, Maryland, Georgia, and Indiana. She currently resides in Urbana, Illinois.
David Roberts is an award-winning illustrator of children's books, including Iggy Peck, Architect; Rosie Revere, Engineer; and Ada Twist, Scientist. He is currently based in London.