Parents' Guide to

Bathe the Cat

By Stephanie Snyder, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Hilarious, relatable tale showcases a diverse family.

Book Alice B. McGinty Picture Book 2022
Bathe the Cat Book Cover

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 4+

Based on 1 parent review

E B.
E B. Parent
January 27, 2023
age 4+

This title has:

Great role models
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What's the Story?

In Bathe the Cat, the family is getting the house ready for a visit from Grandma Marge. The narrator is the dad who assigns chores to each member of the family and takes on the job of bathing the cat. But when the cat hears the news of its impending bath, it decides to get creative about how to get out of it. In doing so, the cat turns clean-up time into a chaotically amusing fiasco. Will the family be ready when Grandma Marge arrives?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Readers of all ages will get a kick out of this hilarious family book. Bathe the Cat is a fun reading experience, and it's a universal story that many families can relate to, from the magnet letters on the fridge to the one kid dressed in a dinosaur costume to doing chores. It brings on the fun with rhymes, creative wordplay, and images that kids and grown-ups can identify with under the pressure of getting the house ready for an important guest. And the diverse representations can remind readers that we have more in common than we think.

Engaging illustrations bring the story to life with subtle tributes to the LGBTQ+ community, like the rainbow on the stuffed bunny's T-shirt. This funny read will have readers bringing new silliness to family chores. Just don't blame the cat if things get a little crazy!

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about families when reading Bathe the Cat. How is your family similar to the one in the book? How is yours different? What are some other activities -- like cleaning the house for a guest -- that families do together?

  • Why does the cat change the words around on the fridge? Do you think the cat is smart or sneaky? Why?

  • Make a list of chores that you do at your house. How can you mix up the tasks like the cat in the story does? Do any of the new chores make sense? Which ones are the funniest?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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