Common Sense Media Review
By Jan Carr
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Funny, antic story about pampered, misbehaving pup.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
NAUGHTY MABEL is about a pup who lives in a sprawling Hamptons mansion. Her human parents dote on her, and by Mabel's own admission, she's very naughty. She's pictured eating flowers, making off with the holiday turkey, and chewing up the newspaper she's fetched. Her high spirits come to a head when the humans throw a party and Mabel sneaks in. She makes off with a mouthful of catered hot dogs, and, in an antic spread, knocks over food, wait staff, and guests. Because of the hot dogs, Mabel has some serious gas, which clears the party. Still, her parents love her, and Mabel joins them in their bed, because they're "one big, happy family."
Is It Any Good?
Readers will find it hard not to love spirited, misbehaving pup Mabel, who asks, "What good is a party without naughty little girls?" By her own admission, Mabel is a free spirit, and she's not naughty, she's VERY naughty. She eats underwear, knocks over the Christmas tree, and paints on the expensive portrait hung in her humans' well-appointed Hamptons mansion. "I live to party!!!" she declares, before destroying the party they host.
It's cowritten by the ever-funny Nathan Lane and producer/writer Devlin Elliott, and Lane's comic voice bleeds through. The text is a bit long, and there are some overly sophisticated adult references (Mabel asks for the name of a good lawyer) and a tired slur against the French, but the real appeal for kids is taking pleasure watching someone else do all the naughty things they're forbidden to do themselves.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about pets and their points of view. Do you have a pet? Does it misbehave? Do pets understand human rules?
Why do her parents still love Mabel after she wreaks havoc on their party? Can you love someone even when you don't like his or her behavior?
Which parts of the story are the funniest to you? What's funny about seeing characters in stories misbehave?
Book Details
- Authors :
- Illustrator : Dan Krall
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Animals , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : October 6, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 8
- Number of pages : 48
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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