Kitten Construction Company: A Bridge Too Fur

August 15, 2019
Let the catstruction begin again! Fresh off the success of building a mansion for the human mayor of Mewberg, the House Kittens won the contract for the new sports stadium. The adorable crew, headed by architect Marmalade, gets the job done on time, again proving themselves to be more capable than Mewburg's human residents think such cute kitties should be. Their next project: a new bridge. When Professor von Wigglebottom (masonry and carpentry expert) points out that most bridges cross water, Marmalade suddenly doubts herself and her team. Bubbles, the fluffy white plumber cat, is the only one not afraid of water. The project runs into some trouble; when no other kitties will sign on to help, von Wigglebottom brings in the Demo Doggos. Can Marmalade overcome her prejudice against canines and let the pups actually help, or will there be catastrophic catsequences? Green's second tale of feline fabricators works just as well as the first. Kitty wordplay dots this tale of interspecies cooperation. The big, friendly, full-color panels are full of cute cats and darling dogs with expressive faces. Real cat and dog behavior (knocking things off tables and sniffing butts) and other sight gags add extra laughs. Background humans are diverse; the furry characters represent multiple breeds within each species group. Instructive and fun, this will have fans mewing for more. (Graphic fantasy. 6-10)

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October 1, 2019

Gr 2-4-In the first series installment, the House Kittens gained the trust of the city after working on the mayor's mansion. Now the cats' work on the Mewburg stadium is nearing completion, and Marmalade and her crew have been offered an exciting new gig. A local bridge is falling apart, and a new one needs to be built. Who better than the House Kittens to take on the job? The cats don't take into account that building a bridge means working near water, and only Bubbles, the plumber cat, is comfortable with that. Marmalade sends Bubbles out to lead the crew, but it's not long before the kittens are behind schedule. Additional help is required, and at last they resort to working with the Demo Doggos. Tensions mount as the two teams clash, until Marmalade concedes that she wrongly assumed that dogs aren't as capable as cats. The message of the importance of giving others a fair shake and refraining from snap judgments is clear but not preachy. There are plenty of puns, and visual humor abounds, like when a cat knocks the microphone off the podium during a press conference. Green's illustrations are adorable and easy to follow, making this title a good pick for burgeoning comics fans. VERDICT This graphic novel strikes a balance between funny and heartfelt. It's paws-itively a great buy for most collections.-Gretchen Hardin, Bee Cave Public Library, TX

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2019
Grades 2-4 Chief architect Marmalade (an orange tabby) and her team of adorable house cats, having proved themselves by building the mayor's new mansion (Kitten Construction Company: Meet the House Kittens, 2018), are contracted to replace the old Mewberg bridge. Their plans move forward until masonry and lumber expert Professor Von Wigglebottom (a Siamese) reminds Marmalade that bridges are, in fact, built over water, which sends her into a panic. Despite the best efforts of their fearless plumber, Bubbles (a white Persian), the cats are forced to outsource help. Enter Carl Barks and his canine crew of Demo Doggos?much to Marmalade's distaste. Continuing his playful premise, Green delivers another gentle, hilarious tale rife with the kind of interspecies competition that both cat- and dog-lovers will revel in, though the real winners here are the punsters, who will gorge on a veritable feast of wordplay. The art remains colorful and slightly cartoonish?these animals are animals, despite being intelligent and able to use tools?and pages fit at most two panels, making this an excellent choice for graphic novel newbies.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)