Bad Kitty for President
by Nick Bruel · Bad Kitty #8
A hilarious civics lesson disguised as a Bad Kitty adventure
The story
When the president of the Neighborhood Cat Club retires, Bad Kitty decides to run for office. Her campaign takes her through primaries, endorsements, grassroots organizing, media battles, and debates — but she discovers that winning an election is harder than she thought, especially when she forgets a crucial step in the democratic process.
Age verdict
Best for ages 7-10. The humor and illustrations work for younger readers, while the civics content and satirical edge engage older kids around election season.
Our take
Education-forward comedy that teachers will love most for its civics integration, with strong gateway potential for parents and solid entertainment value for kids — but literary and emotional depth are not where this book competes
What stands out
Each audience's top 3 dimensions. Out of 30 scored per book.
Kids love
- First-chapter grab Strong
Comparable to Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute — both open in grounded spaces with immediate stakes. Bad Kitty requires ~5 pages of setup (Old Kitty context) before campaign hook lands, vs Lunch Lady's instant cafeteria hook. Sits at 7 because opening is engaging but slightly delayed vs top-tier instant hooks.
- Laugh-out-loud Strong
The Scarlet Shedder and Hard Luck . Bad Kitty has 5 humor channels: absurdist concept, slapstick, meta (Edna), visual gags, conversational. Humor lands multiple times per chapter. Sits at 7.
Parents love
- Real-world window Exceptional
Comparable to Earthquake in the Early Morning — teaches civic values (voting, voter registration, electoral fairness) explicitly and comprehensively. Window into how democratic processes actually work, with nine key concepts woven throughout the narrative. Sits at 9 — exceptional values alignment.
- Reading gateway Strong
Comparable to A Bear Called Paddington — short chapters, immediate stakes, election mechanism creates discussion about fairness and consequences. Sits at 8.
Teachers love
- Classroom versatility Strong
Comparable to Eyes That Kiss in the Corners — chapter book format with accessible vocabulary, moderate sentence complexity, and consistent illustration support throughout enables effective independent and read-aloud use. Sits at 8.
- Cross-curricular value Strong
[Tier 3] Comparable to Be Careful What , triangulated with A Reaper . Strong civics cross-curricular connections. Sits at 8.
✓ Perfect for
- • Kids who love Bad Kitty and are ready for a story with more substance
- • Families looking for a funny way to talk about elections and democracy
- • Reluctant readers who need humor and illustrations to stay engaged
- • Teachers wanting an election-season read-aloud with real civics content
Not ideal for
Kids who want a pure adventure or fantasy story — this is firmly grounded in real-world political processes, and the educational framework is visible throughout.
At a glance
- Pages
- 144
- Chapters
- 8
- Words
- 7k
- Lexile
- 690L
- Difficulty
- Easy
- POV
- Third Person Omniscient
- Illustration
- Heavy
- Published
- 2012
- Publisher
- Roaring Brook Press
- Illustrator
- Nick Bruel
- ISBN
- 9781250010230
Mood & style
You'll know it worked when…
A one-sitting read for most kids — 144 illustrated pages that move quickly through each campaign phase.
If your kid loved "Bad Kitty for President"
Matched across 30 dimensions — interest hooks, character appeal, tone, pacing, emotional core. Not by what other people bought. By what fits the same reader profile.
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Horrid Henry
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