It's Me. (Catwad #1)

My son's favorite book series!! So funny.

Catwad is a grouchy blue cat. He is sarcastic, outspoken, and plagued by a best friend who is constantly sunny. Blurmp is also a cat, but he is perennially happy, excitable, and a little bit bouncy. He does his best to infect Catwad with his enthusiasm, no matter what the situation.When Blurmp tries the different buttons on the relaxation recliner Catwad is sitting in, Catwad takes the chair’s abuse. When they stop at a questionable hotel, Catwad just tries to get some sleep but watches as dozens of spiders crawl into Blurmp’s mouth. When Catwad tells him, disgusted, about the spiders, Blurmp is thrilled. Breakfast in bed! (Full disclosure, my cat would probably be thrilled by that too.)When Blurmp gets Catwad to admit that he likes him better than pizza (with rat sweat, poison, and toenails on it), Blurmp flies across the table to hug Catwad and tell him that he’s his best friend too. And when Blurmp decides that the best way to fight crime is to prevent it (by buying the thing the criminal was about to steal), Catwad doesn’t know what to say.Through all their adventures together, Blurmp and Catwad stay friends and balance each other. When Catwad’s computer breaks, Blurmp tries to fix it. When life hands Catwad lemons, Blurmp makes lemonade. And tries to fix the computer by pouring the lemonade on it. But he’s trying.It’s Me is the first in the Catwad series, introducing the characters with lots of bright illustrations and whimsical story vignettes. Author Jim Benton brings energy, heart, and superfun grumpiness together in this short collection of comics that will bring smiles to the faces of children and adults.I loved this first book of Catwad stories. At the end of a stressful day, I am, happy to sit back and read a few of these chapters, enjoying the conversations between the two friends and knowing that as bad as I may be feeling, Catwad is still grumpier than I am. And their exploits make me smile and remind me that there is more to the world than the small things that are irritating me right now. I definitely think that parents should buy this book for their kids. And when the kids go to bed, grab the book and read it themselves!

My seven-year-old son loves the Cat Wad series. The stories are short and entertaining.

Good leisure reading for a 9 year old.

Comic book style, lots of silly things inside to make your kids laugh.

Jim Benton (he of Happy Bunny fame) has started publishing a new graphic novel series about a character named Catwad, and I’ve been trying for an hour to figure out how to describe it. In the first book, Catwad: It’s Me., Catwad reminds me of nothing so much as a book version of the Grumpy Cat meme. Or a cross between Grumpy Cat and a Garfield comic. Whichever way you slice it, the book is full of biting, physical humor, and it will be a hit with kids no matter their reading level!Catwad is a cat (did the name give it away?), and star of a new graphic novel series featuring two cats (Catwad and Blurmp) who play off each other for laughs. It’s a bit like a modern, gross-out version of Amelia Bedelia, and sure to spark belly laughs. Catwad loves nothing (except coffee), and Blurmp loves everything – even when it doesn’t make sense. Their adventures, reluctant friendship, and jokes make for a hilariously meme-able reading experience that is sure to appeal to anyone who has searched the internet for “funny cat videos” (and who hasn’t, at this point??).With a book filled with jokes about growing up, grossout moments, immaturity, wordplay, meditations on friendship, “dumbness,” and more, Catwad's adventures are destined to be a popular series. I especially appreciated the strategic use of faulty grammar for comedic effect (I might use it as an example in my 9th grade classroom). I see this book as a natural successor to Dog Man, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and other mega-popular graphic novel series that rely on physical humor. It ups the sophistication level a bit (and it’s quite clever at times), but the reading level remains low and the focus is on the contrast between visuals and text.Speaking of the art, Catwad: It’s Me. is full of vibrant colors, simple images, and a good mix of panel sizes. The stories within also vary in length – some sections are several pages long, and others are brief, contained spreads. Since there isn’t much in the way of background, the focus is squarely on Catwad and Blurmp, and they are easily-traced shapes – so this book may inspire some budding cartoonists as well!In all, Catwad is a hilarious addition to the elementary and middle grade graphic novel canon, and a great choice for kids who like humor and are at lower reading levels.Recommended for: readers ages 7+ who enjoy reading newspaper comics, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and other humorous sequential art.

We fell in love with the first book. My son asked for the second. I just got it today and my 6 year old boy is already on page 82! He just loves it! I don’t have to beg him to read I just plop this book in front of him and he digs in! It is so funny! We enjoy it together! I love hearing that belly laugh over and over. It puts a smile on my face every time! I have to get the third book right away! He is reading it so quickly! Highly recommended!

My 6 year old is obsessively reading the Catwad books. He thinks they’re solidly funny and I’ve got to agree. They remind me a lot of Garfield and Odie, but with a little Animaniacs type ridiculousness. I also like that the book is a bunch of short pieces put together, great for an eager early reader, an intro to chapt books, but with pictures. Perfect for kids in early grades, but definitely still funny beyond that.