Bandit's Surprise by Karen Rostoker-Gruber

No one asked ME if
I wanted a new kitten!

Bandit is a happy cat. He has an owner who loves him, a warm blanket, minced clams for dinner, and a fuzzy toy mouse. But when Mitzy, a new kitten, moves in and messes with Bandit’s stuff, Bandit develops cat-titude.

“Paws off, Purr-brain,” he cries when Mitzy goes after Fuzzy Mouse.

Will these two cats ever reach a purr-fect friendship?

Inspiration

The real “Mitzy” and the real “Bandit”

Librarians and Teachers

Fan Created Art

Awards & Nominations

  • Featured on Celebrity Apprentice
  • July 2010 Featured in Cat Fancy Magazine

Reviews

red star“The defensive, domesticated tan-and-white cat is back in this sequel to Bandit (2008). He has a new roommate, a little gray kitten, and he is not happy. Mitzy drinks and eats from his bowls, uses his litter box, and, worst of all, plays with Fuzzy Mouse. He swipes at Mitzy’s face and is scolded by his owner. In response, Bandit says, “I’m outta here” and leaps through an open window. Later, when he is stuck outside in the rain, Mitzy comes to the rescue and Bandit reluctantly shares some of his precious belongings with her. The story is told through brief narrative and dialogue balloons that are filled with cat witticisms such as calling Mitzy “Tattletail” and “Fish Breath.” To children, Mitzy is like a new sibling who steals their toys and attention, and they will identify. The clever pencil and ink illustrations are digitally enhanced and capture Bandit’s frustration and annoyance and his misery when he is locked out. Both felines’ humanlike expressions give feeling to the text. Bandit’s story will console children with an attention-getting younger sibling and entertain them with the laugh-out-loud dialogue and situations.” — Carrie Rogers-Whitehead, Kearns Library, UT
— School Library Journal, March 2010, STARRED REVIEW