Tumford the Terrible: 01/01/16

Tumford the Terrible by Nancy Tillman is about a tuxedo cat, Tumford Stoutt. He is well loved and pampered but it is a bit of a handful (as most cats are). His family wants him to learn to say "Sorry."

The idea behind the book is to teach toddlers their manners. No problem. Picture books fill many niches, including teaching basic manners.

However — my daughter was unimpressed when we read it. With two tuxedo cats in our family, Harriet's going through a phase where she reads any book that features a tuxedo cat.

Tumford's black and white face on the cover was an instant enticement. The moniker, "terrible" is also intriguing. Cats have such a reputation for doing their own thing, that the title gives the expectation that the book will be about a mischievous cat and his misadventures. Tumford the Terrible is much tamer than that.

Three Stars

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