Christmas is my favorite time of the year. Once Thanksgiving comes and goes, my kids and I check out piles of Christmas books from the library. My children also love stories that feature cats, especially silly cats. When recently offered the chance to review Dear Santa, I Know It Looks Bad But It Wasn’t My Fault! written by Norma Lewis with illustrations from Olivia Beckman from Peter Pauper Press in exchange for my honest opinion, I eagerly accepted the opportunity to add a new holiday title to my home library.
Author/Illustrator
Currently residing in Grand Haven, Michigan with her own cat named Scalawag, author Norma Lewis has written seven books on local Southwest Michigan history and five books for children. She has also written hundreds of articles, many on the topic of American history including Alaska and her home state of Michigan. Her cat did not inspire the cat-astrophic shenanigans described in Dear Santa, she knows he could and lives in fear that he will.
Illustrator Olivia Beckman feels very lucky to illustration books for children. She especially loves drawing people doing everyday activities, animals with fluffy fur, and mischievous cats. She worked for years in graphic design and magazine layout until her inner little bird whispered to her one that she should focus on the type of illustration that inspired her to study the fine arts to begin with: children’s books.
Synopsis
Recommended for readers in preschool through second grade, Dear Santa, I Know It Looks Bad But It Wasn’t My Fault! tells the story of Scalawag, a cat who has been outstanding all year (at least, according to him). When a series of mishaps occur, Scalawags writes a series of letters to Santa to clear up any misunderstandings. He also tells Santa about his Christmas wish: a Catman and Robin video game. When one unfortunate incident lands the cat and his human Miss Violet in the emergency room, Scalawag gains a new perspective. He writes one final letter to Santa and asks for a different gift, one that expresses the true warmth and spirit of Christmas. The 40-page full-color hardback book with dust jacket currently costs $14.29 on Amazon with a list price of $16.99. I received an uncorrected proof.
Evaluation
I totally love reading books full of feline hijinks, and Dear Santa, I Know It Looks Bad But It Wasn’t My Fault! does not disappoint. I love that Scalawag truly tries to be a good kitty but gets into all sorts of trouble because of events outside of his control. He might have called the canary a birdbrain, but, in his defense, the canary is a bird. He also did not mean to get his head stuck in the milk pitcher. He was only trying to help clean up the last drops of milk, after all. And Scalawag certainly did not mean to break all the Christmas ornaments and set the coffee table on fire. Luckily for him, his human caregiver Miss Violet never wanted a boring cat.
My oldest daughter, who just turned 7 and is finishing up her second-grade level work, can read the book easily on her own. She loves the Bad Kitty books and thus finds Dear Santa quite hilarious too. My two younger children also enjoy listening to me read the book aloud. My preschooler son really likes hearing about the silly kitty antics throughout the story. My littlest one, who just turned 1, likes to point out the cat in the pictures. I also love the hilarious illustrations, which really help bring the story to life. All in all, Dear Santa, I Know It Looks Bad But It Wasn’t My Fault! is a new holiday favorite in The Parenting Patch household.
Final Verdict
If you are searching for a hilarious holiday book to share with your children, I definitely recommend checking out Dear Santa, I Know It Looks Bad But It Wasn’t My Fault! written by Norma Lewis with illustrations from Olivia Beckman from Peter Pauper Press. The book tells the story of a cat named Scalawag who writes a series of letters to Santa to explain the unfortunate incidents that keep happening to the otherwise well-behaved feline. My oldest daughter loves the silly cat and his antics, and my younger two children also enjoy listening to me read the book out loud. The illustrations really bring the story to life. Dear Santa is a new favorite during Christmastime in my home!
Purchase Dear Santa, I Know It Looks Bad But It Wasn’t My Fault! on Amazon via my affiliate link.
Image Credits
‘Dear Santa, I Know It Looks Bad But It Wasn’t My Fault!’ Book Review © 2018 Heather Johnson
Cover of ‘Dear Santa, I Know It Looks Bad But It Wasn’t My Fault!’ © 2018 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘Dear Santa, I Know It Looks Bad But It Wasn’t My Fault!’ 1 © 2018 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘Dear Santa, I Know It Looks Bad But It Wasn’t My Fault!’ 2 © 2018 Heather Johnson
Inside Pages of ‘Dear Santa, I Know It Looks Bad But It Wasn’t My Fault!’ 3 © 2018 Heather Johnson
