Published by Stripes Publishing

Summary:  Jasper aspires to get into The Sophisticats, a society for exceptional felines.  He invites the group over to his apartment and plans a fancy dinner for them. On the way back from grocery shopping for the big event, a puppy starts following him.  Try as he might, Jasper can’t seem to lose Scruff, who eventually sneaks into his apartment just as The Sophisticats are arriving. It’s a losing battle trying to keep Scruff hidden and impress the cool cats, but Jasper eventually begins to see that they’re not really worth impressing, and that Scruff is the better friend.  Jasper and Scruff get a bit of revenge on the obnoxious Sophisticats, then Scruff builds a cozy blanket fort and the two friends enjoy the rest of their evening together. 96 pages; grades 1-3.

Pros:  A fun first chapter book for newly independent readers with plenty of humor, illustrations, and an odd-couple kind of friendship.  Book 2 was published simultaneously.

Cons:  While there is fun to be had, it’s not the kind of uproarious humor found in other books for this age like The Bad Guys and Dog Man.  

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