Product Description

Nigel is a cat.

He loves to chase mice and scratch rugs.

Julia is a dog.

She loves treats and bones and sleeping.

They don't need anything else . . .

. . . but now they've got Bittle.

(She's a new baby.)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #76483 in Books
• Published on: 2004-06-01
• Released on: 2004-06-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 40 pages

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2–Nigel, a cat, and Julia, a dog, are perfectly happy in their big yellow house–until their owners bring home a new baby. Slowly, the animals warm up to the infant and come to play a big role in her life. They call her "Bittle" (because she's "just a little bit of a thing"), soothe her to sleep at night, and play with her during the day. As the child grows, Nigel and Julia find that they share common interests with her, such as catching butterflies and a fascination with the toilet. Eventually, the pets discover that they have grown to love Bittle. Readers see that she loves them too as the book concludes with her first words: "Woof" and "Meow." Yaccarino's artwork matches the story perfectly. The colors are bright, the lines simple, and Julia and Nigel are clearly the dominant figures of the household. Writing from the pets' perspective, the authors cleverly highlight the changes a new baby brings to a home, and the animals' growing affection for Bittle is humorous and heartwarming. This story speaks to youngsters who have welcomed a new sibling or who have seen how a pet can seemingly become the ruler of a house.–Kelley Rae Unger, Peabody Institute, MA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
PreS-K. MacLachlan and her daughter follow up their first collaborative picture book, Painting the Wind (2003), with a larky take on the ever-popular new-baby scenario. Their version focuses not on elder human siblings but on pets with household seniority: a marmalade cat and rotund beagle named, respectively, Nigel and Julia. Though initially less than enthusiastic about the baby, whom they nickname Bittle because "she's just a little bit of a thing," the animals quickly find themselves pinch-hitting as nursemaids. They sooth Bittle's cries at night, fetch tossed-aside toys, and, in the process, form a sweet bond that has even Eeyore-like Julia proclaiming her affection. The contrasting personalities of set-in-her-ways Julia and gentler, cleverer Nigel are nimbly expressed in Yaccarino's gouache paintings, which will gratify admirers of the artist's many picture books and also attract fans of his Nickelodeon cartoon series, Oswald. By the surprise ending, little ones dreading an interloper will gain an empowering perspective on the special (and influential) role they can play in the life of a newly minted human. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author
Patricia MacLachlan has written several award winning picture books and novels, including All The Places to Love, and the Newbery Medal winner, Sarah, Plain and Tall.

Emily MacLachlan lives near Boston with her husband, two cats, and two dogs. Painting the Wind is her first book.

Customer Reviews

dog drinks from toilet--now that's funny (to my 3 yr old)
Sometimes you never know just what will capture your child's attention. Bittle is one of those books I never would have expected to do so. It's certainly a cute story with a wry touch, but it simply didn't stand out in my mind for story or illustrations. So I guess when my wife says I've never grown up she must be wrong, because boy does my three-year-old love this book.
The story follows Julia the dog and Nigel the cat as their comfortable lives are interrupted by the arrival of Bittle, the new baby. Bittle's presence is foreshadowed by: a bag of tiny clothes (not mine says Julia), a new paintjob (the color of mold says Nigel), and a new crib (a cage says Julia). If you haven't figured it out, Nigel is the smart one.
At first the animals are a bit put out: Julia hides her bones (though Nigel tells her Bittle has no teeth), they're woken up by her screaming at night. But gradually, or as gradually as a picture book allows, they realized they share some common interests. Both Bittle and Nigel like chasing butterflies and both Julia and Bittle enjoy the bathroom--Bittle for the toilet paper roll as any parent could have guessed and Julia for the toilet bowl itself, an image which never fails to crack up my three-year-old. Or 30-month-old as he was when he first was exposed to Bittle. Nigel and Julia fetch toys when Bittle tosses them from the crib and lick Bittle's droppings from the table. In the end, mom and dad will be surprised to learn they weren't quite the influence on Bittle as they might have thought.
There is, as mentioned, a nice wry sense of humor and tone, especially from Nigel--he speaks as one imagines a cat would. The pictures are simple and colorful. There is a good pace to the story, the differing tones of Nigel and Julia allow for some fun reading aloud, and the story's point comes across clearly and gently. It's a good book on its own, a great book based on my son's reaction, but an especially good one to pick I'd think if you're expecting a second child and have some concerns about the first's reaction. Good recommendation from dad, super recommendation from son.

Daughter's Favorite
This is my 3-year-old-daughter's favorite book. She loves howling with Bittle and the animals at the end. A fun family favorite. :-)

Great book for people who love their pets and are having a baby...
Such a cute book for pet owners who are having a baby. My son loves this book. Dog and cat were some of his first words. He loves his animals.