Review Detail

Ruffles and the Teeny, Tiny Kitten

Kids Fiction 527

Ruffles has KITTENS!

November 01, 2022 (Updated: June 06, 2026)

Overall rating

5.0

Plot

5.0

Characters

5.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

Ruffles, who first appeared in Ruffles and the Red, Red Coat (2021) is back and beleagured by kittens! They may be tiny, but the kittens take a huge toll on Ruffles' serenity, climbing and pouncing and licking and pooping all over the place! Ruffles tries his best to be understanding, but doesn't really want to share his bed or his toys. He definitely doesn't want to share his favorite, cozy blue blanket, but when he tries to take it away from the kittens, they think it's a game, and soon the blanket is torn in two. Very sad about this, Ruffles goes to bed to try to get cozy, but the blanket is too small to keep him warm. Luckily, the kittens pile on top of him to take the chill off. In the morning, Ruffles is in a better mood, sharing his toys and finding out that it's more fun to play with friends. But the kitty poop? He could still do without that!

Good Points

I love books with dogs, especially when they are embued with human frailties and problems. One of my children's favorite picture book series was Ainslie Pryor's Baby Blue Cat, and Baby Blue Cat and the Dirty Dog Brothers was the best. Seeing cats and dogs interact is always fun. We'll see how well my dog Pongo does at Thanksgiving when he meets my new grandcat, Bella!

The illustrations of Ruffles and the kittens are absolutely adorable; there is so much emotion in the line drawings-- look at that cover, with the look in Ruffles' eyes that is similar to mine when I am on hall duty right before 6th grade lunch! Ruffles is so long suffering, and the five kittens cavort all over him with great glee. I was especially fond of the pages with nine smaller pictures all lined up showing either Ruffles or the kittens engaged in a variety of activities. I think there needs to be a t shirt!

One of my favorite dog friendship books is McMullan's 2019 As Warm as the Sun but Ruffles (and his feline friends) is right up there. Other great book is Thompson's 2020 A Family For Louie, and Applegate's Doggo and Pupper Search for Cozy would be a slightly longer follow up for a young reader who enjoys dogs making new friends as much as I do.