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Catwad #1
It's Me. A Graphic Novel
From New York Times bestselling author Jim Benton, meet Catwad! He's blue, he's a bit of a grouch, and his best friend is a dim-witted cat named Blurmp who can see the bright side of anything. From pizza and computers, to love and happiness, this crabby tabby has a funny take on just about everything, and he's not afraid to share it. This collection of short comic stories will make even the grumpiest of grouches crack up and is not to be missed!
128 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 26, 2019
258 people are currently reading
726 people want to read
About the author
Jim Benton
284 books609 followersBenton began his career in a custom design t-shirt shop where he started designing his own characters. At the same time, Jim did illustrations and artwork for magazines and newspapers. People magazine named him "the most visible cartoonist in America" .
Benton also created greeting cards and worked in the magazine and publishing industry. In 1998, his SpyDogs characters became an animated series, The Secret Files of the Spy Dogs, that aired on Fox Kids. Licensing his own creations brought them widespread attention on products, such as It's Happy Bunny, The Misters, Just Jimmy and more.
Benton currently lives in Michigan, where he operates out of his own studio.
Benton also created greeting cards and worked in the magazine and publishing industry. In 1998, his SpyDogs characters became an animated series, The Secret Files of the Spy Dogs, that aired on Fox Kids. Licensing his own creations brought them widespread attention on products, such as It's Happy Bunny, The Misters, Just Jimmy and more.
Benton currently lives in Michigan, where he operates out of his own studio.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews
August 27, 2019
Look, it’s not a literary masterpiece. But I’m giving it 5 stars. I read this to my 5-year-old and I swear, we have never laughed so much. We were crying in uncontrollable fits of laughter. Him, at stupid jokes (and for some reason “I hate rain” was the funniest line in the whole book). Me, laughing at him laughing mostly... He thinks it is the best book he has ever read.
And I must admit I enjoyed it too. We all need a bit of crude, childish, utterly stupid humour in our lives... And lots of laughter with people we love.
Sign us up for the next one too!
And I must admit I enjoyed it too. We all need a bit of crude, childish, utterly stupid humour in our lives... And lots of laughter with people we love.
Sign us up for the next one too!
March 7, 2019
This might have been the stupidest thing I've ever read in my entire life. The entire time I read this, I wondered, why? Is this why I'm here on earth, to read Catwad? I began to read, and I began to hate myself. Slowly I fell into a pit of depression. I saw no way out, until the book closed, and I was done. So, why do this to myself? Because my students voted that I should buy this for the class. So, I used my hard earned money on the book. And now I'm dead inside. Catwad is a cancer that feeds on the brain, and yet, I read the entire book.
I laughed twice, I laughed twice more, and then I smiled. I realized that, Catwad had me. Like a tapeworm in my intestines. I could never be rid of it. It is part of me now. I am Catwad, and he is me. So I journey forth into madness, slowly losing my grip on reality. I am no longer a man, I am no longer human, I am whatever happens to a man who reads Catwad. I know multiple memes now, I can speak 8th grader, I am more interested in Fortnite than I ever have been. This my doom, this is my curse. I swore off enjoying Catwad, and yet here I am writing a review for the book that destroyed my sanity. Crushed my dreams.
You may read this and think, what a troll. Or, you could read this as intended. A warning. Our CHILDREN will read this. OUR CHILDREN WILL SUFFER. Catwad is the start of the end. Catwad is the apocalypse. There's even a chapter devoted to this where everyone becomes dumb. It is self-aware.
And it hungers.
You've been warned.
(2 stars because it could be pretty funny.)
I laughed twice, I laughed twice more, and then I smiled. I realized that, Catwad had me. Like a tapeworm in my intestines. I could never be rid of it. It is part of me now. I am Catwad, and he is me. So I journey forth into madness, slowly losing my grip on reality. I am no longer a man, I am no longer human, I am whatever happens to a man who reads Catwad. I know multiple memes now, I can speak 8th grader, I am more interested in Fortnite than I ever have been. This my doom, this is my curse. I swore off enjoying Catwad, and yet here I am writing a review for the book that destroyed my sanity. Crushed my dreams.
You may read this and think, what a troll. Or, you could read this as intended. A warning. Our CHILDREN will read this. OUR CHILDREN WILL SUFFER. Catwad is the start of the end. Catwad is the apocalypse. There's even a chapter devoted to this where everyone becomes dumb. It is self-aware.
And it hungers.
You've been warned.
(2 stars because it could be pretty funny.)
July 8, 2020
A grumpy cat and his cheerful, dim-witted sidekick . . . this sounds sorta familiar.
Anyway you slice it, this is harmless, occasionally gross, ultimately forgettable fun for the kiddos. I expect this will be very popular with the under-ten set when I put it on the library shelf tomorrow.
Anyway you slice it, this is harmless, occasionally gross, ultimately forgettable fun for the kiddos. I expect this will be very popular with the under-ten set when I put it on the library shelf tomorrow.
November 26, 2018
Garfield and Odie are sort of updated into these chubby cat characters Catwad (hateful bully) and Blurmp (brainless optimist named for a fart sound). Some “stories” are two-page comics/jokes, and some are a little longer but all with the same theme -- stupid cat is stupid and mean cat is mean. For example, one section finds Blurmp excited about spotting tiny fairy unicorns. Catwad ends up with multiple stings screaming, “They’re mosquitoes, you idiot!” And Blurmp dreamily responds, “So many lucky horn kisses.”
December 12, 2023
I liked that it was just a series of little scenes. I liked the preview of the second book and the shout out about the importance of libraries.
March 12, 2025
Rib tickling and hilarious
Found this series by accident and could not stop reading it. I want MORE! MORE!
It's sometimes a little frightening but funny af.
Found this series by accident and could not stop reading it. I want MORE! MORE!
It's sometimes a little frightening but funny af.
April 25, 2019
3.5 stars -- This wildly wacky comic brings to mind the Nickelodeon humor of Ren and Stimpy, Rocko's Modern Life, and Spongebob Squarepants. Yes, the humor is dumb--aggressively so--but it's also really funny, and I found myself chuckling more than a little at how over-the-top and bizarre it all was.
August 12, 2019
Oh man! That book was hilarious!!! It definitely made my day.
December 11, 2020
הילדים שלי, שמעריצים את הסדרה, התעקשו שאקרא. אני כנראה ממש זקנה כי לא צחקתי אפילו פעם אחת.
April 30, 2019
Catwad: It's Me by Jim Benton, 127 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Graphix (Scholastic), 2019. $9. Content: G
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL – ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Catwad is super grouchy because of his dim-witted friend Blurmp. Blurmp looks at the bright side all the time and loves everything, especially pizza. Catwad and Blumrp have hysterical adventures, such as visiting a gross hotel, Blurmp getting sick, and Catwad smiling so hard he turns inside out (very rare). Although Catwad is grumpy and doesn’t have many friends, it’s fun to watch him interact with Blurmp.
I think you should read Catwad because it made laugh out loud. I couldn`t stop reading it. Anyone who likes a good laugh, should definitely read this. The pictures in this book are hilarious.
Student reviewer, Logan, 4th grade.
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL – ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Catwad is super grouchy because of his dim-witted friend Blurmp. Blurmp looks at the bright side all the time and loves everything, especially pizza. Catwad and Blumrp have hysterical adventures, such as visiting a gross hotel, Blurmp getting sick, and Catwad smiling so hard he turns inside out (very rare). Although Catwad is grumpy and doesn’t have many friends, it’s fun to watch him interact with Blurmp.
I think you should read Catwad because it made laugh out loud. I couldn`t stop reading it. Anyone who likes a good laugh, should definitely read this. The pictures in this book are hilarious.
Student reviewer, Logan, 4th grade.
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
June 30, 2019
I'm counting this, even though it took me less than a half-hour to read it. I debated for a bit, then realized that it would be hypocritical of me NOT to count it, as we're in the middle of our Summer Reading initiative at work, and we tell the kids all the time that it doesn't matter *what* you're reading, as long as you *are* reading. Which I did!
It's a very cute graphic novel aimed at children grades 3-5 (maybe even 2nd). I picked it up because I love Jim Benton, having seen his Happy Bunny cartoons and having read all the Dear Dumb Diary books. I will gladly recommend this title to some of my somewhat-reluctant readers!
It's a very cute graphic novel aimed at children grades 3-5 (maybe even 2nd). I picked it up because I love Jim Benton, having seen his Happy Bunny cartoons and having read all the Dear Dumb Diary books. I will gladly recommend this title to some of my somewhat-reluctant readers!
April 10, 2025
Yes I'm behind so I'm bingeing Catwad!
Read
March 27, 2019I don't even know how to rate this, since I am clearly not the audience for it. :D
March 22, 2024
It’s Me. A Graphic Novel
Catwad, Book 1
I Picked Up This Book Because: Needed something quick to read while eating lunch.
Media Type: eBook
Source: Hoopla via HCPL
Dates Read: 3/21/24 - 3/22/24
Stars: 3
The Story:
I think I was trying to relive my Happy Bunny phase, and this was close, but it didn’t quite get me there. I did enjoy Catwad’s sarcasm and Blurmp’s unyielding optimism. Cute overall.
Catwad, Book 1
I Picked Up This Book Because: Needed something quick to read while eating lunch.
Media Type: eBook
Source: Hoopla via HCPL
Dates Read: 3/21/24 - 3/22/24
Stars: 3
The Story:
I think I was trying to relive my Happy Bunny phase, and this was close, but it didn’t quite get me there. I did enjoy Catwad’s sarcasm and Blurmp’s unyielding optimism. Cute overall.
October 24, 2020
This is the first book I read in Spanish and it made me laugh several times!
January 24, 2020
Hilarious illustrations!
August 5, 2024
Super silly series. My 2.5 and 7YOs adore every book. They giggle relentlessly to the adventures of Catwad and the true star of the series, Blurmp. Easy to digest mini comics within each book.
September 24, 2019
Made me giggle and I needed that!
August 21, 2019
Gross. Juvenile. Completely ridiculous.
I loved it!
I loved it!
July 19, 2019
Jim Benton (he of Happy Bunny fame) has started publishing a new graphic novel series about a character named Catwad, and I’ve been trying for an hour to figure out how to describe it. In the first book, Catwad: It’s Me., Catwad reminds me of nothing so much as a book version of the Grumpy Cat meme. Or a cross between Grumpy Cat and a Garfield comic. Whichever way you slice it, the book is full of biting, physical humor, and it will be a hit with kids no matter their reading level!
Catwad is a cat (did the name give it away?), and star of a new graphic novel series featuring two cats (Catwad and Blurmp) who play off each other for laughs. It’s a bit like a modern, gross-out version of Amelia Bedelia, and sure to spark belly laughs. Catwad loves nothing (except coffee), and Blurmp loves everything – even when it doesn’t make sense. Their adventures, reluctant friendship, and jokes make for a hilariously meme-able reading experience that is sure to appeal to anyone who has searched the internet for “funny cat videos” (and who hasn’t, at this point??).
With a book filled with jokes about growing up, grossout moments, immaturity, wordplay, meditations on friendship, “dumbness,” and more, Catwad's adventures are destined to be a popular series. I especially appreciated the strategic use of faulty grammar for comedic effect (I might use it as an example in my 9th grade classroom). I see this book as a natural successor to Dog Man, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and other mega-popular graphic novel series that rely on physical humor. It ups the sophistication level a bit (and it’s quite clever at times), but the reading level remains low and the focus is on the contrast between visuals and text.
Speaking of the art, Catwad: It’s Me. is full of vibrant colors, simple images, and a good mix of panel sizes. The stories within also vary in length – some sections are several pages long, and others are brief, contained spreads. Since there isn’t much in the way of background, the focus is squarely on Catwad and Blurmp, and they are easily-traced shapes – so this book may inspire some budding cartoonists as well!
In all, Catwad is a hilarious addition to the elementary and middle grade graphic novel canon, and a great choice for kids who like humor and are at lower reading levels.
Recommended for: readers ages 7+ who enjoy reading newspaper comics, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and other humorous sequential art.
Catwad is a cat (did the name give it away?), and star of a new graphic novel series featuring two cats (Catwad and Blurmp) who play off each other for laughs. It’s a bit like a modern, gross-out version of Amelia Bedelia, and sure to spark belly laughs. Catwad loves nothing (except coffee), and Blurmp loves everything – even when it doesn’t make sense. Their adventures, reluctant friendship, and jokes make for a hilariously meme-able reading experience that is sure to appeal to anyone who has searched the internet for “funny cat videos” (and who hasn’t, at this point??).
With a book filled with jokes about growing up, grossout moments, immaturity, wordplay, meditations on friendship, “dumbness,” and more, Catwad's adventures are destined to be a popular series. I especially appreciated the strategic use of faulty grammar for comedic effect (I might use it as an example in my 9th grade classroom). I see this book as a natural successor to Dog Man, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and other mega-popular graphic novel series that rely on physical humor. It ups the sophistication level a bit (and it’s quite clever at times), but the reading level remains low and the focus is on the contrast between visuals and text.
Speaking of the art, Catwad: It’s Me. is full of vibrant colors, simple images, and a good mix of panel sizes. The stories within also vary in length – some sections are several pages long, and others are brief, contained spreads. Since there isn’t much in the way of background, the focus is squarely on Catwad and Blurmp, and they are easily-traced shapes – so this book may inspire some budding cartoonists as well!
In all, Catwad is a hilarious addition to the elementary and middle grade graphic novel canon, and a great choice for kids who like humor and are at lower reading levels.
Recommended for: readers ages 7+ who enjoy reading newspaper comics, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and other humorous sequential art.
July 23, 2019
Oh my gosh this little graphic novel came to me on a day when I just needed something to make me smile so desperately and boy did I ever! I found myself relating to Catwad on the VERY FIRST PAGE! I can be a bit of a grumpasaurus at times when I’m having a bad day and people are overly cheerful.
I absolutely loved both of the characters: Catwad & his happy go lucky best friend Blurmp. Even though they are both cats their relationship kinda reminds me of the good old Ren & Stimpy ( am I showing my age??!!)
I will conclude with ...I sure wish I had some of that blubber smoothing cream & I agree that -
“The answer is [CLEARLY] fart.”
4.5 stars, rounded up ! Cannot WAIT for vol. 2!
I absolutely loved both of the characters: Catwad & his happy go lucky best friend Blurmp. Even though they are both cats their relationship kinda reminds me of the good old Ren & Stimpy ( am I showing my age??!!)
I will conclude with ...I sure wish I had some of that blubber smoothing cream & I agree that -
“The answer is [CLEARLY] fart.”
4.5 stars, rounded up ! Cannot WAIT for vol. 2!
September 1, 2018
Catwad is a bright, fun new graphic novel about two cats-- Catwad, a grumpy, cynical feline, and his best friend (and polar opposite) Blurmp, a happy-go-lucky, carefree kitty. Antics and absurdity perfect for fans of the Dog Man series. Catwad's attempts to smile put a real smile on my face!
November 27, 2018
Catwad is hilarious and sarcastic all at the same time! Great read!
June 12, 2019
Extremely silly - reminded me of Ren and Stimpy. My students will love it! Better order multiple copies.
June 29, 2019
This isn't a "bad" book; nor is it funny. I didn't like it. But I very much doubt that I'm the intended demographic.
January 19, 2024
If pizza is your favorite round flat food, then this may be the book for you, (no offense flour tortilla fans!)
Catwad is the creation of versatile and most likely exhausted cartoonist Jim Benton. He is prolific as the author of dozens of series of kids/middle grade books, collections of New Yorker-worthy stand alones, as well as being the creator of Happy Bunny, which you may recall from the aughts.
Catwad goes down easy. With a bit of Benton’s own caustic Happy Bunny vibe, tempered by his constant companion Blurmp—a starstruck, overeager, and kind of dumb BFF kitty—he is a Grumpy Cat /Squidward hybrid charged with Ren & Stimpy energy.
If it takes you longer than 30 minutes to read this one, you’re doing it wrong. But it’s very, very funny and truthfully, Blurmp is the real star of the show.
Catwad is the creation of versatile and most likely exhausted cartoonist Jim Benton. He is prolific as the author of dozens of series of kids/middle grade books, collections of New Yorker-worthy stand alones, as well as being the creator of Happy Bunny, which you may recall from the aughts.
Catwad goes down easy. With a bit of Benton’s own caustic Happy Bunny vibe, tempered by his constant companion Blurmp—a starstruck, overeager, and kind of dumb BFF kitty—he is a Grumpy Cat /Squidward hybrid charged with Ren & Stimpy energy.
If it takes you longer than 30 minutes to read this one, you’re doing it wrong. But it’s very, very funny and truthfully, Blurmp is the real star of the show.
August 26, 2019
I may have been a little partial to this starting out because I love Benton's Franny K. Stein: Lunch Walks Among Us. But these cats- one grumpy and smart, the other happy and dumb- are really a funny friendship duo. Their antics are certainly unique, and I like that they can remain friends despite their extreme differences.
May 5, 2022
Jim Benton, author of Dear Dumb Diary and Franny K Stein hit a home run here with this short but hilariously adorable graphic novel!
I love the pair here: the pessimist and the optimist.
I laughed aloud many times in this quick read. 😄
Need a lift? A smile? Grab it and just read for one min and you'll be happy you did.
I love the pair here: the pessimist and the optimist.
I laughed aloud many times in this quick read. 😄
Need a lift? A smile? Grab it and just read for one min and you'll be happy you did.
December 19, 2019
Benton certainly knows his audience and he delivers to that niche in bucketfuls. There were moments this reminded me of Ren & Stimpy, but even at 125 pages, I needed to take a couple breaks.
Read
May 4, 2020Nederlandse versie "WatKat" gelezen voor Biblion.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews