Bad Kitty Author Visits Mohansic

For Nick Bruel, every great story starts with a question.

The author and illustrator of the beloved Bad Kitty series visited Mohansic third graders on February 4, offering a behind-the-scenes look at his creative process.

Bruel shared that Bad Kitty was born two decades ago from a simple brainstorming exercise focused on story titles. When the phrase “Bad Kitty” popped into his head, he became curious. “What did this kitty do that’s so bad?” he wondered. That single question sparked a story that grew into a bestselling series with over 20 million copies sold.

After reading a chapter from his latest book, “Bad Kitty: Party Animal,” Bruel invited the students to take part in their own storytelling adventure. One group chose an animal, another picked an adjective. The result? The Excited Gorilla!

From there, Bruel guided the students through a series of questions:

Q: "Where is the gorilla?"
A: "In a zoo."

Q: "Where in the zoo?"
A: "In a cage."

Q: "What is he doing?"
A: "Trying to break out."

Q: "Why?"
A: "Because he sees a banana he wants to eat."

By the end, the third graders had crafted their very own story — just by asking questions.

“This is the secret to writing stories,” Bruel told the students. “Always ask yourself questions.”

As the visit continued, Bruel demonstrated how he brings Bad Kitty to life on the page, sketching her expressive emotions. He explained that each Bad Kitty novel takes about six months to write and illustrate.

After a Q&A, Bruel turned the tables, asking students: “Who here has written a story? Was it hard? Was it fun?”

With nearly every hand in the room raised, he left them with one final piece of wisdom:

“As you’ve just demonstrated, something can be hard work and fun at the same time.”

With that, Bruel wrapped up his visit, giving students a deeper understanding of the storytelling process and inspiration for their own creative projects.