Life is full of heartburn-causing moments—the grumpy old man who yells at the young whippersnappers to get off his lawn or the loud party music that keeps the neighbor awake into the early hours of the morning. Lawler uses a whimsical tale to paint this type of frustration clearly—kittens who give both jellyfish and toads indigestion because of the ruckus they create around the pond. If only it ended there, however. The adult animals get involved, trying to determine who is at fault: the overly playful kittens or the toads and jellyfish who are perhaps a little too serious for their own good?

Lawler uses the backdrop of kittens versus the aquatic life to teach children not only the importance of constructive solutions to problems with those who may think or act differently than them (versus finger-pointing) but also gives a lesson on the various types of animals that exist. The kittens, toads, and jellyfish have hardly any say in the matter as a menagerie of wild beasts try to determine who was right and who was wrong. The story itself is charming and full of endearing characters—from a silly dragon to a keen lion—and depicted with vivid, delightful illustrations from Salvador Capuyan. Lawler creates darling characters, but using the collective term for animals (i.e., a gander of geese) could prove a bit confusing for some children unless an adult is present who can help with the terms. Overall, though, this book should appeal to children who want a silly, light-hearted tale with animals and a quirky dragon.

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