Fashion Kitty

Harper's (The Monster Show ) skimpy, silly graphic novel introduces the Kittie family, "unusual" for three reasons: the family has a pet mouse (they're vegetarians); Mother Kittie lets her daughters Kiki and Lana pick out all their own clothes; and the family members know the secret identity of the titular whiskered superhero. Fashion Kitty's brain "can mix and match hundreds of outfits in a second" and her ears "hear the distress call of someone in need of fashion help." Learning that Kiki "has a natural flair for fashion" (unlike Lana, who is a "fashion nightmare" and wears her underwear on the outside), readers will have a good idea about the identity of the title chic feline. Pulling her sister's pantyhose over her head as a mask, Fashion Kitty flies off "to fight for free fashion!" She first convinces a young cat to ignore the fashion directives of a mean-spirited classmate and then sets up the wicked feline to embarrass herself at school the next day. Featuring a limited palette dominated by pinks, Harper's rudimentary art, like her sketchy story line, falls short of achieving its comic aspirations. Ages 8-12. (Sept.)