Dewey

The Small-Town Library Cat who Touched the World
by Vicki Myron and Bret Witter

I've seen this one on so many book blogs, I just had to pick it up last time I was at the library. It's the true story of a cat who lived in a small-town library in Iowa. Dewey was dumped in the library's drop box one cold night and rescued by the staff. He quickly showed he had the perfect personality for a library cat: calm, welcoming, graceful when walking on the shelves. Dewey worked his way into everyone's heart, becoming a favorite with many library patrons, seeking out laps to sit on, letting the children pet him, visiting with any group that used the library's meeting room. Beyond entering him in a local pet-photo contest, the library didn't seek any publicity for their cat. But people began talking about him, and before long he was being featured in newspapers, radio programs and magazines- not only in Iowa but across the country and eventually around the world. The story isn't just about this amazingly popular cat, though. It's also about the history of a small farming town, about how a library strives to serve its community, and about the author's personal trials, during which she often found comfort in Dewey's warm purrs. The cat himself didn't get through life easy: he also had continuing health problems, so it's all the more incredible he lived to the old age of 19. When he finally did pass away, the community (and Dewey fans around the world) showed just how widely he had been loved. It's very touching. Not the best writing, but a heartwarming story that anyone who loves cats or libraries is sure to appreciate.

Rating: 3/5 ........ 277 pages, 2008

some more opinions at:
Puss Reboots
You've GOTTA Read This!
The Narrative Casualty
Melody's Reading Corner
Foreign Circus Library
Bermudaonion's Weblog
Citizen Reader
The Zen Leaf