Read, Write, Repeat.

Editor’s note: Please welcome Vince, who periodically blogs about cat-related books, back to the site.

So, I’m back. I certainly wasn’t planning on it.

After all, I try not to make a habit of writing book reviews because then the people who feed me come to expect it. And goodness knows part of the mystique of being a cat is never, ever, relinquishing the upper hand.

Nevertheless, it’s a cold, Wisconsin winter. And after I’ve eaten, asked for treats, yowled to have the water turned on in the sink so I can drink that instead of what’s in my dish, taken a nap, raced randomly from room to room and then asked for more food, there isn’t much left to do.

So while I was racing from room to room, I knocked over a stack of books that was too high to begin with and discovered one called Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku (Henry Holt and Company, 2011) written by Lee Wardlaw and illustrated by Eugene Yelchin.

It caught my eye immediately because the cat was the only thing shown on the cover. Which is as it should be. Too many books about cats put children on the cover. This one was smart enough to put its star front and center. And look below … he’s nearly as handsome as I am.

This cat lives in a shelter. He has the basic necessities — food and a place to sleep. But he’s missing that certain extra something. You know. Someone to care when he yowls. Someone to cater to his cat-specific demands.

So people come to choose a pet. This cat knows the dogs are no competition. Because, really, a dog? Let’s be serious. He acts like he doesn’t care, but he’s hoping he’ll be chosen. And then … he is.

I don’t talk about it much, but I’ve been in this cat’s collar. I was in a shelter for three whole months before someone picked me. A few well-timed nose nudges from me to the woman who was obviously in charge of the decision sealed the deal. I consider it my best work yet.

This cat does a nice job of not letting his new family think he’s too grateful. He hides under the bed, turns up his nose at the food, scratches their sofa and leaves a present in one of their shoes. But he also puts up with being dressed up for tea, scares off a neighboring cat who surely had ill intentions and quite likes the little boy who chose him.

This book is written in haiku — and very nicely I might add. Here are two of my favorites:

Hel-l000. I’m waiting.
Put down that pesky pencil
and fetch the catnip.

I explained it loud
and clear. What part of “meow”
don’t you understand?

So if you’re looking for a good book about cats to educate yourself or others in you life, I’d give this one my pawprint of approval. The author has three cats she chose from a shelter, so she knows whereof she writes.

To learn more about Lee Wardlaw, the author, visit her website or watch this video interview.

To learn more about Eugene Yelchin, the illustrator, who definitely knows how to draw a cat, visit his website or read this interview.

Editor’s note: After finally receiving my long-awaited copy of Tom’s Tweet (Alfred A. Knopf, 2011) in the mail, I found the following book review from my cat, Vince, a few days later.

Because I’ve had to force Vince to review cat-related books in the past, I was quite pleased that he’d decided to give me a holiday break. So, without further ado … VINCE!

**************

Well, it’s that time of year again.

The time when all the humans in my house get together, fill two entire tables with food and sit down and eat — wait for it — a bird.

Those of you who have read my previous reviews may recall that these same humans once stopped me from doing the exact same thing.

OK. The bird I wanted to eat was still alive, but I don’t think that’s such a huge distinction. Living or dead, a bird is a bird is a bird.

I also think it’s funny that my humans brought Tom’s Tweet into the house just as they’re preparing to pig out. It’s a book about Tom, a real cat’s cat. He sees a baby bird on the ground and swaggers over. He’s all set to pounce and gobble it down when he notices how tiny it is. How alone. He pauses.

I almost gave up on Tom right there. I mean, really. Hasn’t he ever heard of an appetizer?

But, I guess even the coolest cats feel all warm and fuzzy sometimes. I myself have been known to snuggle down into a pink blanket and let the house’s smallest human surround me with her stuffed animals. But that’s really beside the point.

So I wasn’t surprised when Tom decided to help the baby bird back to his nest by carrying him gently in his mouth. But I was surprised how Tom reacted when the mama bird showed up and started dive-bombing his head. He could have dropped the baby and saved himself a lot of grief.

But no. No-o-o.

Tom runs away with the baby bird still in his mouth and hides in the flowers. The baby won’t stop tweeting, so Tom builds it a nest, lets it sleep under his arm and even — yuck — feeds it chewed-up worms. When the mama bird finally flies away, Tom hustles the baby back to its nest and thinks he’s done with the whole mess.

But no. No-o-o.

Tom misses the baby. And the baby misses him. And the baby must have explained to its mama that Tom took good care of him because the mama has an unexpected proposition for Tom.

Now, I’ve read enough cat books to know what’s what. And this book is worth your time. It’s got it all. Jill Esbaum’s story is funny and sweet and great to listen to out loud. The smallest human read it to me. And, the cat’s natural leadership skills are duly lauded in the end.

Another thing it’s got going for it is that Dan Santat is an illustrator who obviously understands cats. Tom is macho and crusty and frustrated, but a softie at heart. I bet Santat has several cats.

So read this book. Learn from Tom. And, please, try to control yourself this Thanksgiving.

**************

Vince also wanted me to point out that Jill Esbaum and Dan Santat have websites worth visiting. You can find Jill’s here and Dan’s here.

And, I’d like to point out that Vince has reviewed several other cat books, including Where Is Catkin?, Frankie Works the Night Shift, Raj, The Bookstore Tiger and I Am Tama, Lucky Cat. Feel free to check out his feline perspective.

Finally, no matter what you choose to eat, Vince and I both say, “Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!”

Of all the members of my family, my cat, Vince, has the easiest schedule this summer.

I mean, just look at him over there on the right. He’s not working, going to summer camp or running errands. He doesn’t even pick up after himself.

While the rest of us rush around, Vince sleeps in a sunbeam or gazes out the window. The only time he shows any enthusiasm is when he thinks we ought to feed him.

It doesn’t seem fair, does it?

So, I decided to put Vince on his own version of a summer reading program. After all, he’d grudgingly reviewed cat-related books for my blog before. (You can read his takes on Where is Catkin, Frankie Works the Night Shift and Raj, the Bookstore Tiger).

Asking him to review one title this summer didn’t seem too taxing.

And goodness knows I could use the break.

In the past, I’ve succeeded in getting Vince to review books by casually leaving them around the house where I knew he’d see them.

This time, I was more direct.

I put I Am Tama, Lucky Cat (Peachtree, 2011), a Japanese folktale by Wendy Henrichs and Yoshiko Jaeggi, in front of Vince’s nose and told him to make himself useful and to make it snappy.

He ignored me and snuggled into his sunbeam.

I threatened to cut off his supply of cat treats and switch him back to dry food. But he was unimpressed.

Finally, Vince relented.

He left the following review on my computer and promptly went back to sleep. Same sunbeam, different angle.

Take it away, Vince.

This book is about a cat named Tama. He lives in Japan where he is doted on by a poor Buddhist monk.

Doted on.

The monk lets Tama come in out of the cold, shares what little food he has, admires Tama’s beautiful orange-and-black markings and is happy to have the cat simply sit by him. Tama’s mere presence is enough to make the monk happy.

He never expects Tama do extra things like book reviews.

But anyhow … Tama is grateful for the monk’s care. And he wants to help the temple, which is old and run-down. Like any self-respecting cat, he catches a mouse now and then. But one day, he does something much more important.

A samurai warlord seeks shelter under a temple tree during a storm. Tama raises his right paw and welcomes him. The samurai is impressed and comes forward to greet the cat. As he does, the branch of the tree he was standing under is struck by lightning and falls, landing right where the samurai had been just a few seconds before.

It’s a near miss. And, the samurai — intelligent man that he is — recognizes that Tama’s friendliness saved his life. He thanks the cat by repairing the temple and making sure the monk, the worshippers and the cat have everything they need to be comfortable for the rest of their lives.

And, of course, Tama’s actions result in cats like him being linked to good fortune throughout Japan. You’ve probably seen a replica of Tama if you’ve ever visited a restaurant or shop that has a cat figurine with one paw raised displayed on its counter.

And, for the record, I’m not as lazy as the owner of this blog would have you believe. I’d be happy to catch a mouse if I ever saw one inside the house. And if a samurai warlord was stuck in the rain, I’d invite him inside. The right opportunity just hasn’t presented itself yet.

But now, I’ll be ready when it does.

If you’re looking for other reviews of this book, here are three to consider. Of course, I can’t endorse them fully. They are written by humans, after all. But sometimes, a cat just has to work with what’s available.

• Evie Bookish.
• Quixotic Magpie.
• Aelia Reads.

Thanks, Vince!

Editor’s note: You can learn more about illustrator Yoshiko Jaeggi by visiting her website.
You can learn more about author Wendy Henrichs by visiting her website.

Sometimes, it takes just the right book to charm a reluctant reader.

My cat, Vince, has written reviews a time or two for my blog. (You can read his literary observations here and here.)

But lately, he’s been pointedly ignoring all the books in our house, even yawning loudly when I show him options I think he might enjoy.

So when Raj the Bookstore Tiger, a 2011 release from Charlesbridge Press, arrived in the mail, I smiled at the cat on the cover, but didn’t rush to show it to Vince.

But later that day, the following review appeared in my drafts folder. Vince feigned ignorance, but I wasn’t fooled. He’d left paw prints all over the keyboard.

Take it away, Vince …

Some cats have all the luck.

They not only have a nice home and people who give them tuna on demand, they’re also mistaken for jungle cats. I’ve always fancied I resemble a puma. Unfortunately, no one else seems to see it.

This book is about a cat named Raj. And, get this. Everyone at the bookstore he hangs out at thinks he’s a tiger.

So, as you can imagine, he pretty much has the run of the place. He can bask in the front window. He can sit in whoever’s lap he wants at storytime. And, when he stalks through the store, people squeal, “Look at the tiger!”

Then, another cat arrives and spoils Raj’s fun. He’s white, so no one has ever thought he’s a tiger.

Plus, his name is Snowball. Any cat worth his kibble knows Snowball is at the top of the list of mortifying cat names right under “Fluffy” and “Snookums.”

Anyway, Snowball doesn’t think Raj is king of the jungle. He tells him he’s just a regular old kitty with delusions of grandeur. Then, he takes over all of Raj’s favorite bookstore spots.

This sends Raj into hiding. But, fortunately, while he’s under a chair, he hears a famous poem about a tiger. I’ve never met the William Blake guy who wrote it, but it’s obvious he knew something about the respect and reverence cats deserve.

After hearing the poem, Raj gets his cat-titude back and is the center of attention when a visiting author shows a video featuring tigers in the wild. Poor Snowball is scared of the video until Raj shows him a book with pictures of a rare white tiger.

Then, together, they stalk off to rule the bookstore.

After reading this book, I might have to pay more attention to the other books scattered around this place. Maybe I’ll find a photo of a puma that looks like me.

Thanks, Vince! It’s great to have you back on the blog.

Raj the Bookstore Tiger is written by Kathleen T. Pelley and illustrated by Paige Keiser.

You can visit Kathleen’s website. Or, you can see a video of her reading the book.

And, you can see more of Paige’s artwork on this site.

A few months ago, I came home to find my normally sedate cat, Vince, had apparently written a book review of Where is Catkin, a new picture book by Janet Lord and Julie Paschkis.

He never formally admitted authorship, but all the signs pointed toward him.

So when I saw Frankie Works the Night Shift (Greenwillow, 2010) another picture book about a self-sufficient cat, I casually left it where Vince would be sure to find it when he woke from his nap.

Then, I waited. And waited.

Nothing happened.

I almost gave up hope. But, when I returned from a weekend with my inlaws and their huge dog, Ivan, a completed review was in my “Drafts” folder.

Vince feigned indifference. But I think he was worried I might ask Ivan to review a dog book and wanted to issue a pre-emptive strike. So, without further ado … Vince.

**************

You’d think a hardworking cat could be left in peace, but no-oo-oo.

I mean, seriously, after all I do around this house, an uninterrupted nap shouldn’t be too much to ask. But instead, someone drops a book next to me and acts like it’s an accident.

Subtle. Really subtle.

I was going to ignore it. I can’t be bought. But there was a picture of a very handsome cat on the cover and one of an even more interesting mouse on the inside, so I read it.

Turns out, it’s about this cat who lives in a hardware store. Every night, his people go to sleep and leave him to do all the work.

Typical.

Of course, he doesn’t complain and makes sure things go as smoothly as possible after hours. (Editor’s note: Vince’s idea of a smooth night may differ from that of most readers.)

And then, after he’s worked harder than any dog and should be entitled to a snack and a nap, he finds a mousy intruder. He stalks that rodent through the store with nothing but the best interests of the business at heart, yet all he gets is a “Be quiet, Frankie!” from the people sleeping upstairs.

That’s gratitude for you.

Until they see the mouse. Then, they’re all, “Go get it, Frankie!”

But note this. No one gets out of bed to help. So Frankie, the poor sap, keeps chasing the interloper until he eventually drives it outside. Then, the people go back to sleep and Frankie gets some rest too.

As well he should.

And, honestly, would it kill his family to toss in a little tuna?

One thing I’ve learned about books is they’re always trying to teach you something. A story about a cat’s inevitable triumph over a mouse is thrilling enough to stand alone, but for human children who can’t appreciate the pure genius of such a tale, this book also reinforces counting.

Frankie empties one wastebasket, cleans two counters and calls three meetings and keeps going all the way to number ten.

So now, because I know you’re expecting it, I’ll throw in something educational for you.

Want to learn more about author Lisa Westberg Peters? Here’s her website. I think she should have included a picture of her cat. After all, she says he inspired this story. Share the love!

Want to learn more about illustrator Jennifer Taylor? Here’s her website. There are lots of pictures of cats. Some even use digital photography. I think this is smart because few human artists can capture the innate, regal presence of cats without a little help.

Anyway, check this book out. Even though I was coerced into reviewing it, I did enjoy it because it reinforced what I’ve always known.

Cats rule. Mice drool.

I often leave my laptop on when I’m not using it. And Friday, I returned from work to find the following book review on my screen.

No one in my family admits to creating it, and when I confronted the final suspect – my cat, Vince — he just blinked at me imperiously and went back to sleep.

It’s not often that blog entries fall out of the sky, fully formed, so I’m posting it.

And I’ll be keeping a closer eye on Vince … just in case.

***********************

Holy tuna, this house has a lot of books.

They are EVERYWHERE. I walk on them and sleep on them. Once, I even ripped a page out of one. But not on purpose. The page had a picture of yarn on it and it looked extremely realistic. By the time I realized my mistake, it was too late.

But mostly I ignore the books. They’re all “Blah, blah, blah, kid this. Blah, blah, blah, kid that.” Or if I go into Gwen’s room, it’s “Blah, blah, blah vampire this. Blah, blah, blah vampire that.” There’s nothing interesting. No drama.

But today, I walked across a book that actually caught my eye. There was a cat on the cover. And a mouse. And a cricket. And a bird. Now this had possibilities. And because no one was home to give me treats or make a lap, I read it. [Editor’s note: The book is Where is Catkin? by Janet Lord and Julie Paschkis, published by Peachtree in 2010 and provided by them for this review.]

 My verdict? Practically purr-fect. Not a cat-astrophe at all.

I did paws a moment when Catkin jumps off Amy’s lap on the first page. One rule of catdom is that you never leave a warm and willing lap. Unless someone offers you food.

As I read on, I discovered Catkin had a reason for leaving. He saw a cricket. And then a frog. And then a mouse. And then a snake. And then a bird. Now that makes sense. It’s impossible to ignore these things no matter how nice a lap is.

I personally don’t get to go outside. The people who feed me are always closing doors in my face. But once … once … I got outside and made it all the way to the mailbox where a bird had built a nest and had babies. I was just getting ready to pounce when the neighbors saw me and brought me back inside. I yowled at the door for days, but no one took the hint.

But enough about my trials, back to the book. Just when Catkin is stalking, um, I mean … following the bird, disaster strikes. He climbs a tree and can’t get down. And no one knows where he is.

So he does what any self-respecting cat would do. Cries. Loudly. Because, really, that little girl named Amy shouldn’t have let him wander off on his own and climb a tree that was much too high. What was she thinking?

And the girl hears Catkin, finds him and once again offers him a warm and willing lap. Which he is happy to settle down in.

Now, cats are masters at finding crickets and frogs and birds and snakes even when they’re hiding. Human children don’t have the same innate skills, so this book provides good practice for them to find the creatures hiding in the pictures.

To learn more about Janet Lord, read this interview. She doesn’t mention cats, but you might like it anyway.

To learn more about Julie Paschkis, visit her Web site. You’ll see several pictures of cats including a book she illustrated called Fat Cat, which is not about me. I’m really quite svelte.

Now, I think it’s time for a snack. And a nap. Who’s got a lap?