Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World
by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter
On a frigid January morning in 1988, a nearly frozen kitten was rescued from a library drop box by staff members who adopted him as their library cat. Not only did the orange tabby have a positive impact on the community of Spencer, Iowa– he also charmed the nation and even the world!
The real-life story of Dewey Readmore Books is told by Vicki Myron, the director of the Spencer Public Library who credits the affable feline with helping her recover from an abusive husband, illness, financial hardships, and demands of being a single mother. Myron lamented, "For as long as I can remember, when I pulled up every morning the library was alive: with hope, with love, with Dewey waving at me from the front door." Many townspeople and farmers in the region were attempting to rebound from devastating economic impacts; others were suffering from illness. A trip to the library to visit Dewey had a knack of helping others feel better and forget about their problems for a while. Word spread of the lovable library cat, bringing visitors from around the nation and 20 countries to Spencer to meet him. Stories of Dewey appeared in national and international newspapers, magazines, and books; he was also the subject of a Japanese documentary. Dewey evokes a strong sense of place with vivid descriptions of the Iowa countryside and the small town of Spencer.The book describes some of the cat's antics and interactions with staff members, library patrons and visitors during his 19 years living at the library.
This engaging gentle read is recommended to just about anyone who believes in the healing power of animals or would like to learn more!
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; 1st edition (September 24, 2008)
ISBN: 0446545163
277 Pages
This is a lovely story about a cat who helped at the library. I have heard of pet therapy and it is great this happened at the library. What a great mascot for the library. The cat helped people forget their problems and brought people to the library. This sounds like a great book.
ReplyDeleteI see this book all time still getting checked out. I have not read it but I have wanted to. After reading your review, I really want to read the book. I don't really like to read non-fiction books but I have in the past. The only reason I have held off reading this book is that I will probably cry.
ReplyDeleteI must confess that I am a cat lover. I cried at the end because I became so engrossed in the book, following the life of Dewey. Another reason I cried is because I have a 12 year-old house cat named Tiger that I am very attached. I dread the day when I have to take him to the vet like Vicki had to take Dewey on his final day.
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