Catnip: A Love Story/ Michael Korda/ 187 pgs

The author of this "graphic" book is a writer and former editor-in-chief of Simon & Schuster. He's also a talented sketch artist and this book is full of little sketches he did for his Margaret in the year before she died. The couple were avid horsepeople and lived on a farm in New England with an assortment of indoor/outdoor/stable cats. Korda drew the sketches to amuse his wife as she dealt with cancer. They are cute, often funny, and sometimes poignant sketches of their cats (and a couple of horses). There are one-page bios on most of the cats, plus a few notes about the Kordas life.

True Tails of Baker & Taylor/ Jan Louch / 274 pgs

My second non-fiction book of the year:-) This is the biography of two cats who worked at a small public library in Minden, Nevada. The book was written by one of the librarians who initially brought these two Scottish Fold cats, Baker and Taylor, into the library. The cats were extremely popular with the patrons and staff alike and it was great fun to read about their antics and their different personalities. What sets these felines apart from other library cats is that they became world famous. For those not familiar with libraries, Baker & Taylor is a book distribution company. The cats were named after the company because the librarians were familiar with it. However, once the company caught wind of their furry namesakes, they wanted to use them for advertising. Baker and Taylor grudgingly submitted to photo shoots for posters and promotional items and soon their adorable faces were known the world over. People from across the country even visited the library just to see the cats.

The story of the cats' lives was interesting. At times the librarian veered off into the story of her own life and I have to say I did not find that part as fascinating. Of course, about halfway through the book it dawned on me that cats born in the early 1980s...well, they would no longer be with us:( So by the end I needed a box of tissue. But I have no regrets about reading their story.

I Could Pee on This And Other Poems by Cats / Francesco Marciuliano / 112 pgs

A librarian at another branch told me about this book and I think it's the funniest thing I've read in a long time! As a cat owner, I can very well identify with the numerous short poems featured within the pages of this little book. My favorite goes like this:

tiny boxes

tiny boxes, play and hide
tiny boxes, squeeze inside
tiny boxes, cozy here
tiny boxes, paw in ear
tiny boxes
stuck, STUCK, STUCK!!!
tiny boxes, little help?

The Forbidden Library / Django Wexler / 373 pgs

   A fantasy debut novel from someone who used to work for Microsoft. This was also part of Penguin YA Early Word program. Alice has a wonderful life with her father in their ramshackle house. Until one night when she overhears a conversation that changes everything. Her father tells her he must go on a trip and will be back as soon as he can. Unfortunately the ship he is on sinks with all hands lost. Alice is sent to live an 'uncle' she has never met. She is pretty sure this man isn't any uncle of hers but doesn't have a choice. Uncle Geryon lives in a huge house with only two other people: Mr Black who seems to be everything from chauffeur to butler and Emma who might be a friend or not. But the only good thing to rise out of this situation is the Library where there are more books then Alice has ever dreamed of.
   When it turns out Alice may have some magical abilities, Uncle Geryon begins to teach her basic skills. He sends her back to the Library to help find magical texts that may solve a problem he has been working on. While wandering among the shelves she meets two more eccentric characters: Ashes who is a talking cat and Isaac who is on a quest of his own. Alice discovers Mr Black may have the answer to the riddle of her father's death. What happens next is quite a grand adventure. I was lost in the pages of this book almost immediately. There are exquisite black and white drawings scattered among the pages depicting some of the strange creatures Alice encounters. Be warned! Once you start this you won't want to stop. If an audio is available - great for car rides of all ages.

Six Degrees of Reading: The Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh Johnson, The Thickety: A Path Begins by Andrea Offermann, The Ninja Librarians: The Accidental Keyhand by Jen Swann Downey.

Street Cat Named Bob / James Bowen 279 p. December Challenge: 8 Maids-a-Milking

When street musician James Bowen found Bob curled in a doorway in his apartment building little did he know how his life would change.  He was living hand-to-mouth in London, barely making enough money for himself let alone a cat.  James was taken by Bob.  He took him in and worked to get money to get Bob well.  Bob made such an impact in his life.  Bob became a draw for his work on the streets, making friends wherever they went.  For Bob, James worked to improve his life, making the bid kick his heroin habit.   Just a wonderful story.

I Could Pee on This/Marciuliano, Francesco/111 pages

Cat lovers will laugh out loud at the quirkiness of their feline friends with these insightful and curious poems from the singular minds of housecats. In this hilarious book of tongue-in-cheek poetry, the author of the internationally syndicated comic strip Sally Forth

helps cats unlock their creative potential and explain their odd behavior to ignorant humans. With titles like Who Is That on Your Lap?, This Is My Chair, Kneel Before Me, Nudge, and Some of My Best Friends Are Dogs, the poems collected in I Could Pee on This perfectly capture the inner workings of the cat psyche. With photos of the cat authors throughout, this whimsical volume reveals kitties at their wackiest, and most exasperating (but always lovable)

This author truly knows cat and how they think.  I see my cat's personality shining through these poems.

How to Live with a Neurotic Cat / Stephen Baker 128 p.

"And then God created a furry lump which, for the lack of a better name, He called the Cat. He looked at His creation and shook His head. It wasn't exactly what He had in mind. "

Cat owners know every nuance Stephen Baker describes about life with a cat. Be prepared to LOL and the illustrations are delightful.