Take A Break From Reading And Decorate!

My pets thought this video was so good, they wanted me to share it with you, so here you go.  Hope you enjoy it.  I thought it was pretty funny.

"Dewey's Nine Lives" by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter

Vicki Myron, best-selling author of Dewey, The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched The World Library Cat, is back with more stories about Dewey and other stories about people who have had their lives touched by cats in her book, Dewey‘s Nine Lives.  This is just an outstanding read.  The stories about Dewey are good and the other stories are really good too!  I enjoyed this book so much!  So, welcome back, Dwey, and the friends he brought along.  This book will make my top 10 for the year for sure!  I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys reading about pets, people‘s everyday lives and cats.
(Gerard's review)

Dewey's Nine Lives by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter is a collection of nine short stories about different people and how Dewey or another cat affected their lives.  Although I did not enjoy it as much as Gerard did, I did like it okay.  It is a touching book but not one I couldn't wait to get back to see what happened next.  It's about ordinary people who had some unusual experiences with different cats.  I liked seeing the pictures of the different people with their cats.

I was amazed at how tough "Spooky" was.  He survived being tossed onto a moving car from quite a distance, riding on a goose, riding a motorcycle, being swatted by a bear and thrown  through the air and being dumped in the garbage by his owner's landlady and walking back home 20 miles.
(Karen's review)

"Alex And Me" by Irene Pepperberg

"Alex And me" by Irene Pepperberg is an amazing story about Alex, a gray parrot, and the woman who worked with him, Irene Pepperberg. As you read the story you forget that this is a parrot. He is not supposed to be learning and doing what he is doing. Also, the friendship between Alex and Irene is very touching. If you're looking for a nice short book to read, choose this one! A Remarkable Story (8 stars)

(Gerard's review 2/25/09)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Cat People" by Michael and Margaret Korda

Cat People by Michael and Margaret Korda is a ho-hum book about 18 cats this couple knew over the years.  Initially, Margaret was the cat lover and Michael just tolerated them in the house, objecting as each new one came in until he became attached to Mumsie, a all white mother cat and her two kittens.  I think any cat lover would enjoy the drawings and meeting the cats because it describes all the different personalities.  It gives a good picture of what cat ownership is like and I agree that you really don’t know what you’ll get when you bring stray cats into your home.   I felt like I got to know these cats and it's hard to pick a favorite. 


I felt very sad that Ms. Bumble, the attack cat, didn’t work out and ached along with Margaret and Michael when Mumsie got hit by a truck.  I thought it was meant they put Ms. Bumble down just because she bit the wife unexpectedly.  I also thought it very odd that they didn't keep the cat who had feline Aids separated from the others.  I found the cat map of the bedroom hilarious showing the different territories the cats claimed.  The bottom line is that “cats are very entertaining and make you laugh, but eventually will make you cry as well--it's part of the deal.”  (paraphrased) 


The way they brought in strays reminded me of my dad and his cats that I wrote about in “My Funny Dad, Harry.”  All the strays used to go to his house too.  I liked other cat books better such as Hiss and Tell which shows people willing to learn how to change bad cat behavior, Homer's OdysseyThe Ultimate Cat Lover that is well-written full of cool cat stories owned by different people and full of advice for cat owners.   about a blind cat that was well loved and amazing,


Take a look at this video about a no-kill sanctuary to see some real cat people who used their retirement fund to buy a whole house to use as a homey atmosphere for unwanted cats:


Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Hiss and Tell: True Stories from the Files of a Cat Behaviorist" by Pam Johnson-Bennet

Hiss and Tell:  True Stories from the Files of a Cat Behaviorist--
Insights To Explaining Cat Behavior by Pam Johnson-Bennett was extremely interesting to me because I love cats and it explained some of the puzzling behaviors that can arise. I found it fascinating that this woman was able to actually think like a cat to figure out what was causing the strange behaviors. It is both humorous and educational. I recommend it highly to any cat owner.
(Karen's review 7/1/08)

"Homer’s Odyssey" by Gwen Cooper

Homer’s Odyssey by Gwen Cooper was better than I expected!  It’s about her life with her three cats, Scarlet, Vashti and Homer, the eyeless kitten no one wanted with a big heart and love for exploring, playing and adventure.  I found her tales of flying to New York with her cats, being separated from them for days when the terrorist attack happened 9/11, chasing off the burglar and how people who didn’t even particularly like cats warmed up to Homer particularly interesting.  She shares how she learned from Homer to be brave and take risks, to live life as an adventure.  Her great love for her cats shines through the whole book and as a cat lover, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and closely identified with her.
(3/18/10  Karen's Review)

This is a must read!  I loved Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper!  It's just AWESOME!  Gwen Cooper has two cats and that's it until she gets a call from a vet friend regarding a blind kitten that nobody wants.  This book works in so many ways:  funny, touching, loving.  You will just love Homer and Gwen is fantastic!  I felt the love she has for her cats (she reminded me a lot of my wife that way)!  

Please read this book, you will be so glad you did!  The best part is that Homer does not die!  Yea!  Thanks for sharing, Gwen!  Awesome job!!!  If you go on www.gwencooper.com you can actually see Homer in action--way cool!    (5+++ stars)

(Gerard's Review 3/11/10) 

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"The Dog Who Had Kittens" by Polly Robertus

The Dog Who Had Kittens (Live Oak Readalong)The Dog Who Had Kittens by Polly Robertus is a charming little book for children about a dog, Baxter, who lived with a cat named Eloise that had kittens.  The dog felt ignored at first but when everyone was gone, sneaked in to see the kittens and liked them!  They got along great.  I loved that the dog became “the kittens’ playground.”  It has a happy ending but I do not want to give it away.  It is a fun, quick read and the illustrations are cute as well.  I think any child with pets would enjoy this book.
(Karen's review 7/3/10)

The Dog Who Had Kittens is a book about Baxter, a Basset hound, who befriends a group of kittens that Eloise the cat had.  It is a really good story and the pictures are spectacular!  Pick it up if you see it.  It will make you smile and that is a good thing!
(Gerard's review 7/3/10)

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"How To Speak Cat" by Sarah Whitehead

How To Speak Cat by Sarah Whitehead is a colorful, easy-to-read book with lots of good information on how to get along with cats including some games to play with them and some things you can teach them with simple step-by-step instructions.  Great for kids to learn how to treat and understand cats.
(Karen's review 11/10/09)

"Totally Fun Things To Do With Your Cat" by Maxine Rock

Totally Fun Things to Do With Your Cat (Play with Your Pet) is a wonderful book for any cat owner. It's ideal for children to learn positive ways of playing with their cat. Large print and easy reading adds to the fun of this book! It gives many ideas of fun things to do with your cat and some tips for better communication.  It mentions that trust is very important so we shouldn't do anything to scare the cat, even though it may be fun. Additionally, there are tid-bits of interesting information about cats.  It contains instructions for making some cat items instead of spending a lot of money on purchasing them from the store, for example a cat porch by a window and scratching post.

(Karen's review 4/4/08)

"Abby Finds A Good Home--From Death Row To Adoption" by Abby and Karen Zemek

Abby Finds A Good Home--From Death Row To Adoption by Abby & Karen Zemek is an AWESOME book!  I received this book for an early Father's Day gift from our pets--what a surprise!  I am thrilled!!  This book tells the story of Abby's (our dog) first year with us.  The year went by very fast and we sure have been through a lot!  It's a fast read.  Anybody of any age would enjoy it very much if they like dogs. 
--Gerard's review 6/18/10 (I may be a bit partial)

For more about how to make a book on Blurb and why I got my present early, check out Early Father's Day Gift Was A Hit--A Blurb Book.

"Big Little Life" by Dean Koontz

First off, this is a MUST READ for all dog lovers.  Big Little Life is a true story of the author, Dean Koontz, who gets a C.C.I. dog by the name of Trixie.  You will know what kind of special dog these are when you read the book.  you will fall in love with Trixie and also learn things about Dean Koontz that you did not know.  The book moves pretty fast and I found it very entertaining.  Enjoy!

(Gerard's review 9/21/09)

Old Dogs Are The Best Dogs by Gene Weingarten

I LOVED OLD DOGS ARE THE BEST DOGS by Gene Weingarten!  If you have a dog, thinking of getting a dog, or unfortunately, just lost your dog, read this book!  It’s wonderful!  The pictures alone are enough for you to get this book.  They are fantastic and in the stories about each dog, you can just feel the love the owners have for their dogs!  I’m so glad I read this book and you will be too!  (I give it 138 stars, one for each page!)
(Gerard's review 9/30/09) 

How To Speak Dog by Sarah Whitehead

How To Speak Dog by Sarah Whitehead is very informative and practical for learning about dogs and how to train them.  It is geared to kids but I liked it too because it's easy to read and very attractive with lots of colored pages and pictures.  It gives step-by-step instructions for teaching dogs specific commands and  checklists to evaluate if the dog has mastered the trick.  It also includes some game suggestions for playing with your dog.  I give it 4 paws up!

(Karen's review 7/2/09)

"The Ultimate Cat Lover: The Best Experts' Advice For A Happy, Healthy Cat" by Marty Becker

The Ultimate Cat Lover was a delight to read!  It had many short stories that were by different people about their experiences with their cat that were entertaining and amazing.  The full-page color pictures of the cats interspersed in small sections throughout the book gives the reader a nice little break between the stories so it doesn't get monotonous and 29 pages are filled with expert advice about all kinds of cat related issues with recommended websites and other resources listed for further information.  My favorite story was about the homeless man with his cat.  I recommend this book to every cat owner!

Some of the recommended websites are:  www.bestfriends.org (pictures of the pet rescue of New Orleans after the hurricane); www.help4pets.com and www.thecenterforlostpets.com (both these have advice on how to prevent loss or find a runaway pet).  A foundation that is an identification system for pets in any emergency, such as lost, house fire, car accident, natural disaster, travel emergencies, can be reached at 1-800-HELP-4-PETS.

(Karen's Review 6/5/10)