Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot (1939; 64 pages)
Some cats “are sane and some are mad / and some are good and some are bad / and some are better and some are worse / but all may be described in verse.” Apart from offering practical advice on how to name a cat or how to address a cat, T.S. Eliot’s classic book of cat poems also introduces readers to a host of amazing cats and is the basis for the Andrew Lloyd Weber’s musical “Cats”.
The Grand Escape by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (1993; 148 pages)
Cat fiction is dominated by the Warriors series which is well-loved for its dense world-building and clowder of characters. For those who want something a little more accessible, this chapter book by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (author of Shiloh) tells the story of cat siblings Marco and Polo who abandon their life of comfort as indoor cats and join a gang of wild cats known as the Club of Mysteries.
Science Comics: Cats – Nature and Nurture by Andy Hirsch (2019; 119 pages)
This new installment in the Science Comics series follows calico Bean as he goes from stray to domestic and touches on some of the science behind why cats act the way they do.
Stretchy McHandsome by Judy Schachner (2019; 40 pages)
This read-aloud picture book follows the cat Stretchy McHandsome as he leaves the McHandsome clan and finds a new home in a whimsical style reminiscent of T.S. Eliot.
Kitten Lady’s Big Book of Little Kittens by Hannah Shaw (2019; 56 pages)
Another new addition to the library is a photographic nonfiction book of adorable cats as Kitten Lady Hannah Shaw describes her life of rescuing and raising kittens.
