Dewey: the Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World is the first book in a long time to touch me so much that it made me cry. I was very touched by the story of this cute and loving library cat and what he meant to people all over the country and all over the world. Anyone who has or loves cats will love this story as well people who like small town stories.

One cold January morning the librarian of the public library in Spencer, Iowa found a small orange kitten in her book return. The kitten was dirty, frost-bitten, and starving but not afraid. He in fact hobble over to each member of the staff of the library on frost bitten feet and nudge them each to thank them for rescuing him. Vicki, the librarian, convinced the town to keep the kitten as a library cat. Dewey as the kitten came to be called became the sentinel of the library and the glue that held the town together in the farm crisis of late 1980's. Dewey was extremely people friendly greeting each visitor that came into the library and he also sat on people's laps. He seemed to have a sixth sense about who needed him the most. Dewey increase the visitor ship of the public library, and gave hope and comfort to the people of Spencer as they were going through the worst financial crisis the town had ever seen.

What you will find in these pages is the story of this wonderful cat, from his picky eating habits to what happened when a bat got in the library. It also tells of how people came from all over the US and even from other countries to see Dewey. It is told by Dewey's mom or the librarian that rescued him on that cold Iowa day, and you can feel the love. This is a wonderful story and I am glad Vicki decided to continue sharing Dewey with the world by telling his story in this book. So how much of an effect can one cat have? Read this book and you will see.

The book is nicely written by Vicki Myron with the help of Bret Witter. The story flows and reads well. I read it all in one sitting. The story is as much about Vicki as it is Dewey and encompasses all types from tragedies from the financial crisis of the town to the breast cancer and divorce that Vicki soldiers through. Its a wonderful story about a wonderful cat and the person that loved him most. If you love animal stories, cat stories or stories of human survival in hard times then you have got to read this book. But don't forget your tissue, this one will open the floodgates of your heart.