My Pet Human Takes Center Stage

My Pet Human TakesCenter Stage by Yasmine Surovec, 103 pages

In this sequel to “My Pet Human”, Oliver has settled into life off the streets very well.  He loves his human, Freckles, and really loves his bed and his food and his treats, especially olives.  He doesn’t love when Freckles tries to go to school without him.  And he really doesn’t love when Freckles decides to foster a kitten.  And he hates when she decides to have him and the new kitten be part of a pet show.  But Oliver loves Freckles and maybe everything will work out for the best.  This is a sweet little book for beginning chapter book readers who like animals.

Charlotte's Web

Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White, 184 pages

Charlotte is a terribly intelligent spider- she can read and spell words into her web.  Which, for some reason, she takes upon herself to do in order to save the life of young Wilbur, a very cute little pig who really wants a friend.  By spelling such phrases as "Some Pig" into her web, the farmers and the whole town come to appreciate the young pig.  And at its heart, this is a story about coming to terms with death as being a part of life, and as such, it's a rare and welcome work in the juvenile canon.

But... you guys.  You guys!! I know this is not a popular thing to say, but I found this book problematic.  Like... what's Wilbur's deal?  He spends the entire book being adorable, but absolutely helpless- the only way he makes it past page 1 is by being saved by young Fern, and the rest of the book is a series of saves by other strong females relegated to the background, culminating in being saved by a smart, well-educated spider who WRITES HUMAN ENGLISH WORDS INTO A WEB.  But the PIG is the one who is seen as spectacular! There is a total of one character who notes that the spider is the extraordinary one- Mrs. Zuckerman- and she is promptly ignored.  And I don't want to ruin the ending for anyone else who made it a lifetime without reading this, but Charlotte dies happily because she has saved Wilbur and got to have a bunch of baby spiders.  Also, take my advice and don't make that last point loudly at a baby shower because everyone there will give you a death glare or cough awkwardly and it will get really quiet and you will feel like a terrible person.

The Story of Fester Cat

The Story of Fester Cat by Paul Magrs
295 Pages

"I always knew that the rest of my story is gonna be a good one. I don't know how I knew that, but I always did. Ungow! I am Fester the cat. Welcome to my book, everyone! From when he first ambled into Paul Magrs's yard--skinny, covered in flea bites, and missing all but one and a half teeth--Fester knew he'd found his family. Paul and his partner, Jeremy, thought it was the ragged black-and-white stray, tired from a rough life on the streets, who was in desperate need of support. But clever Fester knew better. He understood that it was his newfound owners who needed the help. Over the course of seven years, the feisty feline turned the quaint Manchester house into a loving home. Through his fierce spirit, strong will, and calming energy, Fester taught Paul and Jeremy how to listen and breathe, how to appreciate the joys of simply sitting and singing (what Fester's purrs sounded like to his silly humans), and how to find joy and contentment in life, even when dealing with hardship. This is the true story of an extraordinary little cat whose gentle charm and trusting soul turned two young men into a family."

I found this to be a charming little tribute to an English cat with an attitude.  There is humor and a touching ending.  4 stars.

Last Unicorn

The Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle, 212 pages



As the title suggest this book is about the last unicorn. Or at least she thinks she is the last. Through the years the rest have all disappeared. Curious as to why, she embarks on a journey to see if she is truly the last and where the others have gone. After consulting with a butterfly she learns that the red bull is responsible.

I read this book for the fantasy month of one of my book groups. I remembered seeing the movie long ago when I was a child, and how much it moved me. It was the first movie that actually scared me and made me feel anything afterwards. While reading the book I got to relive those memories which certainly helped the book along.

For me this book is an emotional gut wrencher. It is so sad and depressing, but very much worth the read.

East

East by Edith Pattou, 498 pages 

East is a lengthy retelling of the classic fairy tale "East of the Sun and West of the Moon."  The likeable protagonist Rose is a north born child.  This means she is destined for traveling, wandering ways and adventure.  It also means she is a bit of a challenge to her parents who had hoped she would be a biddable East born daughter.   Switching perspectives between Rose, her brother, and her father allows the reader to see Rose from the vantage point of those who love her.  Unfortunately, these added perspectives slow down the pacing of the book and do not contribute enough to the plot to make their presence necessary.  The only shifting perspective that really adds anything to Rose's story is that of the White Bear.  The reader first means the mysterious White Bear when it rescues Rose from a frozen lake as a toddler.  Over the years, the connection between girl and bear grows, until one night the White Bear appears at Rose's front door and offers to take her away in exchange for a life free of want for her parents and siblings.  Despite her family's objections, Rose goes with the White Bear not only to save them but because of her own wanderlust and the strange connection she feels with the bear.

The story then slows down considerably as Rose and the White Bear live together in a hidden mountain lodge which she thinks of as a castle.  She relates her daily life in the castle as it is filled with sewing beautiful gowns, learning to communicate with the bear, enjoying his instrument room, and sleeping with a mysterious, unidentified stranger each night.  Oh, and there are trolls and a strange troll drink called slank that manages to enrapture any who consume it.  The action doesn't pick up again until Rose decides to stay up one night to figure out her bedfellow.  By the light of her candle, she realizes the man who shares her bed is none other than the White Bear in man form!  Then, she drops the tallow on his shirt,  harkening for the Troll Queen to come claim her prize.  The man is whisked away, and Rose is left alone and lonely.  She immediately embarks on a epic journey across land, snow and ice to reunite with her White Bear.  This is by far the most engaging part of the book as Rose encounters a variety of characters along the way from Njord (Norway) and Fransk (France) to Greenland and Huldre (the troll kingdom) and finds her own courage and strength as she battles the elements for survival.  She eventually reunites with the White Bear now known as Myk (in human form).  I won't give away any more of the ending in case anyone is unfamiliar with the tale, but let's just say I was a little disappointed.  In addition to all her other life skills, it seems Rose's two most important attributes are her ability to sew well and wash garments.  People interested in reading all possible fairy tale retellings might be interested in reading East, otherwise this version does little to improve on the original. 

I was the cat

I was the cat by Paul Tobin, 190 pages

I was the Cat is about a cat who hires Allison Breaking to write his life's story. Now for any other cat this would seem unusual but for Burma this is nothing new. Because Burma can talk. He also had some plans to take over the world using his other eight lives that didn't quite pan out. As Allison finds out more about Burma she is not convinced that he has entirely left his world domination plans behind him.

This book is quite entertaining and worth reading. I think cat lovers will especially enjoy it because we know our cats are secretly plotting to take over the world, right after their mid morning nap.

Diary of Edward

Diary of Edward the Hamster 1990-1990 by Mirian Elin, 85 pages

I came across this book while looking for a different graphic novel. When I opened it up and flipped through it I knew I had to read it. If you could not tell from the title it is about the short life of a hamster named Edward. Though short Edward encounters love and ponders life, plots to kill and has a hunger strike. It makes me wonder what we would hear from our pets if they could talk. It is simplistically illustrated but makes up for this in humor. I would call it a must read for everyone.

The Fur Person

The Fur Person by May Sarton, 106 pages

This is the story of Tom Jones, a cat, told from his perspective.  Rescued as a tiny kitten by a young boy, Alexander, the Fur Person put up with Alexander’s antics for several months before deciding to set out on his own.  He spent another couple years roaming the streets, a Gentlemen Cat, living by the rules a Gentleman Cat lives by, until he felt that it was time to settle down.  Finding just the right place and just the right people is a challenge, but Tom Jones, as his eventual people came to call him, was up for the challenge.  A fun story from a cat’s perspective, anyone who has ever owned or loved a cat will find this little book completely believable.  Readers who like animal stories should definitely check this one out.

The True Blue Scouts Of Sugar Man Swamp

The True Blue Scouts Of Sugar Man Swamp by Kathi Appelt                         327 pages

This is the story of two raccoons, Bingo and J’miah, two of the Official Sugar Man Swamp Scouts, sworn to protect the Swamp and wake the Sugar Man if necessary.  This is also the story of Chap and his mother who are struggling to keep their café and home from their landlord, Sonny Boy Beaucoup.  Sonny Boy wants to turn the swamp into an alligator theme park and since Chap’s grandpa, Audie, died a few days ago, Sonny Boy has closed in and raised the rent so that they can’t afford to piay.  This is also the story of two wild hogs, Buzzie and Clydine, and all 15 of their children, who have decided that they have a hankering for the wild sugarcane that grows in the Sugar Man Swamp.  This means that they’ll destroy it while eating it.  This is the same sugar that Chap and his mother need to make fried sugar pies in their café.  The hogs will also terrorize and destroy other parts of the swamp while they’re there.  Bingo and J’miah really need to wake the Sugar Man.  The only problems are they don’t know where he is, he’s not easy to wake up if they find him, sometimes he wakes up cranky, and he has a pet rattlesnake, Gertrude, guarding him.  A really fun and exciting story, kids who like animal stories or mostly true-life stories with  a bit of fantasy thrown in will enjoy this book.

The Diary of Edward the Hamster 1990-1990

The Diary of Edward the Hamster 1990-1990, translated from the original Hamster by Miriam and Ezra Elia, 83 pages

In this slim volume, Edward the Hamster, a philosopher on par with Sartre, Kierkegaard and the other great existentialists, considers the nature of life, death and captivity. His diary entries explore the absurdity of repetition, the oppression inherent in residing in a panoptic prison and the dialectical nature of captivity and freedom. Will the world ever know another mind as great as that which belonged to Edward? Bien sûr que non!

Recommended for: philosophes, thinkers, artists and hamster-owners.