Looking for a new book? Here are a few of our favorite books to read or gift this holiday season.
Working From Home With a Cat
If you’re one of the many people who had to start working from home, you’ve more than likely noticed that cats can be distracting co-workers — stepping on your keyboard, knocking things off your desk and interrupting video calls. This fun book takes you through a day in the life of artist Heidi Moreno and her cat, Peanut. From the minute she gets up in the morning until she goes to bed at night, she must navigate working with her needy yet loveable companion, as Peanut walks over her paintings and hogs her chair. Despite the struggle, cats like Peanut are always there when we need them, reminding us why they are the cutest colleagues and a source of comfort in these chaotic times. Published by Chronicle Books.
Related: How to Entertain Your Cats During COVID-19 Pandemic
Impressionist Cats
This irresistible illustrated volume from artist Susan Herbert featuring her feline versions of famous paintings is sure to appeal to both cat and art lovers. Whether they’re playing a quiet game of cards, going to the ballet or boating on a river, these cats convey the playfulness, melancholy and vitality of the Impressionist painters. Here’s just a taste: cats strolling among Monet’s wild poppies, sitting in Mary Cassatt’s private box at the opera and enjoying a Sunday dance at Renoir’s Bougival. As I looked through the book, I couldn’t find a favorite — all of the paintings are an absolute delight! Published by Thames & Hudson.
P.S. I Love You More Than Tuna
While the topic is on the more somber side (grieving a companion cat), it’s the first illustrated gift book about pet loss and celebrates the often quirky bond between humans and felines. The idea for the book began after author Sarah Chauncey’s 20-year-old cat, Hedda, passed away in 2016. Her friend Francis Tremblay (whose illustrations appear in the book) sent her a drawing, along with a note “from” Hedda that ended, “p.s. I love you more than tuna.” The note inspired Sarah to write a book about the loss she felt, as well as to create a Facebook community (that now has close to 27,000 members) where users can talk freely about pet loss and the range of emotions they feel. The book gives us an opportunity to give loved ones tangible comfort during the grieving period and celebrates the special bond we have with our feline friends — their love for us, and ours for them, never ends. Check out the Facebook page @morethantuna. Published by Sounds True.
Snowball’s Christmas
Just in time for the holiday season, this warm and uplifting novel by Kristen McKanagh is about a sweet and sassy ball of fluff who is determined to find her forever home. The book revolves around Lukas, a globetrotting photographer, who returns to his hometown to visit his sick aunt, who owns a Victorian bed and breakfast. The novel’s heroine, Emily, works in the B&B’s kitchen but longs to open a bakery of her own. Lukas wants to sell the B&B so his aunt can retire. As they clash, a little bundle of feline fluff named Snowball, who happily resides there, is certain that this B&B and these people are supposed to be her forever home. So, the precocious white kitten conspires to get these two stubborn humans together — and keep her home in the process. Published by Kensington Publishing Corp.
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