Monica: This week I took all three children to the doctor for checkups and to the hair dresser for coiffing. I also carted our dog, Barkley, and cat, Rico, to the vet. Ironically, the vet bill cost more than the doctor and hair dresser for the girls. How can you put a price tag on caring for your animals, though? Sometimes they (OK, only the dog) are the only ones who truly listen to me!
Hannah: As hard as it may be to admit, Barkley listens to you much better than we do sometimes.
Monica: But not Rico the cat! Cats and teens have a lot in common.
WHAT CATS ARE MADE OF. By Hanoch Piven. Simon & Schuster. Ages 3-8. $16.99.
This cute collage book has information about breeds of cats. From Persians to Maine coon cats, What Cats Are Made Of has them all. Cat lovers, young and old, will love the colorful pages filled with facts on their favorite cat breeds.
Twelve cat breeds from around the world are featured, and each is uniquely illustrated. Interesting superstitions about cats are included, such as "A cat sneezing is a good omen for everyone who hears it" and "A cat sleeping with all four paws tucked under means cold weather ahead."
Also enjoy CATS. By Matthew Van Fleet. Simon & Schuster. Ages 2 and up. $16.99.
DEWEY: THERE'S A CAT IN THE LIBRARY! By Vicki Myron and Bret Witter. Little, Brown. Ages 3-6. $16.99.
This is the children's version about Dewey, a kitten found nearly frozen in the Spencer, Iowa, Public Library. Charming and lovable, Dewey found his niche as the town's Library Cat. Soon to be a film starring Meryl Streep, Dewey's story makes readers want to see a kitten in every public library.
NUBS: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle. Little, Brown. Ages 6-9. $17.99.
Maj. Brian Dennis, a Marine stationed in Iraq, made a best friend while overseas: Nubs. Nubs lived outside a fort in Iraq with his pack of stray dogs. Brian and Nubs met each other while Brian was stationed in the fort. When Brian first saw Nubs, he noticed the dog's missing ears, which looked like nubs. Over the next couple of weeks, Brian and his team fed Nubs table scraps. The loyal dog followed Brian's team to a faraway base when Brian was transferred.
Nubs traveled great distances to be with Brian. He fought off freezing nights and starvation, and he left his pack. When it was time for Brian to return to America, Nubs was shipped to San Francisco to live with Brian, final proof of his merit as "man's best friend."
NOTES FROM THE DOG. By Gary Paulsen. Random House. Ages 12 and up. 144 pages. $15.99.
A loner, Finn has only Matt and Dylan as true friends. But Matt befriends everybody, and Dylan is Finn's dog. The three expect a dull summer, but their anticipated months of drudgery turn into a life-changing experience when Johanna moves next door. A 24-year-old college student with breast cancer, Johanna recruits Finn to make a garden in his backyard. The seemingly simple project transforms Finn's anti-social views.
Meanwhile, Dylan has been delivering mysterious notes to his master with such sayings as "You're wrong about you and girls." Finn cannot figure out who is sending notes by way of his faithful dog. Both the boys, and even Dylan, help to make a difference in one cancer patient's life in this touching, moving, amazing book.
FINDING SUSIE. By Sandra Day O'Connor. Random House. Ages 4-8. $16.99.
Based on the true story of former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor getting her first dog, this picture book is lovely. From the illustrations of the Lazy B Ranch on the Arizona-New Mexico border to the story that encompasses a young girl's love of animals, this story is appealing on many levels. Who knew that behind the black robe of justice was a children's author of such merit?
Also read LOST AND FOUND: Three Dog Stories. By Jim LaMarche. Chronicle. Ages 4-8. $17.99.
Read Hannah McRae's blog at www.cheeReader.com.
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