Dewey - Book Review

Goodreads summary:How much of an impact can an animal have? How many lives can one cat touch? How is it possible for an abandoned kitten to transform a small library, save a classic American town, and eventually become famous around the world? You can't even begin to answer those questions until you hear the charming story of Dewey Readmore Books, the beloved library cat of Spencer, Iowa

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World is a book about a cat who lived in a library! What a way to make me spend money ^^ I love cats and libraries are some of my favorite places, so I knew I had to get my hands on this. I was surprised by how much of the book was about the town of Spencer and the lives of those Dewey encountered, but I must admit I wasn't put off by it.

This is the story of a cat who was found in the library drop box on the coldest winter night in Iowa. He survived the night alone and was found by the library staff, who cared for him, bathed him, and named him Dewey Readmore Books. He became the library's mascot and his duties included waiting for customers at the door, sleeping in laps, jumping from shelf to shelf, and attending meetings in the conference room.

I found this story endearing and uplifting. Much of it was about life and how hard people work to overcome the obstacles it presents. I was intrigued to learn about Dewey's "mom", a woman who raised a daughter on her own while working and putting herself through school. She wrote about her life when Dewey was in it, and how he made her feel better just by understanding her feelings and playing hide-and-seek with her.

Cats really are amazing and have a great sense of intuition and playfulness, but they also possess a dignity that many other types of pets don't. Libraries bring people together, offer people a place of refuge, and can bring life back into a dying town. This was a great tale of bravery, love, and finding joy and hope even in the darkest of situations. I'd really recommend it to anyone but especially to cat lovers and library enthusiasts.