In 2020, I did a Christmas Gift idea series of posts featuring my favorite cat books. Since it has been five years, I am revisiting a few of those posts each week to highlight some of the cat books that are still my favorites this Christmas season. . Here’s my final installment, featuring the new cat books I have found since 2020 that deserve mention. It’s almost Christmas, but not too late for last minute recommendations – especially ones that work in ebook format or that are readily available in bookstores. I have linked the hard copies, but two of the books have other formats available.
Again–Why cat books?
- First of all, I love cats. I love books. So combining the two is a no brainer. I frequently include cats in my own writing.
- They make perfect gifts for cat lovers. I know this, because many have been gifted to me and I have thoroughly enjoyed them.
- They are also good gifts for the cat lover that is otherwise hard to buy for. We all know those people who have everything else they need, but you’d just love to surprise them with something less than obvious that will put a smile on their face.
- There’s just something about the gift of a book for Christmas. It’s mystical. Magical.
- A cat book for Christmas puts me in mind of the Christmas eve tradition that they have in Iceland. I had to look it up because I couldn’t say it or pronounce it to save my life. It’s called Jólabókaflóð, which evidently means the “Christmas Book Flood”. People gift each other books on Christmas eve in this tradition and then everyone reads them that evening. Imagine doing that with your cat on your lap. And the book itself is about cats. Perfection.
I’ll lead off with another Hannah Shaw (aka Kitten Lady) and Andrew Marttila (The Cat Photographer) book. It’s ‘Cats of the World.’ Hannah and Andrew rescue and rehabilitate neonatal kittens and do a lot of education about cat care. This wonderful book is filled with Andrew’s expert photos of cats all over the world – in thirty-one countries, to be exact. Hannah has connected with rescuers in these locations to tell the stories of rescued cats and feral colonies. The approaches are often very different from the United States. It’s fascinating to read about it. People who are interested in cat rescue and international travel will love this book.
Next is ‘Lil Bub – The Earth Years.’ This fat coffee table book by Bridavsky + Tanner tells the full story of Lil Bub, the internet phenomenon. From her adorable kitten photos and the snaps that went viral online, to the celebrities she met, to Lil Bub’s Big Fund charity works, to her final illness, this book tells all. One small unique cat that had a big impact. For Lil Bub fans, this book is sheer nostalgia and not to be missed. See great photos from behind the scenes that you have never seen before, and get the inside stories from Lil Bub’s Dude.
Last, but not least, is Gwen Cooper’s latest novel, ‘You Only Live Nine Times: A Homer Whodunit.’ Gwen is author of Homer’s Odyssey. This is still on my personal TBR list, but I am so excited to dig in. It features Homer and his feline friends and their human, Rachel, a thirty year old working at a bookstore near South Beach Florida in 1998. It’s a cute cozy mystery with even cuter sleuths.
Thanks for reading!
