“The Confessions of a Catnip Junkie” by Allan Goldstein is the cat version of “On the Road”. The protagonist, Doo Doo the cat, a rescued feral, leaves the comforts of home for the whiff of his jones, catnip. Just as Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty made their way across America, Doo Doo finds well intentioned if not memorable characters as he travels from California to New York and back.

Two of his mates on the journey really stood out to me. Rass is a sewer cat who admires Doo Doo’s bravery and the two escape from the dark under world. The two learn from each other much in the way of Sal and Dean. The poignant meeting of a small airplane pilot and Doo Doo results in a mutual adoption, showing how much two creatures can need each other.

This a rare book that can make your belly laugh, audibly gasp OMC, and give you warm fuzzies all the way to your toes. This book was suggested by @SeabassCat as one we might like for #readpawty. I got the electronic version just to test it out. Two paragraphs and I was hooked.

“The Confessions of a Catnip Junkie” by Allan Goldstein gets four paws up and a big Maine Coon tail floof from me! You can find the printed book at Amazon or Barnes & Noble. An electronic version is only available for the Kindle. You can read Alan’s blog here.

Please join #readpawty 20 February 2012 at 8 pm ET when we will discuss this wonderful book. Hope to see you there!

(P.S. I was very worried about what sort of name Doo Doo is for a jellicle cat. Fortunately, Doo Doo explains the origin of his name — it is the song that his female human sang to him. I was much relieved.)

"Entanglements" by P.R. Mason"Entanglements" by P.R. Mason

I got an email from CC’s mom that she changed the cover of her ebook, “Entanglements”. I think the new cover ROCKS! It features the firey redheaded heroine who stands out against the goth supernatural background. If I already hadn’t read the book, I would pick it up based on the cover alone!

So, run right out and pick this up, then join #readpawty Dec 12 at 8 pm EST for a discussion. P.R. Mason will be there, and I know it will be a fantastic way to learn about vampires, worm holes, how to write books as a profession and many other topics. “Entanglements” can be purchased as an ebook through Amazon or Barnes and Noble for a mere $0.99. I think it is worth much more than that, but I need to direct you to my review for more discussion.

"Entanglements" by P.R. Mason

A wonderful book written for the young adult (YA) market debuted this month, “Entanglements (Multiverse)” by P. R. Mason. “Entanglements” is part of the fantasy genre featuring wormholes, time travel, vampires and a handsome time traveler hero. I totally fell in love with the hero, Rom, and had a few fantasies of my own which includes curling up on his chest and purring contently. The cast of characters are high school geeks and jocks and geeks are the stars.

Kizzie, the red-headed heroine, has a dream about Rom then finds him at her high school. Kizzie, Rom and the geeks go spelunking in an abandoned hospital ostensibly looking for the morgue. Instead they find a vortex which sucks two friends into a parallel universe. The geeks then team up with Zen, an older gentleman with extensive paranormal experience. They piece together Kizzie’s heritage, how to enter time travel and how the vortex works. I won’t divulge any more about the plot. Let it suffice to say that “Entanglements” captivated me since I read the book straight through, skipping sleep and only stopping when I needed to nom.

Here is the best part! Pat is going to donate all proceeds for books sold October 15 to the next #pawpawty charity! So warm up those paws and get ready to help out #pawpawty meet the fundraising goal, and get a great read in the process.

You can find “Entanglements” as an ebook at these links: Amazon; Barnes and Noble; Smashwords

“Entanglements” is the featured book for the December 12 #readpawty meeting at 8 pm Eastern Time.

Pat also writes steamy fiction under the name Patricia Mason and sometimes @ConfuciusCat has a cameo role. Her publisher’s website is Ellora’s Cave, and her books can also be found on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

See you October 15 at the bookstore, at the next #pawpawty and at the December #readpawty.

My sisfur Karma checking out one of Lilian Jackson Braun's 29 mystery novels

If you haven’t started reading the book for  the Summer #ReadPawty, you’d better get going on The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Lilian Jackson Braun.

Braun passed away in June after publishing 29 novels with titles that start with The Cat Who…. She started publishing the mystery stories about Siamese kitties names KoKo, Yum Yum and their human, Jim Qwilleran.

The Cat Who Could Read Backwards, the summer selection of #readpawty, is the very first book, one of three she published in the 1960s while living in Michigan and working for The Detroit Free Press. She stopped writing about KoKo and Yum Yum after these three because her publisher wanted her to add sex and violence to the stories, her husband told the Associated Press. She began writing again only after she retired from the Free Press and found a new publisher. Braun’s books are featured on an Amazon List called “Clean Mysteries,” so she was clearly right that sex and violence aren’t needed to sell a mystery story.

Berkley Publishing Group published the following 26 novels and reprinted the other three as well. The novels have been translated into 16 languages and millions of humans have read them, The New York Times reported.

The last novel in the series came out in 2007, and along the way Braun also edited collections of stories. She published short stories of her own and additional material about KoKo, Yum Yum and Qwilleran. Readers who are looking for a full bibliography with short summaries of the stories will find a complete list at Fantastic Fiction. Wikipedia presents much more detailed summaries of the mysteries. Readers discuss the books in the Lilian Jackson Braun forum on AllReaders.com

Braun lived to be 97 and saw a lot in her lifetime. She was born in 1913 in Massachusetts. Financial problems during the Great Depression kept her from going to college, but she always worked as a writer of one sort or another. She started out writing advertising copy, rose to the top of the field of public relations and then moved into newspapers. She wrote for the lifestyle sections of the Detroit Free Press until the early 1980s. Her second husband, Earl Bettinger (her first husband had passed away), encouraged her to start writing mysteries again.

Fans of the series started a club in 1998. The Cat Who Club maintains email lists and a website devoted to the mysteries, Lilian Jackson Braun and cats in general.   The Times also reported that Braun’s novels struck such a chord in our culture that they even inspired satire.  Robert Kaplow, a fan of Braun and the series, published The Cat Who Killed Lilian Jackson Braun in 2003, demonstrating that interest in Braun’s work continued throughout her long life.

To join the #readpawty conversation of The Cat Who Could Read Backwards make sure you are on Twitter on Tuesday August 15. The discussion begins at 8 pm EDT using the #readpawty hashtag. Readpawtiers discuss books written by anipals and about animals. If you would like more information about #readpawty, Tweet your questions to @MaggieTKat. She maintains the blog and leads the live conversations as well.

The Cat Who … series is probably available at your nearest public library. It is at ours.

The Anipal Times’ very talented editing manager, Cheshire Kitten, displays his talent for prose in the charming book, “Please Send Money”. The premise is Robin, the woman who feeds Cheshire, Becket and Karma (and Nutmeg Torbie), has told the cats they must earn their own money because food is expensive. Cheshire spearheads the search for the perfect job for cats. As the cats sort through various vocations, they are photographed organizing implementation of the ideas. Cheshire saves the day by figuring out what cats do best. And, yes, we sent him money.

The photographs are very well paired with the text. I keep going back to turn the pages and marveling at Cheshire’s skill at describing cat action shots. The photos are worth the price alone! However, the storyline is priceless.

On the surface, the book is a simple tale of a cat grappling with the human concept of money. However, it can be viewed as an allegory for the human search for learning their strengths and weakness, ultimately deciding how to apply their personal strengths to find the profession best suited for their talents.

I give this books two paws up, a read not to be missed. This book and others by anipal authors will be featured at the April 11 meeting of #ReadPawty at 8pm EDT.

#ReadPawty is featuring our very talented anipals who write books during our discussion 11 April 2011, the second Monday of the month, at 8 p.m. EDT. This is a great opportunity to support our anipals, and reading their books seemed so fitting.

We hope that you will join us for discussion, or just to listen in. I imagine there will be some niptea, tuna puffs and bacon nibbles available.

The books we’ll be reading are:

Cheshire Kitten. “Please Send Money” 
This is the book review in The Anipal Times.

Henry and Friends. “Welcom to my Werld” 
Catch the AT book review coming soon.

Max the Quilt Cat. “The Zen of Max” 
This is the book review in The Anipal Times.

Pumpkinpuddy. “Summer at the Lake with Petie”  
This is the book review in The Anipal Times.

Imajackrussell. Two books about Precious the Dog’s adventures 
This is the book review in The Anipal Times.

GuidePost excerpt; Pawcircle
by Peggy Frezon

‘I pray for my cocker spaniel-dachshund mix, Kelly, just as I pray for everyone else I love. If you’re a pet owner, I bet you do the same. You can imagine my excitement, then, at finding a new way to offer and receive prayers and support for pets online. It’s called a Pawcircle–like a prayer circle, but for your furry (or even not-so-furry) friends. Twitter users can post prayers and messages of hope and encouragements for pets by adding Pawcircle hashtag.’ Peggy goes on to describe how one day she noticed a tweet that someone’s beagle-dachshund, Snugglebug was under the weather, and sent off a tweet of encouragement. As she saw all the other pawcircle tweets surround Snugglebug, she felt encouraged too. If Kelly ever needed it, she knew that they’d have the pawcircle’s support too.

These heart warming and inspiring words are an excerpt from the March 2011 Guideposts (@guideposts_org) magazine (page 14), where author Peggy Frezon (@PeggyFrezon) writes, in an article titled, “Pass It On,” about how she came across #Pawcircle on Twitter. The “Pass It On” articles are short pieces where readers can get inspired by reading ways people help others out. Ms. Frezon’s #PawCircle article made me thankful that we anipals all over the world lend support to each other, every day through social media. Ms. Frezon talks a bit about this in her article, the power of a tweet and the #PawCircle hashtag.

Meet the Author

Peggy Frezon

I was excited to chat with Ms. Frezon, and in preparation of our telephone interview I wanted to learn more about her. As noted on her website, Ms. Frezon is an author, pet columnist and an award-winning freelance writer from New York, where she contributes regularly to Guideposts and Angels on Earth magazines and is published in more than a dozen Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Ms. Frezon writes a web column, Pawsitively Pets, is a staff writer for Be the Change for Animals and blogs at Peggy’s Pet Place.

When I called Ms. Frezon, her voice was as cheery and bright as sunshine. “I’m so excited that The Anipal Times heard of my Guideposts article about #Pawcircle,” said Ms. Frezon. “I came across the pawcircle when I read a tweet for a dog named Snugglebug. How could I not join in and pray for that pooch? I believe in the support of a community of pet lovers.” When I asked Ms. Frezon to share how she came to be so connected to animals, she quickly offers,”I work from home with my furry co-worker, Kelly, at my side. Kelly is a Cocker Spaniel-long haired Dachshund mix about nine years old. We adopted her from a rescue group when she was about one year old. She loves to chase squirrels and chipmunks, swim and most of all to nap on the backs of couches and chairs. When I sit on a chair, she jumps up to the back and wraps around my neck like a scarf. When I got her, I was facing the empty nest and her love helped ease me through that transition. We also dieted together, she lost six pounds and I lost 40, thus inspiring my memoir, Dieting with my Dog (Hubble & Hattie, 2011: released in August (UK) and September (US)). I am now working on my second book, a true story about a talking harbor seal named Hoover.”

Ms. Frezon shared with me that she felt a strong connection with the hope and inspiration that anipals can derive from #PawCircle. Sharing with one another, letting someone know you care, it can truly make the difference in helping someone (or an anipal) out. Ms. Frezon touches upon this theme in her blog and her website. Make sure you visit Ms. Frezon’s site and follow her on Twitter, she’ll cheer you up when needed and make you smile with her tweets.

The Beginning

@BigBoyBosco

Reading Ms. Frezon’s article in Guideposts made me wonder about the origins of #PawCircle.  I just remember #PawCircle always being there, heck I’ve even been in it from time to time.  But how did it start?  Well, come to find out it all started with a selfless act of compassion and caring.  It seems that @BrunotheDog was sick a while back and @BigBoyBosco asked his friend @JinJinDoggy to take his paw to form a “pawcircle” for Bruno. From there @JinJinDoggy, knowing the power of #hashtags, put the #hashtag on it and thus #PawCircle–and in the words of @BigBoyBosco, “a movement was born!” “I remember that night how quickly paws reached out to join our healing circle, we had paws across the world on it. It was amazing,” said @BigBoyBosco, “The next day I got tweets from anipals asking me what #PawCircle was and thus commenced #pawcircle. @JinJinDoggy and I tweet about it, when anipals asks us about it.”

“Yes,” agreed @JinJinDoggy, “we found that we were all comforted in some way, the pals who were sick felt our love and support and we felt able to help them in some small way.” Well, I know I have felt comforted when I’ve had a bit of trouble with my health and a friend asks me if I care to be included in #PawCircle.  Just having anipal friends so willing to join together to send good vibes of support helps me feel more connected.

Today’s #PawCircle

@DanaPixie

“#PawCircle is for healing thoughts and #pawprayers for all anipals in need,” said @DanaPixie. “I want all animals to be happy and healthy, loved and have forever homes.” @DanaPixie is a wonderful friend to all of us anipals, and her tireless dedication to documenting, in her blog, the anipals in need of #PawCircle is miraculous. We anipals cannot thank her enough!

Full Circle

So there you have it. The story of #PawCircle started out with one anipal looking for a way, through social media, to offer caring support for his friend. From that one act #PawCircle was born and continues on today with the same goals of providing comfort to anipals and animal lovers. These acts of kindness are noticed on Twitter and end up being written about in a national publication, Guideposts, with a readership in the millions. One simple act can change the world. Thank you @BigBoyBosco, @JinJinDoggy, @DanaPixie and Ms. Peggy Frezon (@PeggyFrezon)–the world is a more gentle and kind place with #PawCircle in it!

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen is a bootiful book wiff a little sumfing fur everyone: friendship, love, adventure, glamour, a little bit of murder and a lotta anipals! Mai mom’s book club read dis and she fell in love wiff it by da end of chapter 1.

Da book is set in da 1920s depression era shortly after da grate stock market crash. Jacob Jankowski, our hero, is attending Cornell University. His plan is to take his exams, become a vet, and work wiff his dad. This is not meant to be.

Tragedy strikes and in a strange twist of fate Jacob finds himself traveling wiff da Benzini Brothers traveling circus. Here he meets sum interesting humans who will change his life forever, including da lovely Marlena and her cruel husband August.

Jacob becomes da Benzini Brothers vet and falls in love wiff all da anipals, espeshally Rosie the elephant. She is described as having bootiful amber eyes and looong eyelashes. At first it is assumed she is not very smart, but dat Rosie has a few tricks up her sleeve!

The circus anipals play an impawtant role in this book. At times Jacob wud think about leaving but realized he couldnt becauz he loved them so much. If he left, who would take care of them? Sum people wiff da circus viewed da anipals as acts only and didn’t care about their well-being.

Jacob has many adventures while traveling wiff da Benzini Brothers. He makes friends, falls in love, sees many places and faces sum tragedies. He also learns many fings, including what kind of man he wants to be and how da lines between rite and wrong can be blurred.

I fink dis is a bootifully written book efurryone wud enjoy. I love how da anipal storylines and da human storylines intersect. It also teaches sum impawtant lessons, like treat others the way you want to be treated, stay true to yourself and how to make da best of a bad situashun.

It never ceases to amaze me the amount of support that anipals give each other. It doesn’t matter if the typist isn’t well or an anipal is going to the vet, we are all rooting for their recovery. “Summer at the Lake with Petie” is an incredible example of the support found on Twitter from caring anipals and their humans.

A remarkable gathering of anipal support for @petiethecat occurred during the summer of 2010. Petie’s health had taken a downturn and we rallied around him. Anipals sat on his porch and had fun at the lake house while watching over him and sending lots of love and positive energy. And, a miracle did happen. Petie pulled out of his slump and proposed marriage to @Pandafur. They are now jetting around as husband and wife, marveling at the incredible Summer of 2010.

“Summer at the Lake with Petie“, a compilation of the wonders of the summer submitted by anipals worldwide, was edited by @Pumpkinpuddy and captures the spirit of love among anipals. We laugh, we are somber, have fun and keep everyone’s spirits up. This book has heartfelt remembrances written by various anipals all told in the anipal’s unique voice. As if that wasn’t enough, there is incredible imagery created by anipals illustrating the book throughout. This book is a must have.

All proceeds for the book are donated to Duncan’s Place Cat Sanctuary.

When I heard mai furriends at @DogTipper had written a book fur frugal fidos, I thought “What does frugal mean?” So I looked it up in da dicshunary [it means cheap, by da way]. It turns out Barkanomics is a book on how to save money while caring fur your anipal.

I knew I had to read dis book, and not only cuz Paris and John [da authors] are anipal advocates, fellow Austinites and all around pawsome people. Haffin an anipal can be furry expensive. Who wudn’t want to save a few bucks while providing da same care?

From make-your-own dog treat recipes [authors note: peanut butter & carrot dog bones = YUM!] to pet health insurance info, dey break all costs down. Der is even a section comparing lifetime costs of adopting a pet from a shelter versus a breeder.

Want to know how to make your own cute dog sweater instead of buying one from an expensive pet store? It’s in da book. Want to know how to make your own inexpensive dog toys? It’s in da book! You’ll learn how to save money for all your pet’s needs.

I giff dis book five tail wags outta five. In dis day & age, it is impawtant to pinch pennies when ewe can. Barkanomics teaches humans dat ‘dey can save money & still take grate care of anipals. When dat happens, everyone wins!

When a best-selling author writes another book in the same genre, one never knows what to expect. In this case, Vicki Myron’s second offering, “Dewey’s Nine Lives: The Legacy of the Small-Town Library Cat Who Inspired Millions” (D9L),  is every bit as wonderful as “Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World”. “D9L” is a set of nine short stories that show the strength of the cat/human bond, the healing of each other.

One of my favorite stories features Mr. Sir Bob Kittens. When the human went looking for a rescue, Ninja did a strange karate-type dance while standing on his hind legs. She and her family loved him on sight, but somehow his name Ninja didn’t fit him. They had watched a TV show on bobcats, and decided that Bob Kittens would be good. Even this didn’t seem regal enough, so Mr. and Sir were added.

The other short stories in “D9L” are just as entertaining and poignant. It is a great holiday read and could be a good stocking stuffer.

“Dewey’s Nine Lives” is a selection for the December #ReadPawty to be discussed on the second Monday in February. We hope to see you there!

 Mai mom and I recently read The Zen of Max by Lou Belcher. It’s a furry cute book about life, love, laughter, hyjinks and lessons learned from da 16 years she spent living wiff her kitteh Max. Dat kitteh Max had quite a big personality!

One of mai fav parts was da section about Max and his routines. I won’t spoil anyfing fur ewe, but let’s just say dat when Max wants to go to bed, Max IS going to bed! We anipals love our routines, don’t we?

Dis book was touching wiffout being too sappy, enlightening wiffout being preachy and nostalgic wiffout making mai mom too sad. In other words — it was purrfect. Max’s mom kept sum fings private, like Max’s trip over da RB, which made dis book a lighter read.

I wish I cud haff known Max. Even tho I am a dog and he was a kitteh, I fink we wud haff been furriends. I can tell from da stories about him dat he had a healthy sense of adventure and fun as well.

Mai mom and I give dis book four tail wags. It was a purrfect book to curl up wiff in front of da fireplace wiff mai mom on a cold nite. Max’s life story is furry entertaining and ewe can really tell how much is momma loved him.

Let’s get this straight upfront. I am a cat who doesn’t care for dogs. I mean, get that nose out of my butt! Mom brought home “Dog on It” by Spencer Quinn from Barkworld 2010, and all I could do was glare. A DOG book. However, the cover looked intriguing and I can’t let a dog get the upper hand.

I read the first page, and didn’t put it down. The book is told from the point of view of Chet, the dog, who brings a new meaning to hard-boiled detective lingo. He’s seems to be well trained, but didn’t pass the police dog exam due to some squirrel. Chet is absolutely loveable, his narration witty, and exhibits dog qualities such as not realizing he is barking until called on it.  His human, Bernie, is a private investigator with a cash-flow problem, but a big heart and strong ethics.

Chet and Bernie make quite a team for sniffing out the final conclusions. It takes both to handle Russian gangsters, survive a kidnapping, make it through the southwestern dessert in a beat up Porsche and solve the mystery.

I rate this book 4 Paws Up. If that isn’t high enough praise, I don’t know what else I can do to encourage you to pick up this wonderful book. Maybe, I would even allow Chet a butt sniff!

“Dog on It” is a selection for the December #ReadPawty to be discussed the second Monday in February. I hope to see everyone there! If you can’t wait till then, you can always check out Spencer Quinn’s blog.

Enzo, who happens to be an incredible dog, is a philosopher with knowledge gained from years of watching races with his master, Denny Swift, and the Discovery Channel. (He seemed to be a friend of @RosieandCheeto since he really wanted opposable thumbs).

Enzo has incredible insight into the humans and makes parallels between life and racing–that neither are simply about going fast.

The book starts with Enzo admitting he is about to die. On the eve of his death, Enzo looking at all the things Denny has been through: the sacrifices Denny has made to succeed professionally; the unexpected loss of Eve, Denny’s wife; and the three-year battle with the maternal grandparents over daughter, Zoe. In the end, despite what Enzos admits are his limitations, he saves the family in his own way.

This is a bitter sweet book since you know Enzo is going to die. However, as Enzo develops his philosophies and how to help his family, you are drawn into the story.

This book is an October/December #readpawty pick. We welcome all dog lovers to #readpawty.

The Adventures of Precious the Dog – Precious and the Rabbits Run and Hop is da second book by @ImAJackRussell. Precious takes us on yet another fun adventure wiff her anipal furriends. Dis time it is wiff sum cute bunnies who like to hide and hop.

In dis book, Precious sets a good example fur all of us by going to a park and getting exercise. At da park, Precious likes to play wiff her bunny furriends Ronnie and Roxie. They play hide and go seek (which is one of Precious’ favorite games)!

Sometimes Precious is able to find da rabbits and sometimes she cannot. Even if she cannot find dem one day, her humom will always bring her back another day fur more fun. At da end, dey boff drive off in her humom’s sporty black convertible.

Mai sister and I always enjoy hearing about Precious and her adventures; dis book is no different. Da illustrations are so pawsome. Precious is as adorable as a cartoon as she is in real life! RUN don’t HOP to pick dis book up today!

Murder Past Due

A former classmate of Charlie arrives at his house, arrogant Godfrey Priest, a noted author of gore. Someone kills Godfrey. Charlie realizes everyone in town seemed to hate haughty Godfrey with several having strong motives, but he ponders who had the opportunity and the ultimate desire as he and Diesel try to help the police who want no help from him or his cat.

Murder Past Due popped up when I logged into Amazon one day. Mom was a librarian years ago, and the most interesting character is a big Maine Coon alter. The book is well written, had a few plot turns and really held my interest.

This is a #readpawty choice for the October/Novemeber. Please join #readpawty this month!

While anipals celebrate literate cats, dogs, rodents and plush toys, not everyone agrees that we should be allowed to publish. Some humans react to talking animals by banning books that feature characters like us. Sometimes, animal characters get caught in the crossfire when humans are trying to ban books for some other reason. The American Library Association asks us to stand up for our rights to read and publish during Banned Books Week – 25 September to 2 October – in the United States.

Some notable banned books featuring animal characters or animals in the plot

Chinese authorities banned Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll, in 1931 in China because animals speak like humans and operate on the same level as humans. The authorities considered the portrayal of animals as equals to humans a disaster in the making, according to a website devoted to the Alice books.

During the World War II era, a number of authors worked their political comments into stories about animals, which drew opposition from governments all over Europe and North America. Snorri the Seal, by Frithjof Saelen, a children’s story, was satire of official Norwegian denial that Nazi Germany posed a danger to the country in the years leading up to World War II, according to Folklore Fights the Nazis (a study of humor in wartime Norway). Snorri ignores his mother’s advice to stay safe by keeping his guard up and swims along the coast in blissful ignorance until he is attacked by a polar bear, the first of several animals who want to eat him. Snorri makes it through all of his trials, and the book sold out 12,500 copies before the Nazi occupation government tried to confiscate it. The book continued to sell more copies under the counter, but remained illegal throughout the period of Nazi rule in Norway.

Animal Farm, by George Orwell, was banned in all allied countries during WWII because leaders read the story as a critique of the USSR, which was currently on the team to fight against Germany and the Axis powers. Orwell’s book continues to raise opposition, however, long after the end of WWII and the USSR. The United Arab Emirates banned the book in 1991 and a play version was banned in Kenya in 1991, according to a Wikipedia article on banned books all over the world.

Censorship in the USSR was always tough, especially when authors had some disagreements with the Soviet regime’s policies. Russian author Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel The Master and Margarita was not published in full until well after the author’s death because it offered such strong allegorical criticism. The plot features an enormous black cat who helps the Devil wreak havoc on the Soviet capital city of Moscow. Soviet censors rightly understood the book as criticism of the current government in the country. The Master and Margarita was finally published in full in Russian in 1989 during a period of unprecedented openness in the USSR. Begemot, the black cat, continues to fascinate artists and scholars.

Officials of South Africa banned Black Beauty by Anna Sewell during Apartheid (from 1948-1994) because they thought the book featured a beautiful African woman, rather than a horse.

A number of books featuring animals continually cause controversy in the United States, according to the American Library Association. Often, the most controversial animal stories are often found in children’s books. For example, in the 1970s Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, by William Steig, riled police officers in Illinois and other 11 other US states because among the animal characters, the police were portrayed as pigs, according to Controversial & Banned Books. This year, the Texas State Board of Education banned Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin with illustrations by Eric Carle. They thought that the author had also written a book about Marxism, but that was a different Bill Martin, according to Yahoo! News.

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, has caused controversy for years and is still among the 10 most frequently challenged books in the US, according to the American Library Association. The Call of the Wild, by Jack London, about a wolf, and Cujo, by Steven King, a horror novel featuring a violent dog, have also been challenged. However, humans (many of them parents) are not only upset by violent animals. Sometimes, they object to books that present a view against killing farm animals, such as A Day No Pigs Would Die, by Robert Newton Peck.

The American Library Association has a lot more information on books that have been banned or challenged in their pages on Banned Books Week.

Hello. I’m PepiSmartDog, writing to you from Over The Rainbow Bridge.

Being OTRB is very special and now we have books written about us ! Books of hope !

I’m delighted to introduce you to a lady who writes books for our humans, after we cross OTRB. The lady’s name is Chris Davis. She has completed her course in being trained by her pets, and now understands what all our Staff feel when we cross OTRB.

Chris had always considered herself a doggie person until her angel dog, Jake, found a mummy cat and her four four-week-old kittens under the deck. Funny thing is, Jake always considered himself a dog’s dog too. But that day something happened to both Chris and Jake. One kitten’s eyes were so badly infected, both eyes were glued shut;  she didn’t know to be scared of Jake. That kitten in particular captured Jake’s heart; Chris called her Pippen. She called the other kittens Dickens, Molly and Star.

Big macho Jake became “mummy” for his new kitteh siblings. He constantly cleaned their faces after each bottle feeding and even slept with them ! The kittehs have now been with Chris for 12 years ! (Sadly for Chris, Dickens went OTRB just last month.)

Recently a friend of my Mom’s was told her beloved pal was crossing OTRB. Our friend was heartbroken and the next few days were just a blur for her. Then she received one of Chris’s books and found comfort from reading the pages.

For Every Dog An Angel is a beautiful book ! The writing will warm your heart and the illustrations will bring smiles to your face. (It is also available in For Every Cat An Angel.)

If you are welcoming a new baby pal into your home, or have a beloved pal who is crossing OTRB, this book will remind you of the timeless connection you and your pal have…forever.

Join me as we tour the first of Chris’s books.  

Every puppy has a guardian angel who tells the puppy he is purfect just as he is. The angel stays with the pup and visits him in his dreams; you can tell he is playing with his angel when his legs are moving as he dreams. This is why dogs are so much like angels…they are always giving and not asking for much in return. Sometimes a dog and person meet and magic happens ! They have found their forever partner. Chris describes many wonderful things we all do with our forever family !

Here is the most special part of the book: when the doggie has to leave earth…the guardian angel becomes a bridge that connects the two friends for as long as the person remains on earth.

“A dog can never really be separated from it’s forever person. Neither time nor space can ever come between them. So when the dog comes to the end of it’s earthly life, and must go on ahead without it’s person beside them, the guardian angel becomes a loving bridge that connects the two friends for as long as the person remains on earth.”

Chris illustrates how sometimes our Staff say… “Pepi visited me!”… or “I know he is here with me.”

And Chris explains how your beloved angel doggie can guide you to get another doggie and then help your new doggie settle in.

“So don’t be surprised to see your new dog racing through the house as if it’s playing with an invisible friend… it probably is.”

After many years, your dog may leave your side and cross the bridge to be with your forever dog…

One day the angel bridge will appear to you…and you will be welcomed by all the animal friends you made when you were on earth.

“In the middle of all that love, your forever dog will be waiting for you. It will be like the day you found each other on earth. You will know you have been together before, and nothing will ever separate you again.”

“And the angels will be happy, knowing a forever person and their forever dog have found each other once more.”

Chris’s books are heartwarming because they promise a brighter future, helping you understand you are not alone, and knowing you and your beloved pal will be united once again.

Sometimes when Staff lose beloved pals, it is hard for other Staff to know how to help their friend.  This book says the words that perhaps you cannot say yourself.

Chris’s books can be ordered at www.LightHeartedPress.com .

The Shelter Dog is the story of an angel doggie who wants to come back to earth and learn about the joy of being adopted. It has a happy ending !

Old Dog and the Christmas Wish was inspired by a doggie Chris rescued in 2004, shortly before Christmas, whose story turned out very well !

I highly recommend every Staff have their own copy of For Every Dog An Angel (or For Every Cat An Angel).

Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter by Blaize Clement has it all:  love, loss, healing, a sleuthing dog, a home-defending cat, a lovely setting, an engaging heroine and a surprise twist at the end.

Dixie Hemingway is a former sheriff’s deputy who is now a professional pet sitter on beautiful Siesta Key near Sarasota, FL. While in a client’s house taking care of a cat, she discovers a (human) body. Dixie left the sheriff’s department because of stress but she discovers that she still had the detecting instinct and finds herself embarking on her own informal investigation of the crime and a few puzzles that crop up along the way. In this she’s aided by Rufus the dog, who knows something is going on… if only Dixie would listen to what he’s telling her. Later, Rufus saves the day by interrupting a crime.

Themes of love and loss run through the book, with each character resolving them in his or her own way, more or less healthy, effective or legal. Dixie finds that finding out about what motivated others helps her in the conquest of her own traumas and allows her to open up to new experiences. By doing this she is able to help another person through his own journey of discovery. Throughout, we find the contrast between the straightforward ways of animals and the convoluted mess people can make of their lives.

One thing that bothers me about this edition is that the cover has nothing to do with the story. Is it too much too ask that the artist be told the plot of the book before being given the assignment of designing the cover picture? I kept waiting for the cat to discover a dead man in the shrubs and it never happened! In fact a dog leads to the discovery.

Curiosity is a fast-paced mystery with a satisfying resolution that ties up all loose ends and is a good absorbing read. It is also one of the #readpawty selections for 5 October 2010. Get it from your favorite bookstore or borrow it from the bookswap list. This book is part of a series.

The Darkest Evening of the Year is a fictional thriller by Dean Koontz. Humans: don’t read dis book if ewe are home alone, cuz it’s furry spooky! Da main characters are a human named Amy, her two doggies, and a mysterious rescue dog named Nickie.

Amy, who has a dark past dat she never talks about, runs a Golden Retriever rescue. Amy and her boyfriend Brian (who has his own dark past) go to rescue a dog from an abusive home. Dis be when dey meet Nickie, who Amy decides to keep.

Amy and her two doggies bond quickly wiff Nickie. She seems special somehow to efurryone who meets her. It begins to seem as though bad people are after Amy and her past is catching up wiff her. Or is it Brian’s past catching up wiff him?

Amy and Brian try to figure out who is after dem and try to make sure dat no one else, including their doggies, get hurt. Did Amy rescue Nickie fur a greater reason? How can Nickie help dem survive? Read dis book to find out!

I would like to feature a book that is close to my heart; “The Merry Maines: A Shaggy Cat Story” by Garnet Quinn. Ms. Quinn is a retired Maine coon cat breeder who shares her insights into the pursonalities of her cats. She places her mystery story in a cattery in the state of Maine. Ms. Quinn introduces a petite yet royal Korat into the shaggy cattery while spinning an intriguing whodunit plot of catnappers. The cats have interesting conversations, and their human, Bethmom, is convinced that they do converse and actually formulate plots. Hawkeye, an irascible neuter, is a polydactyl, a cat with extra “thumbs”, is well known for undoing latches so the cats can carry out their schemes.

The book is captivating. Ms. Quinn’s description of the cats allows you to fall in love with each of them and the characters are based on her own cats. Her love of the breed is evident in her storytelling about the history of the breed. A side benefit is that Ms. Quinn shares her philosophy of being a responsible breeder and I gained a whole new respect of how to chose a purebred kitten. Ms Quinn has written two subsequent books, “The Moosery” and “The Merry Maines…Sing A Song Of Sixpence”. Ms. Quinn’s writing improves with every book. Well, it could be that I can’t wait for the next book to learn what Shere Khan, Hawkeye’s father, and his cats are doing now. I make Mom stay up really late reading to me.

Please check out Ms. Quinn’s website. She introduces you to the real cats on which she based her characters. One caveat I need to mention as Ms. Quinn states on her website: “No responsible breeder ever lets his or her cats run loose outside unless constrained in an enclosure of some kind… For the purposes of plot and the way cats used to be kept in Maine, some of my character cats do get outside…” So, please remember this when you pick up one of these wonderful books, her cats in real life do not go outside.

The Redwall Abbey novels by Brian Jacques consists of 22 books (so far!) that chronicle the magical tales and times of the Abbey and its world of animal heroes, heroines, good folk and double dyed villains.  I love mum to read them to me when the new ones come out!

Mum and I have read the series from book 1, but the advantage of the series is that it is not in chronological order, so if you can’t find the first book you don’t need to worry; anipals can catch up later!

The series ranges through different times in the Abbey and its history.  The stories are set in England with English creatures,  so anipals from around the world will discover new creatures they may not have met before and some they might know, like squirrels and mice.

Each book usually combines a couple of storylines in a regular format, narrated side by side to keep the interest moving, so this means you follow a quest or an adventure and events at the Abbey or another place — making it a fun and lively read for me and, I reckon, my anipal friends too!

Each creature is a quirky portrait that you can recognise as being very ‘human’ with very human foibles and weaknesses.  There are dynamic otters — great to have on your side in a fight; practical moles and good honest working hedgehogs; there are the Guosim shrews (they always make me laugh) although they can fight with the best in Redwall battles!

One important character appears in some form in all of the books, Martin the Warrior, and has many adventures (full story). Martin the Warrior appears in visions and dreams of Redwallers in times of trouble offering guidance and hope.  He’s one of my favourite characters who has his troubles but with goodness on his side, wins the day.

While aimed at younger readers, there is much for the anipal mums and dads to enjoy in the adventures and tails of Redwall Abbey. So take a tip from Dash Kitten and try one of the books. They are available from regular book stores or, for a really special treat, order one from the links below as from these the author signs a book plates for your own special copy!

Official Redwall Site. Fun and games with Redwall.

Redwall Series books in order:

• Redwall (1986)
• Mossflower (1988)
• Mattimeo (1989)
• Mariel of Redwall (1991)
• Salamandastron (1992)
• Martin the Warrior (1993)
• The Bellmaker (1994)
• Outcast of Redwall (1995)
• The Pearls of Lutra (1996)
• The Long Patrol (1997)
• Marlfox (1998)
• The Legend of Luke (1999)
• Lord Brocktree (2000)
• The Taggerung (2001)
• Triss (2002)
• Loamhedge (2003)
• Rakkety Tam (2004)
• High Rhulain (2005)
• Eulalia! (2007)
• Doomwyte (2008)
• The Sable Quean (2010)

PetSpeak by da editors of Pets: Part of the Family is a book dat teaches ewe how to better understand and communicate wiff your anipal by better understanding their behavior. Not just bad behavior but da good behavior too! It’s furry helpful!

Have ewe ever wondered why your doggie dwinks water from da toilet even though their bowl has fresh water? Why your cat just has to walk on da kitchen counters? If your doggie is trying to understand ewe when he cocks his head to da side?

Read dis book fur answers to questions like da ones above and many, many others! It’s a must read fur pet parents.  Learning to speak his/her language will help you to better understand your anipal, which will in turn strengthen your relationship. And dats a furry good thing!

Get ready for the cozy stories of James Herriot, veterinarian, as he talks about all the wonderful felines or canines he has known through his years of practice. These cat stories are taken from his “All Creatures” series that feature the Farnon brothers, James’ family and the wonderful townspeople and farmers.

Dr. Herriot is a veteran story teller, and you feel like you are in the patients’ homes, the rocky crags of the Dales in Yorkshire, or in the humble dispensary of his practice. The stories take you from laughing hysterically to tears and a catch in your throat. In case you haven’t guessed yet, I am in love with Dr. Herriot’s works.

If you ever need something that restores your faith in humans caring for anipals, pick up a James Herriot book. You won’t be able to put it down!

This column will occasionally feature books from #readpawty where anipals chat about books we read, about what else but other anipals?! Once a month one to three books are chosen to read. We get together the first Tuesday of every month to chat and #readpawty. Any anipal can recommend books. I update #readpawty news and maintain reading lists on my blog.  Even if you can’t attend, please feel free to read our “books of the month.”

One of the selections for May #readpawty is The Cat Who Walks Through Walls by Robert A. Heinlein.

The male character is Richard Ames who witnesses an assassination. He weds the companionable Gwen Novack. They try to escape legal entanglement by traveling to the Moon and on to Tertius. The story is as much a romance as science fiction. Gwen is an amazing female character with many hidden talents. Conversations between Gwen and Richard were witty, snappy and fun to follow.

Of all the books we have read, this one generated the most discussion, both good and negative. I am not a science-fiction aficionado, so I don’t know if it was representative of Heinlein’s works, but I cannot recommend the book. Richard, who narrates the story, is officious and likes to hear himself talk. It also bothers me that Heinlein brought in the thought experiment of Schrodinger’s cat at the end of the book and didn’t give the experiment adequate treatment. To give due, Heinlein’s development of Gwen’s character was outstanding.

The Adventures of Precious the Dog – Precious and Lizzie Play Hide and Seek by @ImAJackRussell is a furry cute book about two anipal best friends. Precious is a Jack Russell Terrier and Lizzie, her bestest friend, is a lizard.

Even tho Precious and Lizzie are not of da same species, dey still love each other furry much and play hide and go seek together efurry morning. Lizzie is a furry good hider and Precious loves to try and find her!

Mai mom and I think dat dis book teaches a good lesson, which is dat we should all learn to get along wiff each other and embwace our differences. Once again, da humans could learn a lot from us if dey would just pay attenshion!

Ewe can also follow Precious’s adventures on da Twitta at @ImAJackRussell and ewe can buy her book on Etsy. Da pictures in dis book are oh DOG adorable and fun to look at! It’s 10 pages, so it’s purrfect fur a quick read and easy fur da kiddies just learning!

“HOW MANY TIMES has the fate of a man, or even a nation, hung from the collar of a dog?” Haff ewe ever wondered this? If so, read The Pawprints of History by Stanley Coren.  ‘Dis book is about notable humans and events in world history and how anipals helped shape ‘dem.

Did ewe know ‘dat Alexander Pope’s life was saved by his pet Great Dane? Or ‘dat Florence Nightingale’s first patient was a neighbor’s wounded dog? Or ‘dat Charles I lost da the British Revolution in part because of a dog? Read ‘dis book for more interesting facts like ‘dese!

Mai mom and I really enjoyed reading about impawtent people like Dr. Freud and da Dalai Lama and how much ‘dey loved ‘der doggies. Operas haff even been written about anipals. Creatively and physically, da world would be a different place if it weren’t fur us!

I giff ‘dis book three tail wags. I would haff given it four, but it gets a lil wordy at times. Don’t get me wrong, it is a furry good book but it took a while to read! Still, it was full of good information ‘dat mai mom can’t wait to bweak out at cocktail parties! BOL!

This column will occasionally feature books from #readpawty where anipals chat about books we read, about what else but other anipals?! Once a month one to three books are chosen to read. We get together the first Tuesday of every month to chat and #readpawty.

Any anipal can recommend books. I update #readpawty news and maintain reading lists on my blog.  Even if you can’t attend, please feel free to read our “books of the month.”

My first AT book review is of a book called “On Basilisk Station,” which is the first book in the Honor Harrington series by author David Weber, and was one of the April books chosen for #readpawty. Honor, the heroine, is a no nonsense lady naval officer who has been blessed with a razor-clawed telepathic treecat named Nimitz.

Treecats pick their person, and Nimitz goes everywhere with Honor, usually draped over her shoulders. Commander Harrington has been assigned to her first starship, albeit aged, the HMS Fearless. Unfortunately, Honor’s skill at outwitting others in battle games “exiles” her in an outer post, Basilisk Station. Once at the station, she finds drugs, politics and devious plots. She overcomes impossible odds, and lives to command another ship. The world that Honor lives in was carefully crafted by author Weber. The reader soon realizes that politics and greed are never absent from any world.

I felt that even though Honor was a great heroine, Nimitz the treecat should have been more prominent. Any cat with razor claws, that weighs more than a Maine Coon cat and can communicate with no problem to its owner should be the central character. Period. End of the story. And that’s all this cat has to say about what humans think is important. MOL!

It’s Okay to Miss the Bed on the First Jump by John O’Hurley is about da lessons he learned throughout a lifetime spent wiff dog companions. Dis is a great book dat made mai Mom laugh, smile, think, shed a tear or two and apawpreciate mai wisdom even more.

From pond-gazing as a child wiff his first dog to traveling cross-country wiff a current furbaby, Mr. O’Hurley tells humans dat if dey pay attention, dey can learn a lot from us anipals. Like keep trying, enjoy da little things, and ewe are as big as ewe think ewe are (my favorite one)!

Mai Mom luved dis book and rates it four tail wags outta five. Da book was funny, sweet, and deep at da same time.  Da chapters even haff furry cute names! Hopefully she learned something and will now soak in da simple things in life like yours truly.

The Healing Art of Pet Parenthood, by Nadine M Rosin, is a memoir about the nineteen years she spent with her daughter, a dog named Buttons.

The duo faced many obstacles together, and in turn learned about unconditional love and living in the moment.   Their biggest challenge though came when, at 8 years old, Buttons was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Nadine couldn’t imagine putting her baby through the harsh treatment the vet recommended.  Instead she adopted a holistic approach to Buttons’ care.   Miraculously Buttons not only improved, but she was able to maintain good health for an additional 11 years before age took its toll.

Buttons passed away just a week before her 19^th birthday, but that wasn’t the end of their story.   Through her grief, Nadine discovered that she still had a spiritual connection with her little Butski (aka Buttons).  It was that connection which inspired Nadine to tell their story, and reach out to other pet parents who had suffered a similar loss.

My Mom, who raised and cared for my late brother @OscarTheCat for 18 years (before he passed), told me that the story was well written and easy to relate to.  Considering that, and the fact that one of Nadine’s landlords thought Buttons was really a cat in dog’s body, I feel quite comfortable recommending this book.

You can read more about Nadine M. Rosin at her website: The Healing Art of Pet Parenthood.