15 Children's Books that (mostly) feature Cats for International Children's Book Day

Since Cody's blog first began in 2009 I have been doing book reviews,  In the past year or so I have greatly cut down the number of books I had been reviewing because of the enormous amount of time it takes to read the books and write the reviews. They were beginning to take over my life!
Today is International Children's Book Day, which is an event that celebrates Children's literature. I remember as a child reading brought me enormous joy. It inspired my imagination by helping me to escape to other places, even other worlds, and it is something I hold close to my heart.

International Children's Book Day was founded back in 1967 by Jella Lepman the founder of the International Board of Books for Young People and it is always held on or near the birthday of celebrated author Hans Christian Anderson.

In honor of this event and it's importance to our young people, I have decided to share links to ten of our favorite children's books that we have reviewed through the years. (If you click on the title of each book it will take you directly to my review. NOTE:If there is a give-away attached to a review, obviously the give-aways have ended)  Now on to the children's books that I have chosen to feature:

"Staying Strong for Smokey" 

"Tis better to have loved and lost

Than never to have loved at all"

--Alfred Lord Tennyson

Losing a beloved pet is one of the most heart-breaking experiences that anyone who shares their life with a pet will ever have to face.  It is hard enough for adults to understand,  but how does one explain it to the special children in their life?

Explaining to a child that their beloved pet whom often they have known since they were born is aging, and ill, and that the most caring thing that you can do for that pet is to help them "pass peacefully to a safe place" is a difficult concept for adults to grasp, let alone a child. I was honored to review this book because Corey Gut, DVM is one of the Vets at the practice that Cody and Dakota go to so we are lucky to get to see her in person sometimes! 

 The KeeKee Adventure Series:

The KeeKee "Big Adventures" series is a complete delight and I am honored to have reviewed each and every book in the series! Before I share KeeKee's latest book:KeeKee's Big Adventures in Amsterdam, Netherlands, let's take a trip with KeeKee and visit the other fabulous books in the series, shall we? C'mon!!

KeeKee's Big Adventures in Paris, France ,  followed by KeeKee's Big Adventures in Rome, Italy , (I had the enormous honor of having one of my quotes on the back cover praising the Paris book!)

KeeKee’s Big Adventures in Paris, France, was a Silver Winner in The Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book (Children’s/Young Adult) category at IBPA’s 2014 Benjamin Franklin Awards. Visit ibpa-online.org for more information.

Covers courtesy of http://www.keekeesbigadventures.com/

I was super excited for the release of KeeKee's Big Adventures in Athens, Greece  for a number of reasons, an important one is I have always been fascinated by the Greek culture. The food,  music, climate, history, architecture and so much more. I minored in Philosophy in college and majored in Rhetoric, (I intensely studied Greek Rhetorical theory), so I might have been just a tad biased about this book!

There is a formula to each of the books in the KeeKee's Big Adventure series  that makes the series a wonderful learning tool for children and adults alike:

1) KeeKee makes new friends

2) KeeKee learns new words in the language of the places that she is visting--in the back of each book is a handy guide that shows the proper way to pronounce the words that are featured.

3) KeeKee eats YUMMY food

4) KeeKee visits super cool places! There is always a super-cool map of all of the places that were visited in each book

From Author Shannon Jones: This great adventure begain on a KLM Airlines flight in 2006 moving to the wonderful city of Amsterdam with the real-life KeeKee. Amsterdam was our home for four years, and our travels across Europe led us on the path to launching KeeKee's Big Adventures. We dedicate this book to those inspirations.

Archie's First Adventure

Now, you are probably asking, "Why is a MOUSE being featured on your blog?"  That is a purrfectly fair question my furiends! Those of you who are long time readers know all too well that this is far from the first time a MOUSE has been featured on my blog. Why? Because I LOVE MOUSIES!! My favorite toys in the WORLD are MOUSIES!!

Photo Courtesy of Archie The Mouse.com

A Bed for Kitty

A Bed for Kitty is an adorable children's story that speaks to the quirkiness that is cats. Most of us can relate to buying new things for our cats that they promptly proceed to ignore. No amount of cajoling will make the cat use the new item.

In A Bed for Kitty, little Chloe is full of excitement to give "Kitty" her new present!!!  Kitty loves to sleep and Chloe feels that a new bed will be a most appreciated gift!! You have to read the book to find out what happens!

Odie the Stray Kitten and Odie's Best Friend

"For Odie, because sometimes the smallest ones
become the biggest inspirations"

Odie the Stray Kitten is a charming book about a little orange and white kitten who lost his family on a cold winter night. He never expected to find a loving forever home in a horse barn. Not only did he find a loving, forever home, he also found hope, new friends and a name.  His name happens to mean "inspiration", which is no coincidence. Odie the Stray Kitten is not only an adorable read for little ones, but it shows that out of something that initially seems like a bad situation, something GOOD can come out of it!

"For Bandit, because every animal
has a story to tell"

Odie’s Best Friend is the second book in the Odie the Stray Kitten Series. It focuses on the story
of Bandit, a gray and white cat, and his journey to find a forever home. His adventures take him
through an animal shelter and life as a stray before he finds a home on the farm with Odie and
their girl. This is the follow-up to 2013’s Odie the Stray Kitten, which was a 2014 Next
Generation Indie Book Award Winner, 2014 Purple Dragonfly Children’s Book Award Honorable Mention, and 2014 Recipient of the Children’s Literary Classics’ Seal of Approval.

Both Odie the Stray Kitten and Odie's Best Friend were lovingly and skillfully illustrated by Lowell Hildebrandt. The illustrations are vibrant and delightful, children of all ages will enjoy them!

Are you ready? Odie and Bandit are based on REAL cats!

Odie and Bandit
This photo came from
Kristen's Facebook Page

Double Trouble

Book Cover Courtesy of Lou Belcher

Many in the cat world know that  Bugsy and Knuckles are kitty brothers, better known as The Boys who get along so well, and are so deeply attached to each other,  that they appear to have some sort of telepathic communication system that only they understand! Most of their antics take place on the blog that they share with "HH" aka Her Highness, who is known to the rest of the world as Lou Belcher, Author of The Zen of Max, and the blog (Before You Write), that she shares with Bugsy, Knuckles and their special friend, Checkers the Mouse.  In addition to being a superb author/free-lance writer, Lou is  also a talented artist.

This is "Bugsy"
(Photo Courtesy of Lou Belcher)
"He is mellow most of the time
and rarely takes the lead.
Consequently, he doesn't end up
in trouble as often as Knuckles."

This is "Knuckles"
 Photo Courtesy of  Lou Belcher
"He is full of energy
and is always planning
an assault of some sort.
He usually fails,
consequently, he is the
comic relief in my life."

Bugsy and Knuckles are REAL LIFE brothers! They are litter mates! Where one is, the other is sure to follow. They share a passion for play and their special telepathic communication system allows them to "pull off capers that have earned them the title DOUBLE TROUBLE"

"Bugsy and Knuckles"
Illustration Courtesy of Lou Belcher

Lucky Cats Paper Dolls

Literally translated as "the beckoning cat," a Maneki Neko is easy to recognize by its raised paw. This traditional symbol of prosperity originated in Japan and can be found around the world especially in shops and restaurants." This fun book was written and illustrated by our friend Maggie Swanson.

Where Is Catkin?

"This is a beautiful and
delightful book!"

"The word catkin is a calque from the Dutch katteken, meaning "kitten", on account of the resemblance to a kitten's tail.^[1]"  (taken from Catkin-Wikipedia, you can see more definitions and photos here)


If you have ever observed a cat outdoors, you were certain to see them forever chasing the "elusive butterfly", the flitting fly, galloping grasshopper, cavorting cricket or whatever has recently struck their fancy.


The outcome in most of these scenarios? The cat gets within a paw's reach of the tempting object, the object of desire manages to escape, leaving the cat with a bewildered look, frustrated and empty-pawed.

For cats it is all about the "hunt". From the Publisher: "When Catkin jumps off Amy's lap for an afternoon of hunting, his adventurous nature eventually turns into trouble!"

Rainbow Forest Fables

 isn't about cats, but it is about animals, lessons, enchantment, wonder, magic and is written by an author with a personal connection to...you got it! CATS!

Rainbow Forest Fables is a book "dedicated to the young and the young at  heart" whose message is "if we keep our hearts open, we can learn so much from each other and our surroundings."  This delightful book was written and illustrated by Pamela June Kimmel


Cat and Crow An Amazing Friendship 

 (published by Collage Books Inc.), was written by Lisa Fleming. 

Cat and Crow is based on the true story of a cat, (Cassie), and a crow, (Moses), who, in spite of  their obvious differences, became the best of friends.

When compiling a list of "must read" Children's books, be SURE that this one is on your list!

Purrsnikitty

If you are a teacher or have children,  if you have nieces, nephews, little cousins or grandkids, if you have ever prepared a child to welcome (or not) a new sibling, or introduced a dog into a home with a cat then you will enjoy Purrsnikitty.

The title  is charming. Purrsnikitty  which comes from  a play on the word "persnickety" which means "over particular, fussy, snobbish, having an aloof attitude" (http://www.dictionary.com/),  is also the name of the main character of the book. She embodies all of the previously mentioned characteristics, (as evidenced by the verse below taken from the book) as do most cats.

"I'm a very special cat!

I say that every day-

I love myself so very much

and always get my way!"

Purrsnikitty is the purrfect bedtime book for children. It has adorable illustrations done by Cameron Bennett, is written in rhyme (which children LOVE), it is a quick-read (40 pages, which Moms and Dads love at bedtime!) and in my opinion is ideal for children ages 6 and under.






So there you have it! I would say those are some pretty great children's books that should be in EVERY cat lover's children's library at home, school, and in your public library! 

Children's Book Review And Give-Away! A Friend For Macaroni by Terri DelNegro

It is not the norm to begin a book review with an author's bio, but in this case it is a most appropriate way to begin.

Copyright Terri DelNegro

During author Terri DelNegros' childhood, her mother was a photographer. Terri grew up in the camera's eye, posing for photos and even taking a "shot" (pun intended), at taking photos herself. The OLD way. Back in the days when photos were taken with REAL cameras, that required REAL FILM. Photos weren't shared then on social media, there WAS no social media. Photos didn't instantly appear (ok, I know about Polaroids, but those don't count). Back in the day, photos were created in what was called a dark room. For those unfamiliar, that was a room that, yes, was DARK and contained trays and trays of smelly chemicals. (I know this first hand, because in High School I took a photography class where we  developed our own photos. It always felt like magic to me watching a photo appear from beneath the chemicals).

Back to Terri... her first household pet that she considered to be HERS was her black cat, "Pepper." Terri, way ahead of her time used to "stage" moments with Pepper, using various props and took photos. Those photos were her first attempt at capturing animals in HUMAN situations. (Those reading who are bloggers can totally relate! We all know it is often NOT an easy task!) Today, Terri's studio, Pepper Kitt Studios,  is named in honor of her first cat.

"Pepper Takes a Seat"

Copyright Terri DelNegro

A few years later, for a school project, Terri created a book called "Animal Thoughts." She took her collection of photos and tried to imagine what the animals were thinking and added captions....(can you say those had to be the first memes EVER!!??)

From Terri DelNegro's website:

"I had forgotten about these early efforts until after I finished work on “A Friend for Macaroni”. I suddenly realized the book's style was similar to things I had created decades earlier. You just never know what influences from your childhood will resurface later in your lifetime." 

"When you unleash your imagination, who knows what wonders you'll find?

It is no surprise  that Terri's darling book:

is chock full of some of the most endearing, colorful, LIFE-LIKE and creative photos I have had the pleasure of viewing in a children's book. It is a PURR delight!! The text, narrated by Macaroni himself, is engaging, intriguing and will be sure to captivate not only the little ones, but the adults who have the pleasure of experiencing A Friend For Macaroni .

Macaroni is a simply purrfect,  ADORABLE ginger tabby who reminds me of our friends (Sammy,  Eric and Flynn).

Macaroni lives with Hannah, a little girl who loves him to the moon and back, and sings to him every night while cuddled under the warmth of her "fuzzy blanket."  Macaroni is an indoor cat who spends the day, as most cats do, sitting by the window watching "animals romping and playing." Oh how he wished he could go outside and make friends with them!

One day in autumn Macaroni's wish came true. A brisk breeze blew the door open and off he ran! Hannah was beside herself as she watched him run away and screamed, pleading with him to come back. Macaroni, thinking that he must "be in terrible trouble", just kept running.

Macaroni's  quest for "friendship and fun" had just begun, but "along the way, he finds that things aren't always as they seem."

Copyright Terri DelNegro

Some of the new "friends" that Macaroni meets are a bird, an owl, chipmunk and a fawn (just to name a few!) Each photo that features Macaroni's new "friends" is taken to appear as if Macaroni is REALLY sitting in the photo with that animal. The photos are so LIFE-LIKE and so professionally created, that if I didn't know there is no way Macaroni would be sitting and chatting with a raccoon who offered him an apple, I would believe they were REAL. They are THAT GOOD.

 "Will he ever find that one true friend

 he so desperately seeks?"

The answer is YES, and as is usually the case, that friend happens to be NOT in "his own backyard", but in his OWN HOUSE....his TRUE FRIEND is Hannah. Hannah, the one who loves him more than any of his new "friends." ever could!


Many of my readers will leave comments saying they don't have little ones in their homes to gift a children's book to. PAY IT FORWARD. A Friend for Macaroni by Terri DelNego, is one of the most charming and delightful books I have read, (and those of you who have been reading my blog for some time KNOW that  I have read MANY!!) Gift it to your local library, a pediatrician's office, a children's ward in the hospital, your local elementary school, a nephew, niece, a woman's shelter. GIVE THE GIFT OF READING to a little one whether you have a child in your household or not.

NOT JUST FOR CHILDREN! 
 Although A Friend For Macaroni  is certainly a "children's book",  Terri mentioned that she  did sell a copy to someone for her mother who has Alzheimer's, one to a special needs counselor who will use it to talk about feelings and  another copy to a lady who works at a home for seniors.

Terri's thinking is (and I couldn't agree more),  that because it is illustrated with photos, it appeals to a bigger audience than typical children's books. 

Copyright Terri DelNegro

A Friend for Macaroni is the size of a normal picture book,  which makes it ideal for bedtime reading. It has a few lessons that can be learned through the conversation that will surely arise while reading this delightful book. It is soft cover, which is probably my ONLY criticism. A book that contains as many delightful photos as this book, should be  in hardcover form. The photos are much too precious and beautifully created to be in soft cover form, but that is just my opinion. (My husband just paged through the book because I was sitting here raving about it, and he says it is too short to be in hardcover form. Purchase a copy for yourself and let me know what you think!!)

What a joy it was for me to see efforts from Terri's childhood come to fruition in this engaging and captivating book, purchase a copy, (it is available on Amazon),  and experience Macaroni's adventure for yourself!

IF YOU VISIT TERRI'S WEBSITE there is a "FUN STUFF" section where one can join their little ones and help them "unleash THEIR imagination" with some fun activities!  When the children complete the activities, they can submit them to Terri and they just might be featured on her site!

GIVE-AWAY!!!
Terri has generously offered one of my readers who resides in the U.S. the chance to win a copy of A Friend For Macaroni. DO NOT PASS THIS BY!! As I said above, PAY IT FORWARD and give the gift of reading to a little one who doesn't have to be YOUR child or in YOUR family. Entering is easy! Simply enter on the Rafflecopter below, (there is only ONE MANDATORY ENTRY REQUIREMENT) and GOOD LUCK!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway







In full disclosure, I was not compensated for this review/give-away. I was sent a copy of A Friend For Macaroni by Terri DelNegro in exchange for my always honest review.

Terri's current cat "Buckley"
who bears a huge resemblance
to her first cat "Pepper"

Copyright Terri DelNegro

CAT BOOK: CATLANTIS by Anna Starobinets

How about that title? When I was recently contacted to see if  I would be interested in reviewing Catlantis by Anna Starobinets, I hesitated.  I have been deliberately cutting back on the number of book reviews that are written on our blog, (for a host of reasons, too many to list!), but Catlantis "got me." Truth be told,  it was the title of the book that caught my eye. . The title is clever and eye-catching.  The title lured me in.  I am glad that it did!

Cover Courtesy of  New York Review Books

AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 13,2016

"A PITCH-PURRFECT ADVENTURE STORY

OF TIME TRAVEL, LOVE,

AND A TABBY'S SEARCH FOR NINE LIVES"

Catlantis is a contemporary Russian children's classic that will soon be available in the U.S. Do NOT let the word "children's" prevent you from reading this witty  "feline fantasy of the most amusing and strange kind. "

Catlantis is a thought-provoking tale that is full of wonder. The plot is highly inventive and will transport ALL readers, (not just those in grades 3 through 7 which is the intended audience for this book).  through time and space to a cat-ruled civilization. A "cat-ruled civilization?" Now you're talking!!! 

Having a heavy background in Philosophy,  Catlantis immediately drew me in with "its deep animal wisdom, reminiscent of Aesop."

Courtesy of New York Review Books

AN EXCERPT:

And the mighty Pussiedon took pity on the cats. He left each breed with one magical ability,

Striped cats were left with the ability to see without using their eyes; that is, they could look into the past and foretell the future.

Spotted cats were left with the ability to hear without using their ears; that is, they could read people's minds.

Courtesy of New York Review Books

Ginger cats were left with the ability to time travel.

Gray cats were left with the ability to cross the frontiers of space: that is, they could travel from east to west to north to south in a mere instant.

Courtesy of New York Review Books

White cats were left with the ability to practice white magic.

Black cats were left with the ability to practice black magic.

ATTENTION BLACK CAT ENTHUSIASTS!!! When you begin reading Catlantis, at first you might be put off, as I was,  by how black cats generally, and the black cat Noir (who is competing with Baguette for the love of Purriana),are described throughout parts of this book. I NEVER, EVER reveal book endings, but believe me when I tell you, at first  I was upset, I wanted to close the book and not review it, but I continued on......all I will say is you will be HAPPY that you did!

"Catlantis is a modern-day metaphysical fable for curious cat-loving kids (AND ADULTS) of all purr-suasions." The  "whimsical otherworldliness" quality of this book is reminiscent of Lewis Carroll.

FROM THE PUBLISHER:Anna Starobinet's tale chronicles the journey of the lazy Baguette----a house cat with few motivations beyond sleeping and watching birds out his window until he falls in love with Purriana, and, as by chance, discovers his magical ancestry.

A descendant of the magic Catlanteans, Baguette becomes implicated in a quest to restore cats' nine lives by retrieving the Catlantic flowers from the sunken city of Catlantis, fallen into the depths of the Catlantic Ocean long ago.

All the cats of the world have been awaiting his deed, but can Baguette, a lovelorn and terminally lazy tabby, succeed in fulfilling the prophecy?

You will have to read this winner to find out!

Catlantis is a "modern children's story written with the wit and grace of the old masters." The illustrations by Andrzej Klimowski, are "charming and graceful,  contemporary and memorable, they bring the Catlantean world in all its bewitching strangeness to life."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Anna Starobinets is an award-winning Russian novelist, scriptwriter, and journalist. In addition to her children's books, she is best known as a writer of dystopian and metaphysical fictions for adults, including An Awkward Age, which was a finalist for Russia's National Bestseller Prize. Catlantis is her first children's book to be translated into English.

Jane Bugaeva was born in Russia, and emigrated with her family to the United States at the age of six. Bugaeva translates children's literature from the Russian.

Andrzej Klimowski is the author of graphic novels and a designer of film and theater posters as well as book covers, which include the entire Everyman Collection of P.G. Wodehouse.  He is Professor of Illustration at the Royal College of Art.

Catlantis

NYR Children's Collection
136 pages
ISBN: 9781681370002

A Bed for Kitty: Written and Illustrated by Yasmine Surovec of Cat Versus Human: (World-Wide Give-Away!)

Cover Photo Courtesy of Amazon

One of the first blogs I followed when I began blogging was Cat Versus Human, the exceptionally witty  comic about "cats and their people."

It is illustrated and written by Yasmine Surovec, who in my opinion is  cat woman royalty. Yasmine, however, remains humble as is evidenced on her  "About" page on her blog :

"My name is Yasmine.

I draw stuff for a living.

I like cats. I like a certain boy. 

I've been told that I'm socially inept and that I have the personality of a blank piece of paper. Thank god for the internet.

At least my parents think I'm special. It says in the birthday card they sent me several years ago. It had a picture of a Persian cat with a pointy party hat, with the words "You're Special" printed in glitter.

Anyway, thanks for visiting. Someone other than my parents has to."

Simply stated and hilarious, the above is pure Yasmine.

Yasmine truly "gets" cats AND their people, Her comic strikes a chord with cat lovers around the world. It is a gift to be able to reach people through drawings and few words, and Yasmine is one of those who are blessed to have that "gift."

It was an incredible honor for me when I reached out to Yasmine asking if I could review one of her latest books, A Bed for Kitty, to have her respond YES! 

A Bed for Kitty is an adorable children's story that speaks to the quirkiness that is cats. Most of us can relate to buying new things for our cats that they promptly proceed to ignore. No amount of cajoling will make the cat use the new item.

In A Bed for Kitty, little Chloe is full of excitement to give "Kitty" her new present!!!  Kitty loves to sleep and Chloe feels that a new bed will be a most appreciated gift!!

Jacket Photo Courtesy of Yasmine Surovec
and Roaring Brook Press

When presented with the new bed, Kitty ignores it. (Of course! She's a cat!)

Kitty  proceeds to sleep EVERYWHERE.... but on the bed!!!

Then, Chloe plops down on Kitty's new bed frustrated. Her eyes catch Kitty sleeping in Chloe's bed.

Chloe has an idea...

She lays down on Kitty's new bed.............

What do you think happens next?

True cat lovers will  know what happens next, but you know me, I will NEVER reveal an ending of ANY book. You will have to get the book to find out!

A Bed for Kitty is a hard cover book that is brightly illustrated, (in Yasmine's trademark simple yet vibrant style), that will surely delight the little ones at bed time, story time, ANY time! It is the perfect size for little ones to clasp tightly and laugh at Kitty's antics!

ISBN 978-1-59643-863-7 (hardcover)


You can purchase A Bed for Kitty: 
AMAZON // AMAZON INTERNATIONAL // POWELL'S // INDIE BOUND //BARNES & NOBLE // CHAPTERS (CA) // LIVRARIA CULTURA (BRAZIL)

And you are in luck!

Yasmine has agreed to have a give-away!!!
 ONE LUCKY WINNER LOCATED ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WILL WIN THEIR OWN COPY of A BED FOR KITTY!    Don't have a little one? Enter to donate to a local school, library, or for a friend to give to THEIR child! (An approximate $20 value). Entering is easy! Just enter on the rafflecopter below! Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway







I was not compensated for this review/give-away. As stated above, I contacted Yasmine (and I rarely contact ANY authors asking to review their books! ) asking if I could review this book. I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.

Winner! KeeKee's Big Adventures in Athens, Greece, Story by Shannon Jones, Illustrations by Casey Uhelski

Thanks to all who entered our give-away for:

THE LUCKY WINNER IS:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

HUGE CONCATULATIONS!!!!

For those who might not know,

Emily has a blog:

CLICK HERE TO VISIT!

A Book With Heart and Beauty: Sal Finds A Forever Home, by Diana Alvear, Illustrated By Chandler Strange

Not since the arrival of The Chronicles of Zee and Zoey  by Deb Barnes, have I audibly gasped at the beauty of the packaging that was used to ship a book. Both Deb's book and  Sal Finds A Forever Home, by Diana Alvear where both packaged and shipped with the utmost care, and an astute eye for presentation.

Meticulously wrapped in pink tissue paper (why, oh why did I forget to photograph it!?, No worries!! I may have forgotten to photograph it but Diana didn't!) I found a photo that shows how the book was wrapped on Diana's Facebook page!

 I grinned like the Cheshire Cat when "Sal" arrived!

Cover courtesy of www.salpals.com

It is the kind of children's book cover that causes  you to handle the book ever-so-gently in an effort to not mar its' beauty. I lovingly touched it and gazed at the cover which is so pretty that it beckons you inside...

This delightful children's book is simply captivating,
 inside and out.

The sherbet colored cover, as well as the hand-painted, water color illustrations throughout the book carrying on the delicate sherbet,  blush-like hues, were all painted  by Chandler Strange. 

Sal Finds A Forever Home, was written by Diana Alvear, and is based on Diana's real-life kitty of the same name, who was her "soul kitty."  It tells the story of Sal as he waits at the shelter, hoping to find his forever home.

While the book is geared towards children, ANYONE who has adopted and loved a cat will be deeply touched by the magic that happens when a cat CHOOSES US. We just know.

Photo Courtesy of  www,salpals.com

"ONE SMALL CAT. ONE MIGHTY HEART. SAL WAS A SHELTER KITTY WHOSE SWEET SOUL LED US TO CREATE A WORTHWHILE LEGACY IN HIS NAME: TO HELP HOMELESS PETS."

Photo Courtesy of Salspals.com

"Sals Pals:Salvatore Valentino Alvear was quite the little cat. He stole Diana's heart in 2003 while waiting for his forever home at the Washington Animal Rescue League. Together they crisscrossed the country, making many friends along the way. Sal was a special needs kitty - he had a heart murmur & took pills for his hypothyroidism every day. That didn't stop him from charming both cat and non-cat people (who quickly realized they were cat people all along!) He would hang out during parties & welcome people with a pat from his paw. While he was not a big cat, he was the Alpha male in any room, regardless of cat or person.

Sal was Diana's best friend, her soul kitty, and when he passed over the rainbow bridge, she vowed to create a legacy in his memory.

That legacy is Sal Pals.

Sal, Everybody's Pal, is the first story in a new series! Children (as well as adults),  will fall in love with sweet Sal and his pals Stormy and Lucky, while learning important lessons: that it's best to adopt pets from shelters, not buy them from stores, and that all animals deserve love, dignity and respect, no matter their age or health."

I would like to thank Diana Alvear for the opportunity to read Sal Finds A Forever Home. Having found my Angel Bobo, (MY "soul kitty!),  as a stray, and being blessed to share his life for 18 years,  then adopting Cody at an adoption drive held by Petsmart, the love that Diana felt (and feels) for Sal, is a love that there aren't words enough to adequately convey. It is a love that is deep, raw, and eternal. How blessed all of us that have the honor of being  loved by cats are!

To purchase click here
10% of the profits from sales of the book will go to support animal rescue groups. 

Learn more about Diana on her website:

www.dianaalvear.com