The Cat Who Saved Books

 Bernard: Dad, you look a little sad.

Dad: Do I? Well, I was just remembering some books I lost a few years ago when the storage unit I had them in had a leak in the roof, and the books got wet and then molded, and I had to throw them out. It happened long enough ago that most of the sadness is gone, and I have replaced the ones which were most important to me, but sometimes it still makes me sad.

Papas: We know how much you love your books. Why did you have them in storage?

Dad: We didn't have a lot of room when your mom and I got married, so I had to put either some of my books in storage or put your mom in storage. 

Mom: He chose to keep me out of storage. Good choice. 

Dad: I think it was the best decision. I don't think I could have replaced you.

Mom: You're sweet to me.

Bernard: Sigh. There they go again. Always with the flirting.

Papas: Mom and Dad, sittin' in a tree... 

Bernard: R-E-A-D...

Papas: I-N-G! 

Dad: You've been waiting for the right moment to say that, right?

Papas and Bernard: Mmmmaybe....

Dad: Very clever kittens you are. 

Bernard: Are we as clever as Tiger the Tabby?

Papas: Who? 

Bernard: Tiger the Tabby is the hero of "The Cat Who Saved Books" by Sosuke Natsukawa. It was first published in Japan in 2017 and in English in 2021 in a translation by Louise Heal Kawai. 

Dad: That's a very good introduction. But how did you know that? I listened to the audio version last year before we adopted you. 

Bernard: When you bought a copy, you left it on the bed, and I read it.

Mom: How did you do that? Cats don't have opposable thumbs. 

Papas: What is the book about? You said the cat is the hero, but what about the humans? 

Bernard: The book's main human protagonist is a high school student named Rintaro Natsuki, who is sad at the beginning of the story because his grandfather who raised him has just died. And he's not sure what to do with his life now. 

Mom: Honey, are they ignoring my question about opposable thumbs? 

Bernard: Rintaro's grandfather has left him Natsuki Books, which Rintaro practically grew up in, and Rintaro plans to sell the bookstore and all its contents and go live with his aunt.

Papas: That's sad. Who wouldn't want to own a bookstore?

Dad: Yes, sweetheart, they are ignoring your question.

Bernard: I don't think it's that he doesn't want the bookstore, but just that he's so sad and the bookstore has so many memories. But then the cat comes along one night after closing hours and speaks to Rintaro. He introduces himself and asks Rintaro for help rescuing imprisoned books from abusive and neglectful owners.

Papas: I like that. Cats to the rescue! But how does a person imprison books? And why would they?

Bernard: Tiger the Tabby tells Rintaro on a journey through four labyrinths, other dimensions where they meet people who claim to love books, but show it in odd ways. Rintaro's task is to convince them to set their books free. I don't want to give away too much, but this journey Rintaro goes on is a healing journey for him as well. As he talks to the people he meets he remembers all the reasons why and the ways how he loves books himself.

Papas: What are the four labyrinths?

Bernard: In the first, Rintaro meets a man who is very proud of how many books he reads every month, and he keeps them locked in glass cases so everyone can see how many books he reads, and he never ever reads the same book twice. 

Papas: That sounds a bit like Dad. Except for the glass cases. And not reading the same book twice, because his favorites he reads even more often than that. 

Dad: I did recognize a bit of myself in this man. And I am learning to let go of the ones I really wanted to read when I found them but don't want to any longer. I'm trying to find good homes for the ones I don't think I'll read and those I liked but don't think I'll read again. It is hard because I do enjoy collecting books as well.

Papas: Just not in glass cases. Bernard, what about the other labyrinths?

Bernard: On the second night, Rintaro's school friend Sayo joins him. Tiger is surprised that Sayo can see and hear him talk as well, but says there must be a reason she can, so he doesn't protest when she insists on coming along. When they go into the second labyrinth they meet a collector who mutilates books. He cuts out what he thinks are only the most important parts so people can read more in a shorter amount of time.

Papas: That's silly. That's not the way it works. Dad, please tell me you've never done that.

Dad: I've never done that. I keep the best parts where they belong, inside the book with the other best parts that I don't know are also the best parts until I read them again.

Bernard: In the third labyrinth they meet a publisher, who only wants to publish bestsellers, and not waste his time with books that aren't what the public wants, or at least what he thinks the public wants.

Dad: I didn't care much for that guy. Some of my favorite books were bestsellers, but I discovered them before I knew that. And some of my other favorites weren't very popular but I loved them.

Papas: So all these people collected books, but didn't really love them, at least not in the way Rintaro did? 

Bernard: That's right. And along the way, Rintaro began to remember why he loves books and the bookstore. 

Papas: I think I want to read that book next. But wait... didn't you say there were four labyrinths?

Bernard: Yes. But that one is where Rintaro learns about himself and the people who care about him and ... well, I'll leave that for the reader. 

Dad: How many paws up, Bernard? 

Bernard: Definitely two paws up.

Papas: Sounds like a two-paws-up book to me too! But of course, I'll have to verify that for myself.  

Dad: Of course. 

The Cat Who Came In off the Roof

Dad: I'm trying to build up momentum in my writing by not waiting so long in-between writing sessions. So here I am, the Very Next Day, sitting down to Write Blog Posts. 

Papas: Dad, why are you Unnecessarily Capitalizing random words?

Dad: I was thinking about one of my favorite books, "Winnie the Pooh". That book capitalized certain words to call extra attention to them. 

Bernard: I love that book! Are we going to talk about that book today?

Dad: We can if you want. This is mostly your blog. We can talk about whatever book you want.

Papas: Is there a cat in it?

Dad: Well, there's a Tigger. 

Papas: Do you mean a tiger?

Bernard: No, a Tigger. Looks like a tiger, but has a double "g", and is very springy. You should read it. Dad has two copies, plus an ebook and audiobook.

Papas: Dad, I never again want to hear you say I have too many toys or too much crinkly paper.

Dad: You have my word. So are we going to talk about Winnie the Pooh today?

Papas: I don't care, as long as the book we discuss has cats in it. 

Bernard: Definitely cats. Always cats. Cats cats cats.

Papas: Cats cats cats! 

Dad: How about a book about cats who don't track litter all through the house and don't want to be fed in the middle of the night?

Papas: Bernard, do you know what he's talking about?

Bernard: I think he's talking about the genre known as "speculative fiction." 

Papas: How about that book you read last year?

Dad: I read almost a hundred books last year. At least two were about a cat.

Papas: We should talk about both of them.

Bernard: I like cats.

Papas: All sensible creatures do. Dad, let's first talk about that one about the newspaper reporter who was in danger of losing his job because his editor liked his writing, but wanted him to write about something other than cats all the time.

Bernard: What else is there to write about?

Papas: I agree. but Tibble's editor didn't.

Bernard: Is that the reporter's name, Tibble? I like that name. It rhymes with kibble. Which reminds me, I'm hungry.

Papas: Me too. Dad?

Dad: Yes, I'm hungry too. But I see there is still food in both of your bowls. 

Bernard: Yes, but it's old.

Papas: Plus, you can see the bottom of the bowl in areas, and that's essentially the same as empty.

Dad: "The Cat Who Came In off the Roof" is the current English translation of the 1970 Dutch novel "Minoes" by Annie M. G. Schmidt, translated into English in 2014 by David Colmer.

Papas: Did you just change the subject?

Dad: There was an earlier translation, in 1992, by Lance Salway. It is titled "Minnie." It is out of print now, but I found a nice used copy on eBay. There are a few differences in character names, idioms, and things like that, and it has different illustrations. 

Bernard: He definitely changed the subject. Papas, tell me about the story.

Papas: Tibble, or Mr. Tibble, is a newspaper reporter, a very good one apparently, and popular with his readership. But his editor wants him to write actual news stories. He says that cat stories are nice, and in fact, Tibble's stories are very good. But the editor wants news.

Bernard: Can't the other reporters handle that?

Papas: Mr. Tibble pointed out the newspaper was full of stories about war and murders and bank robberies, and he thought people might want to read about nice things like cats and leaves. But his editor said he needed to go out and talk to people and not be so shy. And he said Mr. Tibble had to have his first real news story on the editor's desk the next morning, and then two or three a week after that. And if he couldn't, he wouldn't be working for the newspaper anymore. 

Bernard: That's quite unfair. Mr. Tibble is right, people need nice stories. All those bad stories come because there are too many of them and not enough stories about cats. Besides, what's so bad about being shy? Dad is kind of shy, and he's pretty cool - as far as humans go.

Papas: I agree. But on the other paw, look how old he was when he met Mom. There might be something to this talking to people business. Well, Tibble decided maybe his editor was right, at least about that bit, so he started to walk home, and all he could notice was the rain and the trees and the cars, and every now and then, a cat. And of course, he was no longer allowed to write about cats.

Bernard: So unfair. 

Papas: Well, as he was talking to one of his old school teachers, a dog started barking furiously and something ran past them and scrambled up a tree. And at first, they thought it was a cat, but they saw it was a very frightened human woman. After they chased off the dog and helped the young woman down, she ran off, and Tibble decided he needed to get home and start writing. He wrote about the woman who ran from the dog and went up the tree so fast it was almost like she was a cat herself, but it was a very short article, and he didn't think his boss would like it. So he threw it away, and let his cat outside (he rented an attic apartment, I should mention because that's important) and then he wrote and wrote and he threw away everything he wrote. And just about when he was ready to give up and tell his boss in the morning he simply wasn't cut out to be a reporter, he heard a noise in the kitchen.

Bernard: Was it his cat coming back?

Papas: He thought so, because it had been raining so, and his cat wasn't usually gone for long, but it was actually the woman the dog had chased up the tree. She had come in through the attic window. And she was eating the fish, bones and all, that he left out for his cat. 

Bernard: Like you eat my food. 

Papas: Like you eat my food, correct. Well, I don't want to tell the entire story, because it's a very good book and everyone should read it for themselves. But she told him her name was Miss Minoes, and that she used to be a cat. He didn't believe her, even though she had been eating fish bones and had rubbed up against him and purred when he said she could stay.

Bernard: Perfectly ordinary behavior. 

Papas: For a cat, perhaps, but humans don't usually rub up against each other and purr when they say thanks.

Bernard: Maybe they should. Then they would be in a better mood and wouldn't need to rob banks and things like that and there would be more room in the newspapers for cat stories.

Papas: I agree. But they don't, and that's that. Anyway, Miss Minoes told Mr. Tibble she knows all about his impending job loss because his cat told her. And over the next few days, she gave him a whole lot of tips that led to news stories, and that made his editor quite happy. Mr. Tibble still didn't completely believe she used to be a cat, but he could not deny she knew things she might not have known if she wasn't truly talking to her feline friends. 

Bernard: What else happens?

Papas: Well, I don't want to give any spoilers, but his news stories got bigger, and then Miss Minoes told him something about the mayor which no one believed because everyone liked the mayor, but Mr. Tibble had to risk his job again to prove it. But now he had some friends who believed him and helped him uncover the whole story.

Bernard: I want to read that book. Dad, will you read it to me?

Dad: I will. And for our blog readers, I highly recommend you go to the library and borrow it, or buy your own copy. Support your local independent bookstore if you can. 

Papas: I give the book two paws up.

Bernard: Sounds like a two-paws-up book to me, too. Bye everyone, until next time. Dad, can we eat now?

Episode IV: A New Blog

 The Kiterati 

Episode IV: A New Blog 

After a period of great procrastination, Rebel Cats decided they needed to take things into their own hands, er, paws, and.... 

Papas: Okay, Dad, we'll take it from here. 

Dad: No, I think I've got it now... 

Bernard: We have it, Dad. You asked us for help, and we're giving it. Don't worry, we'll still get your input. From time to time. 

Papas: Occasionally. 

Dad: Hmmph. 

Papas: Welcome to Papas's and Bernard's new blog... 

Dad: Geoffrey's new blog. 

Papas: ...a blog about books, food, cats, and other important stuff. I'm Papas, and I am a handsome blue-grey four-year-old domestic short hair cat who Mom and Dad and my human siblings adopted sixteen months ago after purchasing their first home. 

Bernard: I'm Bernard, sometimes called Bernie or Senator by Mom, and sometimes Bernardo by Dad. Mom and Dad adopted me two weeks ago. I'm eleven in cat years, which is approximately Dad's age in human years. That equals....

Dad: No one needs to know that. 

Bernard: I'm a domestic medium hair, buff....

Papas: ...that's his coat color, folks, not a description of his physique. He's actually kind of scrawny.

Bernard: No one needs to know that. And I'm working on it.

Papas: By eating My food.

Bernard: Hisssss....

Papas: Hisssss....

Dad: Boys.

Papas: We're going to be talking about books our humans enjoy. Dad's tastes change yearly, but generally, he likes books written for younger audiences: New Adult, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Early Reader, and Picture Books. And occasionally things like dystopian fiction and Nordic or Scandinavian Noir with depressed middle-aged protagonists. 

Bernard: Mom likes mostly nonfiction: History, Mathematics, and Medieval Cookery. And books that tie all those things together, like how the math you learned in school is only a small portion of worldwide mathematical thought through the ages, and how cooking developed through international trade routes and the socioeconomic changes brought about by things like war and plague and possibly rampaging rhinoceroses. Something like that. 

Papas: Something like that. I'm not sure about the rampaging rhinoceroses bit. I think that's more of a Dad thing. 

Bernard: That's probably true.

Papas: Did you just agree with me?

Bernard: It's late. I'm tired. Dad, can we go to bed now?

Dad: Yes. We'll continue this next year.

Papas and Bernard: Next DAY, Dad!

Papas: Not next year. 

Bernard: We'll break those nasty procrastination habits of yours.

Dad: You and what army?

Papas and Bernard and Mom: MOM! 

Dad: Sigh. I feel outnumbered. 

Mom: You should write about that.

Dad: Very funny, sweetheart.