Book Review Blog

I am on a roll about new books. This one is about a cat that made The Spencer Library in Spencer, Iowa his home for 19 years. DEWEY by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter is a must read. This is Vicki’s first book, and Bret Witter is a book editor and professional writer who lives at Louisville, Ky.

January 18,1988, was a bitterly cold Iowa Monday. The night before, the temperature had reached minus fifteen degrees, when Vicki Myron, the Spencer Library director arrived to start the day. However a animal sound from the book drop box in the back brought the morning duties to a halt. Finding a fluffy orange tabby kitten in the box half frozen, starving and frightened melted Vicki’s heart. After a good meal and a bath, Dewey (as he was named) became part of the library and also a important part of the town itself. There a many pictures of Dewey in the book and many stories about Dewey and his fame that brought people from all over the United States and Japan to visit him personally.

My favorite story is:
One morning Vicki arrived at the library to find Dewey pacing. He was never agitated like this, when Vicki opened the door he ran a few steps, then stopped, waiting for her to follow. He did not need to go to the bathroom and most of all he had no interest in breakfast. Pacing back and forth and crying, he was not in pain–what was wrong? Making the morning rounds of the library with Vicki, Dewey was in knots. When the staff arrived, Vicki asked them to keep a eye on Dewey, he was acting strangely. Before long one of the regular patrons came up and whispered in Vicki’s ear, “You better get down to the children’s department, there is a bat hanging from the beams.” Sure enough there he was, hanging by his heels. “I tried to tell you, I tried to tell you, now look what you’ve done. You have let a patron find it. We could have taken care of this before anyone arrived.” – Dewey sniffed to Vicki.

From then on Dewey started his “sentry” phase- the protector of the library. Not only was Dewey the library protector, but, he gave love and comfort to everyone he met. For cat lovers and anyone this is a wonderful book, full of love and humor. But most of all it is about- Dewey. This book is in the large print section of the Harrison County Library.

Carolyn Beanblossom