Our Dewey Book is Ready For You!

Good day young Pomonans! Our children's book of Dewey Readmore Books is ready for you to check out. As you can see, the illustrations are beautiful and it is the perfect book to tell you the story of this incredible cat. This is a true story and we've put it in the picture book section so that it is easier for you to find. Come in and read this special story.

Remember that our Homework Assistance Center opens today and is available to all children in grades 1 through 6. Cal Poly Pomona students staff the room and will be ready to help you find the answers you need!

The Big Read starts this Saturday with a special event for children. Paw Pals will be here so children can read to a dog. This dog is a certified Reading Education Assistance Dog (R.E.A.D.) from the Paws to Heal group. Come in and have a tail-wagging good time reading to the dog!

Joke of the day: What's the difference between a man with a missing slipper and a detective trailing a criminal?
Answer: One suspects his dog and the other dogs his suspect. :)

Last Installment of My Trip To Spencer, Iowa

There are a lot of ways I could end my summery of my trip to Iowa. There were more fun things that happened on the trip. There were more pictures to share. But bottom line was: what stirred me up and sent me to Spencer, Iowa? Being young, I think you probably already know the answer to that. Love. Unconditional love. You all know the picture of Dewey. That beautiful orange kitty that reached the hearts of many people. The other kitty pictured here is Phebe B. Huntington. She reached my heart for almost 21 years.

Phebe was a present to myself for graduating from Graduate School. I went to the pet store to pick out a nice black and white kitty and came home with Phebe. I didn't have a choice: she chose me. Since it was her and I against the world, we became fast friends.

In the book "Dewey" by Vicki Myron, she was able to put a voice to the relationship between cat and human. Phebe and I communicated much like Dewey and Vicki. And yes, I have been lectured by a cat that was right. I came home after midnight one night and she met me at the door. "Where have you been? You didn't call! Valarie had to feed me. I was so worried..."

There were also striking similarities between Dewey and Phebe. Dewey had problems with his colon and his stomach. Phebe had it ten times worse. She had to have her colon and part of her intestines removed when she was only six years old. I always thought that Phebe wouldn't live as long as other cats because of this. She really proved me wrong!

She started signs of aging at eighteen. I bought her steps so she could walk up to the bed rather than jump. After her twentieth birthday the vet found a tumor in her stomach. This also happened to Dewey. Stomach cancers grow fast. Even though the vet didn't think she would live more than two weeks, she lived another two and a half months. She passed away two and a half months shy of her 21st birthday.

So, was this book special to me? Yes. Was it an easy read for me? No. Most of the time reading it I missed Phebe so much I could hardly breathe. And yet at the same time it validated and put words to something deep and vital.

When I met Vicki I told her she put words to the relationship between animal and pet. Her response was, "That was the hard part." I understand that now.

Thank you to Dewey and Vicki for giving the rest of us voices!

Week 5 of the Big Read

Today was our fifth week in our big read. Our theme this week is friendship and tolerance. We had stories on these themes and then the kids made friendship cards. Our Cal Poly students have been wonderful in their hard work on this project. They are always on time and are very friendly with us all. We really appreciate it!

This weekend I will be in Spencer, Iowa to meet Dewey Readmore Books' Mom. In my previous post on Dewey I shared Dewey's story. When I get back I'll have pictures and more to tell you!

Another joke of the day: What does Tuffy the cat sit on all night?
Answer: Defense. :)

Dewey Readmore Books

We got a new book into the library and I just have to tell you about it. The book's name is "Dewey" by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter. The book is about a library cat who lived at Spencer Public Library in Spencer, Iowa. On a very cold day in January the library director, Vicki Myron, came to work as usual. She and a co-worker heard noises coming out of the library book drop. Vicki opened the book drop and a baby kitten had been shoved in there with books piled on top of him. They adopted the kitten, took him to the vet, and welcomed him to the library. They had a contest to name him and the winning entry was "Dewey Readmore Books".

I cannot begin to explain all the good this library cat was for Spencer Public Library. He had a most amazing personality and greeted people at the door every morning. He let everyone pick him up in a "Dewey carry" in which he drooped over the left (not the right) shoulder. He loved children and adults, he rode on books carts like a king, and waved at the library director every morning.

Even though this book is in the adult non-fiction, it is an easy read, very well written and a book you just can't put down. It is a definite must read for cat lovers and not-so-cat lovers alike. It explains in real words the miracles this cat did on a daily basis. The miracles of unconditional and absolute love that an animal can give to humans. Dewey had a disabled friend who he stayed with while in the library. He let her pet him and it gave her so much joy!

Go ahead and doubt me but we won't be able to discuss it until you read the book. Read the book and we can talk for hours. Then you can go downstairs to administration and talk to our library director, Greg Shapton, about the joys and miracles of having a library cat! It would make Pomona famous! It sure did that for Spencer, Iowa!

Joke of the day: What do cats call their grandfather?
Answer: Grand-paw! :)