Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World
A book about a cat? A library cat? Well, okay, I thought… I’ll give it a whirl. And I’m really glad that I did.
What started out as a heartwarming tale of how a cat dumped in a return book bin on a very cold Iowa night turned into exactly what a small town needed to pull together and revitalize itself, actually was a story of the author, Vicki Myron’s triumph over circumstances to create the life she truly wanted for herself.
I imagine Vicki Myron did a lot of soul searching as she put her thoughts to paper in this reflective story of her life so far. Born to the life of a farmer’s daughter in rural Iowa, her life choices were not dictated by society, she made her choices (both good and bad) from the heart.
And it was exactly that type of decision that ended up with Dewey being appointed the Spencer Public Library’s official library cat - a position he held proudly for 19 years.
Did Dewey change Spencer, Iowa? Did he have a positive impact on the people of Spencer? Absolutely. Here’s a bit from the book that describes the special cat that Dewey was:
Dewey wasn’t special because he did something extraordinary but because he was extraordinary. He was like those seemingly ordinary people who, once you get to know them, stand out from the crowd. They are the ones that never miss a day of work that never complain, that never ask for more than their share. They are those rare librarians, car salesman, and waitresses who provide excellent service on principle, who go beyond the job because they have a passion for the job….His passion, his purpose, was to make that place, no matter how small or out of the way it may have seemed a better place for everyone.
Once I started with this book it was hard for me to put it down. It was written in such a clear, descriptive style that it had my laughing out loud and then crying as the inevitable, the passing of Dewey, actually came to be.
It turns out this book was a perfect read for me. Our family has just welcomed our first cat into our home. Her name is Jasmine and like Dewey, she holds a special place in our hearts after being with us for only a very short time.
I’ve never been a “cat person”. Actually there were times when I would have considered myself an “anti cat person”. But Jasmine, our beautiful, soft, warm, cuddly, lovable rescue kitty has changed all of that.
I look for her when I come home, love to have her cuddled up in my lap when we’re watching a movie and even welcome her little taps on my cheek in the morning when she feels like it’s time for me to be awake. I can’t describe what changed in me, but just holding her one time was enough - I love this cat.
So Vicki, I can totally relate to the incredible relationship you had with Dewey. Thank you so much for the way you’ve shared it with the rest of the world through this book.
You can connect with Vicki Myron learn more about Dewey on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dewey/34303826286
There’s also a cute Dewey video here: http://www.hachettebookgroupusa.com/features/dewey/video.htm
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About SharpMom
Hi, I'm Katie. I’ve been successfully working at home and homeschooling my kids for the past 14 years, so I figured it’s time to get out there and start sharing what I’ve learned along the way. I'm glad you're here to join in the fun!
