Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron (2008)

Wonderful real life story about a cat in a library and how he made a difference in the lives of the staff, patrons, and even the whole town. The main author is the librarian who for many years headed the library in Spencer, Iowa, but she had help from a professional writer, Bret Witter, who I am sure helped her craft this into a charming, not too sentimental tale. We get the story of the kitten found in the library drop box and cared for by the staff, and all the people the cat affected, but we also get an insight into life of a small town in Iowa, the hardships they suffered through the various farm crises, the decisions they made as a town to support each other and not take on industries that would be unhealthy for the community. We also get the story of Myron's life, which has not been an easy one, but quite fulfilled with working in the library and raising her daughter. I bought this for a friend in Latvia, but read it myself first and passed it on to a vet friend, as I think this book epitomized the best in both of our careers. (Read in 2008)