Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

Dewey The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron (based on 268 customer reviews)

(Hardcover)
Author: Vicki Myron
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

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Most useful review as voted by customers:
247 out of 285 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 9/17/08

HAPPY, HEARTWARMING, AND HOPEFUL

Remember Marley: A Dog Like No Other, a canine greatly loved by his master? Well, here is Dewey, an abandoned orange kitten not only beloved by his mistress but by the entire town of Spencer, Iowa.

Dewey's origins were questionable as was his introduction to library director Vicki Myron. January 18, 1988 was a frigid Monday in Spencer. "It was a killing freeze, the kind that made it almost painful to breathe." When Vicki arrived at the library that morning her assistant told her she had heard a noise coming from a metal slot, the library's after-hours drop box behind the building. Soon, they both heard the noise and thought it was an animal. The opening of the box was only a few inches wide, so whatever it was had to be very small. Being metal the box was even colder than it was outside, and there in a corner of the box was a tiny kitten.

It was the most pitiful thing she had ever seen, so thin she could see every rib, and she could feel its heart beating, its lungs pumping. "The poor kitten was so weak it could barely hold up its head, and it was shaking uncontrollably. It opened its mouth, but the sound which came two seconds later, was weak and ragged." But one look into his big eyes and she was Dewey's and he was hers.

Dewey was not the only one who had endured hardship - Vicki was a single mom who had lost the family farm and survived an abusive husband. The people of Spencer were going through tough times during the farm crisis of that time. Depression, ennui seemed to be everywhere.

Nonetheless, Vicki was determined to capture the interest of those who came to the small library and hopefully make them a little happier. With the help of Dewey she did that and more. For 19 years he returned the affection of the townspeople twofold, amusing them, enchanting them, rubbing against many hands in gratitude for their caresses.

What difference can one small animal make? Dewey's story spread across state lines and even around the world. In 2003 Japanese Public Television filmed Dewey, and his obituary ran in well over 200 newspapers. His story will warm your hearts, make you laugh and cry. Don't miss it.

Highly recommended.

- Gail Cooke

65 out of 87 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 10/28/08

Symbol of Spencer

This book is for everybody. Whether you are a child or an adult, whether you like cats or not, even whether you like reading or not! It is a really heartwarming story that reads very easy and that will fill your heart with great affection. It is a story of an extraordinary cat, a librarian, and their lives in a small Iowa town. It's a story that brought the little town of Spencer onto the world map. The Japanese television filmed Dewey, and after he died, his obituary ran in over 200 papers. But most of all, this isn't just another cat story; it's a story of survival, endurance, trust, and hope. Finally, it is a story about love and living a good life. You will understand all that after you read the final few chapters.

I highly recommend this book! You will fall in love with Dewey after reading the first few pages. I promise you that! For more heartwarming stories about another ginger cat I suggest the series of Why Some Cats are Rascals ( Book 3). Read them all - you will want to share the stories with your loved ones.

56 out of 73 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 9/20/08

Utterly poignant

Unless you are a cat-hater and especially hard-hearted I can guarantee that you will not read this book with dry eyes. The book tells the story of a kitten found in the return book slot of the City Library at Spencer, Iowa, and that kitten's extraordinary personality, his devotion to doing his self-appointed duty toward those who loved him and the patrons of the library, and the effect he had on all who came to know him. This is the best book about a cat I think I have ever read--certainly the best non-fiction account. I have not been so affected since I read (and re-read) The Incredible Journey, by Sheila Burnford (read 12 Nov 1972 - re-read 15 Apr 1991), but that was fiction whereas this book is glowingly true. Do yourself a favor--read it.

27 out of 31 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 9/30/08

A touching read for a dark day

I read Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World yesterday. It was the day that the US House of Representatives failed to pass the big financial bail-out bill, the stock market tumbled, the 2008 election campaign season was in full roar, my car suddenly needed major repairs, and my seasonal allergies were again in evidence.

It's not a perfect book, but I am so glad I read it. It was a welcome and refreshing change of subject from the bad, scary and tiresome things going on at home and around the world.

I agree with another reviewer that it might have been a better, and shorter, book if focused more completely on Dewey the cat and the town of Spencer, with less of the author's personal story. But taken as it stands, it's still a heartwarming tale of a human-animal bond.

There are parallels between the story and current events. The town of Spencer, Iowa, was going through tough economic times when that tiny kitten was dumped into the public library's book return slot on the coldest night of the winter, and our nation is in a serious economic mess now with scary forecasts of what's to come. A friendly little cat with a great sense of how to act with people didn't turn the town's economy around, but by doing his thing day in and day out he truly brightened so many lives that he did make things better in his little corner of the world. (No, I don't think there's a feline-based cure for our national economic system, but one can dream...)

Not a perfect book, but at the end I was quite touched by the story of an extraordinary cat, a pretty special head librarian, and an above average small American town, who shared something we all need more of: respect, tolerance, fun, and love.

13 out of 15 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 9/19/08

A Great Story and a Fine Read!

Spencer, Iowa and patrons of the Spencer library can thank Vicki Myron and the rest of the library staff for the success and care of Dewey over his lifetime. They are largely responsible for the positive impact Dewey had on individuals and the community as a whole.

The relating of Dewey's story (and that of the Spencer area) could not be better written thanks to Bret Witter. It's a book you don't want to stop reading and a story you don't want to end. It'll make you wish you had visited Dewey at the Spencer library (I know I wish I had).

Definitely one of the best books I have read in years!

A book not to miss -- a great gift for readers of all ages.

13 out of 14 people found the following review helpful.
Review Date: 9/18/08

A joy to read...

Written by: Vicki Myron with Bret Witter
Published by: Grand Central Publishing
Reviewed by: Stephanie Rollins for ReviewYourBook.com
ISBN: 978-0-446-40741-0
5 Stars
A joy to read...
Dewey began his career as a library cat on a cold morning when he was found in the book return bin. Considered exceptionally handsome, Dewey won the hearts of the town of Spencer in Iowa. Through trying financial times, he was a beacon of hope.
Dewey was named in honor of the Dewey Decimal System. He had an addiction to rubber bands. He came to Spencer at a time when farmers were struggling more than usual to make ends meet. Most of the town relied on farm work.
The library became a make-shift employment center, helping with resumes and job searches. Dewey gave the disheartened patrons a brush on the leg or a chance to rub him. It is hard to focus on your struggles when you have a purring ball of fur at your fingertips.
This is a warm and fuzzy tale (pun intended). It is not only about Dewey. It is about a town that refused to be the victim of financial difficulties. This tale is perfectly written in a flowing style. What a joy to read! Read and recommend!

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