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

As an Iowan, I may have a slightly prejudiced view of this book. I've been to Spencer, enjoyed the Clay County Fair and have friends that grew up there. But, I also am a person that loves books, loves my library, has dealt with personal struggles and has had an animal play an important part in my life. Vicki Myron - the small-town librarian that found Dewey - shares not only Dewey's role in bringing attention and respect to her library and town - but the impact he had on her life and its many challenges.

While the anthropomorphism may drive some crazy - one has to wonder just how sensitive and insightful was that cat? Whether Dewey was the cause or just the catalyst (no pun intended),the changes he brought to his library and its librarian are undeniable.

A fast and enjoyable read that feels like a conversation with your aunt from the Midwest.

I live just a few hours from where the cat resided and I have never heard/or read the story of Dewey, until now. How did I miss this? I don't read Cat magazines, I guess? I was apparently oblivious to the 200 newspapers he was published in also. I can't be the only one?
I came to read his story now because I thought when browsing books the cover was so cute (a pic of Dewey himself too!). I'm very glad I used a tactic as trivial as "the cover is cute" to discover a remarkable story. Amazing the lives Dewey touched. He gave his uncondtional love in whatever way those who visited or knew him needed it. If the story doesn't bring a tear or two to your eye it will at least warm your heart.

As a cat lover and a book lover who worked in a library all through high school, I really thought I was going to LOVE this book. It seemed to have all the right ingredients. However, while the ingredients were there, they just weren't mixed together well enough, and I only moderately liked the book.

Dewey's story was cute, and he certainly was an extraordinary cat. But the constant romanticizing of his story, and the anthropomorphizing of Dewey started to become annoying. The writing wasn't that great, with LOTS of repetition.

The story was more than about just Dewey. Much of the book was about the lifestyle of rural Iowa, and the author's own life challenges. I wasn't expecting that, and to be honest I was a little bored with the descriptions of corn and fields - I'm not a country girl by any means though, so that's not really my cup of tea anyway.

That being said, the ending made me cry. Really. Not just a few tears, but actual crying. So while the writing was simple, the story couldn't help but touch me, and that made it worth reading.

Dewey is the story the small-town library cat who touched the world. The story begins on the morning after the coldest night of the year. Library director, Vicki Myron, checked the book drop box only to find that someone had dropped an 8 week old kitten into the slot. With temperatures reaching minus fifteen degrees plus the added factor of spending the night in a metal box with the lid propped open, the kitten was a scared, frozen mess. After a hot bath and some TLC that kitten became Dewey Readmore Books, the beloved library cat of Spencer, Iowa.

For nineteen years Dewey greeted library patrons at the door, made people laugh, brought shy children out of their shell and wormed his way into the hearts of many people. With a sixth sense he could always tell who needed an extra bit of loving and he never failed to make people feel better after visiting with them. Visitors would come from near and far to visit the famous Dewey. He even stars in two documentaries; one featuring library cats and even one in Japanese. Along with Dewey’s adventures and antics Myron shares in heartfelt detail her family struggles and tells of life in a small town.

I’m a cat lover but I don’t think I’m being biased when I say that Dewey was a truly incredible cat. From life with such a cruel beginning it’s amazing to read what a trusting a sensitive cat Dewey became. Vicki Myron and Dewey will do for cat lovers what Marley and John Grogan did for dog lovers. I had to keep the tissues handy while reading this one and I recommend it to all animal lovers.

I loved most of this book...there were a few chapters I could have done without that just dragged on. There is a lot of history about Iowa in this book, which is fine, I just didn't anticipate it to have as much history as it did.

I think I might be the only person alive who hates this book. Boring, poorly written and filled with weird side-stories of the author's health and life issues. The person who wrote the dust jacket description deserves an award for marketing. The book is no where near as good as it claims to be.

I really tried to love this book, but alas, it was not so. I was very excited about the concept of this true story, so much so I broke my rule about not purchasing hardback books (due to cost)and purchased this one. The writing was poor; the story is sort of about Dewey, but there are many side stories about other towns and health concerns of the author. It is like the author couldn't stay focused. The is a TON of repetition...so much so that when I got to Chapter 12 I just started skimming.

I would give this writing a C-, but the concept of Dewey is an A. It's a cute idea, but if it had been written with more focus on the main subject, Dewey, it would have been a much better book.

This is not a book about "cat". Yes, there is a cat, but Dewey was a special one, "the small-town library cat who touched the world". And there is a strong woman, Vicki Myron who is Dewey's mom. This book was a wonderful story of Dewey the "special" library cat, Ms. Vicki Myron, who worked as a library director and had a lot of stories to tell, and people in Spencer, a small town in Iowa. Every character moved me in different ways; some made me smile, some made me cry, and most of them did me both. Even if you are not a cat lover, there are a lot to enjoy and cry in this book.

I heard there will be a movie based on the book, and Meryl Steep is interested in to involve with this movie. It must be difficult to find the perfect cat to "act" Dewey.

For people who wanted to meet Dewey but couldn't, like me, here are sites you can see Dewey. (If you are planning to read this book, I recommend you to look these sites AFTER YOU READ) ===> http://www.deweyreadmorebooks.com/deweyvideos.php
This one is from CBS news on YouTube ===> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8nSg8oxrfA

I could not wait for this book and bought a copy. I am a cat lover and this book was very well written. Of course I believed it needed more Dewey but that's just the cat lover speaking. I am left with my own memories of that once in a lifetime cat I have loved and lost...

At first I was disappointed with this book. I expected anecdotes and tales of feline hilarity. Instead it is a love story about a woman dedicated to life, her family, her job, her town, her state, and her cat, Dewey Readmore Books.

It is easy to identify with the characters and the setting. Cat and other pet lovers will feel the emotion and connectedness that comes with having a pet. Book lovers will recognize the library, even if they have never been in Spencer, Iowa. Small town inhabitants will assume that the author has visited their town.

The book ends with a modern day parable that exemplifies what life is all about. This is a feel good read with message of which we all need to be reminded.

I absolutely loved this book...as a cat owner, i would recommed this to anyone who has pets, or just wants a truly heartfelt book about an animal and its impact on humankind!!! ADORABLE!

I love Dewey's story in itself--how he survived and made the people and community around him happy.

No doubt Dewey and Ms. Myron had a wonderful and indescribable relationship, and although the book was highly entertaining, I personally felt it was really repetitive and I expected more in terms of the writing and the content. Yes, Dewey obviously affected a lot of people, but I felt like every chapter revolved around the same thing--the writers would constantly go back to how Dewey was special because of how he just "knew" or how he never changed and was reliable.

I don't mean to sound critical, as I'm sure this was a hard book for Ms. Myron to write, but I was looking for more variety.

It was a wonderful book and I highly recommend it because of the "story" of Dewey. However, I feel as though the writing itself lacks the vivaciousness of Dewey himself.

OK -- you're all right -- its not well written, not witty or urbane -- but I cried all the way thru it. It is a darling, homespun tale of a woman, her town, her job, her life and family, and a cat.

I admit, I am a librarian and a cat lover (tho I don't have a cat at this time), and a former Midwesterner...all that may have added up to the tears, but it really is a lovely read. Restores your faith in life, and its ups and downs. It also gives the obvious healing power that animals have...

Worth the time, worth the tears.

This was a wonderful book. My local library had a library cat, and they are not words to describe how much these animals can mean to people. This is such a sweet book, and it gives you hope that the world is not so bad.

This book was about Dewey Readmore Books, a cat that was found in the drop box of the Spencer, Iowa Public Library as a tiny 8-week old kitten by librarian Vicki Myron. Dewey became the "library cat" and lived there the rest of his life (19 years). He was cute and very friendly to everyone...the librarians, the patrons, the children. Eventually he became famous all over the world, having many newspaper and magazine articles written about him, and several documentaries made about him. The story is also about Vicki and her life, and about the town of Spencer. As I always do, I cried in the end when Dewey died. If you are an animal lover, you will love this book.

Although I liked this book at times I found it a bit repetitious, not enough to detract me from finishing it though.

Heart-warming story of a rescued cat, but with way too much emphasis on the personal trials and tragedies of the author.

I am a soon-to-be Veterinarian. I love animals, pets, and stories about them. However, I found this book a slow read. I couldn't become interested in the story line or the people in the book. I did like the parts that discussed Dewey and his antics, but those were few and far between. I never did finish this book. There was much more hype about this book than necessary.

I thought this book would be the cat-version of Marley & Me. Although it was written differently, and includes a lot of history about northeastern Iowa, and the librarian-author, it was still a great read. I wish I'd had the opportunity to meet Dewey. What an amazing creature, and a very good love story.

This book was an easy and enjoyable read about Dewey Readmore Books, an abandoned kitten who had been heartlessly shoved into the book return of a small-town Iowa library on a bitterly frigid night.

Rescued by the library staff, the kitten is nursed back to health and returns the favor as he restores the faith and pride of a mid-Western town struggling to pull itself through the farm foreclosure crisis of the 1980's. A heartwarming story of a stray cat who became world famous, this book is a must-read for any animal lover.

Absolutely charming story! Sorry wish listers this one is a keeper! The other reviewers have covered the plot rather well so I won't go into that. All I will say is that yes, this is a simply written story. It's simple and heart-touching! You don't need big words to tell a touching story.

The author does tell about her life, how Dewey touched her life and how Dewey saved the library and gave residents of Spencer, Iowa (where this story takes place) hope during the recession of the 1980's. Unlike other reviewers I thought this tied in nicely with the small town story and setting of this true story. As the other reviewers mentioned the author does tell of the history of the town, but, I thought it was imperative to the story. Most of the history was about the residents of Spencer, Iowa standing together throughout hard times and the author gives many examples. She ties the history into stories about Dewey. She also tells of her life, because, she ties this into how Dewey touched not only her life, but the world.

This is a tear jerker! Reminds me of my kitty cat! If you're a cat lover that has a loyal kitty, I think you'd relate to this story.

I received this book as a Christmas gift and didn't think I would like it because I normaly read fiction. However, I am a cat lover so I thought I would give it a try. It turned out to be wonderfully heart-warming story. I was so thankful that I received the book as a gift. I was an easy but moving read that had me crying in parts and laughing in others. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves animals.

I honestly bought this book because of it's cover. I am an animal lover. But the book was no disappointment. Many antidotes of how a stray kitten came to change a town, a little history on Spencer, Iowa, and some insight to what makes a small town library the heart of the community made it for an easy read. But be warned. If you have ever owned a pet, the ending will make you remember why you share your life with furry friends.

This was a terrific story and made even sweeter because it is a true story. I laughed, I cried, and felt so much proud for that community.

Beautifully told story about a library cat loved by a town.

For some reason Dewey just didn't do it for me. After recently reading and falling in love with Marley & Me, I was looking forward to reading another animal book. This book, about a kitten thrown down a library book return slot in freezing Iowa who is adopted by the library and spends the next nineteen years living there and changing lives, promised to fill the bill. Unfortunately, I felt no connection to Dewey and little empathy for his librarian narrator. Perhaps it's just because I've never owned a cat, but I just had trouble caring about his finicky diet or even believing some of his antics. My favorite part of this whole novel was the introduction, "Welcome to Iowa," before Dewey even appeared on the scene. My attention span for Dewey was probably more suited to one of the many magazine articles about him that were described in the book instead of for the book itself.

I, too, was a little disappointed with the running on of Iowa history, etc, but the parts about Dewey, I loved, and enjoyed. Being a cat lover myself, I cried and cried at the end of the book. I knew what was coming and I still cried. I couldn't help myself. It was a good read in that way, that you get involved, in caring about Dewey, and the people that cared about him. I liked the pictures of Dewey at the beginning of each chapter, too.

This is a GREAT book - about how a small town can come to gether and what makes it change its ways. I loved it! and wish I had a "Dewey" of my own!

Great book for the most part, some of the chapters didn't seen necessary. But total tear jerker if you are an animal lover. Brought back funny and sad memories.

My daughter read this book and enjoyed it. She said it was an "easy" read and she really liked it.

Excellent book! Just finished and loved it! Also, there are alot of videos on YouTube about Dewey Readmore Books. This was an exceptional cat.

From reading this book I learned about an amazing cat; what small town life is like in Iowa; (think straight roads and tall corn) the inner workings of a library; life, love and loss.

My favorite quote from the book was found near the final page:

"Find your place. Be happy with what you have. Treat everyone well. Live a good life. It isn't about material thinks; it's about love. And you can never anticipate love."

That may sound like a sweet little saying, but really when it all boils down -- it's a great philosophy. I only gave the book three stars. That's my rating for a good solid book, and that's what this is to me. It didn't change the way I looked at the world. It did educate me about what life was like in a world different than my own, and reminded me again to get back to basics with my life. Shoot, come to think of it, I'm going to have to change me rating to 4 stars. :-)

A lovely story of a library cat and the lives he touched. Cats are such individuals! Enjoyed the book very much.

One of the sweet books I have ever read !! Enjopyed it so !! I grew up in a larger, Iowa town, and loved the description of Spencer, though I have never been there, it reminded me of other , smaller, towns around Waterloo !! We have two cats and though we love them too death, they are not at all like Dewey, they are not 'lap cats' or real people lovers.

I loved reading this book, so I gave it 5 stars (my first 5 star rating ever). I can see why the book has become so popular and is on so many wish lists. Being an animal lover, it was so easy to fall in love with Dewey, the Spencer Library cat.

This book is not only about Dewey, the cat, but also about small towns in Iowa, the farm crises in the '80s, the resilience of the people and how a town survived. It's a beautiful love story between a woman, a town and a cat. I was sorry the book had to end.

Heartfelt story of a library cat in a small town, Spencer, Iowa. Interwoven in Dewey's story is the story of the town, the author's own story, and the story of a small town.
Pictures of Dewey are a nice addition. Quick easy read.

I am not a cat person. I am a dog person but a sucker for any animal story. Yes it drags a little in the middle, but worth the read. I am surprised I never heard about him since I am such an animal lover.

This is a Amazing book! It is a must read. It will have you in tears in the end!!

~J

THIS WAS THE BEST BOOK I EVER READ!!!

A must read for cat lovers. I understood everything so well because my kitties over the years have done the same. Not in a library, but in the hearts of all who loved them

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