ALA Booklist (Sat May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

From the opening chapter, when librarian Vicki Myron finds a fragile, freezing kitten in the book return, children will be hooked on her heartwarming story about Dewey Readmore Books. Eliminating most of Myron's personal story as well as observations on economic and social change found in the adult book on which it was based, this shorter children's adaptation focuses squarely on Dewey. His job description, a list of his likes and dislikes, and other funny pieces from the original reappear here. Anecdotes such as Dewey's fascination with rubber bands, his bizarre behavior during a bat invasion, and his finicky eating habits are ideal booktalk material. So are descriptions of Dewey's tender, intuitive interactions with people of all ages and backgrounds. Final chapters cover Dewey's declining health and eventual death with grace and sensitivity. Part cat story, part library story, this appealing adaptation will charm even reluctant readers.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Librarian Myron%E2%80%99s popular adult memoir, Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World, about the adopted cat who became the mascot of her Iowa library, finds yet another life in this middle-grade adaptation, which also follows Myron and Witter%E2%80%99s 2009 picture book version. At its core, the story%E2%80%94Spencer Public Library staff and patrons rally around the tiny ginger-colored kitten abandoned in the book drop on a freezing winter%E2%80%99s night%E2%80%94remains as heartwarming as ever. Young animal lovers, especially, will enjoy learning about how the cat, Dewey Readmore Books, endeared himself to library visitors (he was always happy to receive a petting or to nap on welcoming laps) and how his fame spread nationally and beyond U.S. shores thanks to profiles in various cat publications. Myron%E2%80%99s friendly and pleasantly pragmatic voice, as well as her mostly judicious selection of anecdotes, brings poignancy to the tale of her special bond with Dewey. Her story also offers readers another bit of insight into how animals and humans can emotionally enrich each other%E2%80%99s lives. Ages 8%E2%80%9312. (May)

School Library Journal (Tue Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

Gr 4-8 Myron's best seller about the resident cat at the Spencer Public Library in Iowa has been adapted for middle grade readers. The references to most of the author's personal problems, which peppered her adult book, have been removed, and Dewey's story stands on its own. The anecdotes remain the same, with some concessions made to the experiences of younger readers: explaining, for instance, who Alf and Spuds McKenzie were, or pointing out that "back in the day" TV cartoons were only seen on Saturday mornings. Dewey's special brand of "pay-it-forward" love has immense appeal, and fans of animal stories will immediately gravitate toward the book, with its handsome reproduction of the feline's now-famous portrait on the cover. As Myron's anecdotes show, the joy and comfort that Dewey provided to countless patrons over 18 years was not something that could be cataloged, or indexed, or highlighted in a trustee's report. But it was real and evident to the staff and library regulars. Dewey will no doubt have young readers pining for their own library cats, but astute readers will also pick up on the message that a town's heart beats strongest in its library. Kara Schaff Dean, Walpole Public Library, MA