Tim Capehart's Blog, page 2

Banjo's Book Recommendations and Mousie Recon -- "Curious Catwalk" by John Gravdahl

Daddy found a book we hadn't read yet. Between dragging a tree into the house and putting lots of toys on it we aren't allowed to play with, he found time to read it to me. This is the story of a cat named Nosy (you only learn that by looking in the pictures). He seems to live on a boat. When he sees a butterfly go by, he follows it out over a road and on to a bridge. 

Daddy Tim says the book is written in a form of Haiku like one of my favorite books "Won Ton." (But Daddy Tim says this isn't traditional Haiku because it doesn't focus on nature or have a flash of new insight in the final line--who cares it's about a cat!)

"Walk with a whisper
liker a whisker in the dark, 
soft, slow, high and low."

The black kitty follows the butterfly up the side of the bridge. He sees dragonflies at the top and then gets hungry...then it kind of gets weird...he sees a flying elephant and is magically home on the next page. Did he find some psychoactive catnip at the top of the bridge? Was it all a dream? I thought maybe he fell off the bridge but landed on his boat home...but Daddy Tim pointed out that the boat was tied to a sock the whole time. Hmmm. 

I do like the pictures. They are light colors and Nosy is always outlined in blue. I think I would have followed that butterfly too...though maybe not by the workmen humans on the bridge--they probably were making loud noises, and loud noises are not my favorite thing. 

I give this book two treats. Little humans studying Haiku might like this, but I would recommend "Won Ton" and it's sequel we just read "Won Ton and Chopstick" by Lee Wardlow first. There is definite real cat in THOSE Haiku. PINK BABY IS BACK!

Bubble was so happy. She carried Pink Baby around for a whole day. Daddy Tim found Pink Baby when he was moving a book shelf so that he could put stinky stuff on the wall to change its color. Somehow Pink Baby had gotten behind and under the bookshelf. If Bubble was paying that much attention to me, I'd hide too. Pink Baby has already disappeared twice since she returned--probably looking for a new hiding place!

Bubble's Book Recommendations and Tips for Cat Children of Human People - "Someday When My Cat Can Talk" by Caroline Lazo and Kyrsten Brooker

Daddy Tim is having trouble finding good books for us to review that we haven't already read (and that he didn't get paid to review for magazines--whatever those are). He's also been busy covering the floor with sheets and putting smelly stuff on the wall.  When I try to play in the sheets or sniff the smelly stuff, he puts me in the guest room! The nerve! Well, he did finally bring me a book. Just like Banjo's last book, it's about a traveling cat--I think he's trying to tell us we need to become world travelers. I would be happy just getting to play in the yard when I want. Daddies don't seem to understand that a fur coat keeps a kitty warm even when there's white stuff on the ground.

So, the book: this is about a little girl who has a boy cat. She wonders what her cat would say if he could talk to her. First she thinks he would tell her why she hides from the basset hound Her cat shouldn't have to speak Human for her to understand THAT. Dogs are smelly and loud. We aren't scared of them. We are offended by them and a little embarrassed that some humans think they are "man's best friend." Don't humans know that old saying "If you lie down with dumb..."? Daddy Tim says I have that wrong. Must be a cat saying.

The girl imagines other stories her cat would tell about chasing bats through the sky and finding ginormous fish on the beach...and then traveling the world. He goes to England (we've talked about that place before):
"He'll recall the fog of England's coast,
where seagulls wander free.
And he'll tell me if it's really true 
that British cats drink tea."

No, they don't. Then he goes to France. Where Daddy Tim says I would eat lots of cheese...but this kitty doesn't.

"He'll sparkle when he speaks of France,
where he had such fun on wheels.
But he'll frown upon the fashion shows
with all the pointy heels." Yes, pointy heels are second only to rocking chairs on a kitty cat's hate list. Our tails are more important than your fashion or your sitting comfort.

This girl imagines her kitty going to Italy and Holland and Greece and Spain. Daddy Tim tells me all these places are really far away...farther than the Vet! So these are all just imaginings. I can tell this little girl what her cat will tell her when he can talk: "Stop imagining me wearing clothes." And "Take this scarf off my neck." And "Put those thumbs to use and bring me tuna." And probably "Stop stalking me when I'm trying to take a nap."

I do think little humans who love their cats (or just like kitties in general) will like this book. Daddy Tim says it would be good for big humans who want to talk to their little humans about different countries. 

The illustrations are pretty foolish...but Daddy Tim says they are paintings and collages...I don't know what that means, but the kitty looks pretty happy (despite the scarf in the real scenes and the clothes in the girl's imagination).

Today's tip for Cat Children of Human People (CaCHuPs): When your human locks you in a room, it's important to pretend you desperately need to get out even if there is a nice warm sunbeam calling your name from the floor or the bed. Scratching at the door is good. Pitiful meowls are always good. Paws under the door will make them laugh and feel bad about locking you up. After making a commotion...when you're sure they are gone, it's fine to have a nap in that sunbeam. If they feel bad about locking you up, it will happen less often...so even if you don't really mind, make em think you do!

Banjo's Book Recommendations and Mousie Recon -- City Cat by Kate Banks

Instead of bringing us books, Daddy Tim has been moving the furniture around and putting stinky stuff on the walls. Human Daddies can be really annoying sometimes!

He did bring us books this week. Mine is called "City Cat" I think it is what humans call aversion  therapy. Since Bubble and I  are always asking to go outside, Daddy Tim has brought home the story of a cat that travels to cities all around some place called Europe. Though the views look nice and the birds seem interesting, all the humans and cars (and probably loud noises) would be scary. Maybe just outside in the nice quiet yard is the place for me. So the kitty in this story stows away in a family's luggage as they start their vacation in Rome, Italy.  His next stop is Paris, France. I guess he rode there with the family in their luggage part way and in a truck some of the way. You can look and find him in all of the pictures.   Then he hops a train and ends up in London, England. The only reason I know the names of these places (which apparently are farther away than Centerville where we lived when I was a kitten and Beavercreek we once visited where Daddy Tim's parents live) is because Daddy Tim told me what they were called. HE knew because of the big buildings in the pictures. I bet there are lots of cozy places in those buildings...but there are plenty right here in my house.  I think City Cat and I are very different pussy cats. City Cat does make it all the way back to his home in Italy...where he sleeps on a statue's arm... hmm I definitely don't think the out door life is for me. There is a map at the beginning and end that shows all of City Cat's travels. That is definitely a long way! Daddy Tim says it's not really plausible for a kitty to travel all that way especially in boats and trains and mail bike baskets...but I like the pictures. by Lauren Castillo. I think she should do a lot more cat books. The cat is my favorite part. I like the pictures most in the book (the story is kind of scary)...so I give this three treats. Daddy Tim says little humans will like looking for the cat in all the pictures and learn something about the big cities in the human world. He says they may like it more than me.  I still don't have much mousie news. I think Daddy Tim moving them all around so much has confused them a little. Bubble and I have been running around trying to find them all. I wonder if any are missing or hiding and planning nasty things! Time to go on a mousie hunt!

Banjo's Book Recommendations and Mousie Recon -- "Uncle Andy's Cats" by James Warhola

This week Daddy Tim brought me a book based on a real cat. I like those, and I like this book too. 

It is the story of a little cat named Hester. She adopts a funny looking human named Andy. The book is written and painted by  Andy's nephew. So through the whole book he calls the human with the funny fur on his head "Uncle Andy." According to Daddy Tim, Uncle Andy was a very famous artist human who did indeed have funny fur on his head: Andy Warhol.  Andy and his mother live in a very tall house and Hester likes running up and down the stairs. I relate to that. When the mood strikes me, I like to run up and down the two sets of stairs in our house. She also likes to hide from James when he visits. 

Hester gets bigger, and Uncle Andy and his mother get her a friend they name Sam. Well, Sam's a boy, and he and Hester make a lot of little cats...which Andy and his mother call Sam too since they all look like their dad. Sam and Hester have more litters...and soon there are too many cats (I don't think there is such a thing! Well, maybe if they start eating my food...) So Andy and his mother both write books about Sam...and soon everyone wants a Sam. 

Shortly, only Sam and Hester are left and two is the perfect number of cats for the tall house.

I like this story. But what I like more than the story are the cats in the pictures. They all look so happy...even when there are a BUNCH of them. Those kitties were having fun!

I think little humans will like this story. If they do Daddy Tim says there is another book about Uncle Andy...only without so many cats in it. I give this book three and a half treats. Feather Butt and Chick-Chick have been making a lot of noise in the living room recently. When I went down there to check it out, Bubble was whacking them around. When she saw me they stopped talking. I wonder if they were talking about me. Knowing Bubble, she was convincing them to distract me while she hoses up my food. I will have to keep an eye on ALL of them! And I will keep you posted.

Bubble's Book Recommendations and Tips for Cat Children of Human People -- "When Cats Dream" by Dav Pilkey

Daddy Tim says he is doing something called Nanowrimo this month, so he may not bring us as many books as usual. I am going to protest by not headbutting him until he beings me more books. At least sometimes when he is wrimo-ing I can squeeze on to his lap. He did bring us books this week. My book is about cats dreaming. He and Daddy Trent are always telling me when I wake up on their lap that I have been dreaming and twitching. I don't always remember my dreams...but I like the ones in this book. Daddy Tim says these are a funny human's idea of what goes on when cats dream. Daddy Tim really likes this Dav Pilkey person, and I like this book.

It starts with pictures in black and white (though I can tell the kitty is a pretty orange kitty, we cats just know these things). 

"When cats are awake, all the world is the same. The food is always in the same corner...The ball is always under the chair...And there are always big people with softwarm laps to be in."

Then the kitty in the book starts to dream and everything turns color and whackadoodle! The moonbeams coming in the window make a swish sound. The fishbowl is an ocean and the kitty dives in. 

"When cats dream, someone always has left the back door open, and no cat is afraid." I want to have THAT dream! The kitties in the book who are all bright colors and jangly edges jump on a dog's head and go to a jungle...then the grasses tickle their feet and they go home...where everything is the same again until they dream.

Yes, this is what is it like for cats owning a human, and we mostly like it this way. Safe and same when we are awake and wild and frolicky when we dream. I think Dav Pilkey must know the kitty that owns him very well. I think little humans would enjoy this book too because I am sure they have very similar dreams!

Today's tip for Cat Children of Human People (CaCHuPs): Strategic napping in winter. You need to take full advantage of every lap that presents itself in the cold months of winter. A sunbeam can only do so much. If your human sits down without something in their lap, hop in and sleep (or pretend to). If they think you are asleep, they will be less likely to get up. If they think you are dreaming, they will be even LESS likely to get up. So twitch a little even if you aren't asleep and dreaming. Also, if one of your humans moves around less than another, remember their lap is a more stable lap--it will last longer. The only excuse to not be in a lap when it's cold is that your human is unavailable--and if that doesn't mean they are out getting you food, you may need to reevaluate your situation.  

Banjo's Book Recommendations and Mousie Recon -- "Boo to You!" by Lois Ehlert

It's that time of year again...when one night the doorbell just keeps ringing and I have to hide until it stops! Daddy Tim in particular seems to like it. I hear lots of little human giggling...It's scary! Daddy Tim says that's the point of Halloween.

Bleeeh! Living with Bubble is scary enough.

So Daddy Tim brought us Halloween kitty books this week. Mine is actually more about the mousies in the book. In this short story, the mousies are having a harvest party And even though the black kitty that lives near by is not invited, he is slinking by. So the mousies are scared and they make masks. out of what they find in the garden where they are harvesting. When the Black kitty comes by, they enlist the help of a raccoon, and they say:

"Boo to you!
Scat, scary cat.
Have some broccoli!
There's no mouse on the menu 
at this party."

And the kitty runs away while the mousies eat the flowers and corn and vegetables they harvested.

I think Daddy Tim brought me this book because he still thinks I am a scaredy cat. Well I am not. I can guarantee you that outdoor kitties like the one in the book would not be scared of mousies in masks. (I do think broccoli is pretty scary. It smells like litter caught between your toes). The illustrations in this book are fun. Daddy Tim called them collage. They are made from photos and torn paper (torn paper makes a good toy!) and seeds and string (string is ALWAYS a good toy!)

Daddy Tim showed me other books by Lois Ehlert and the kitty is ALWAYS the bad guy! I don't think she understands cats. I need to meet her and set her straight!

Even though the kitty is the "bad guy" in this book and the mousies win, I do like it. I give this book three and a half treats (Daddy Tim says I should give it four, but this is my book review!) I think little humans would like the short rhyming story AND they would probably like making collages like the pictures.  Blue Spongy Ball is on the move! He came upstairs nearly to my bedroom...and then I found him downstairs...and then he came back up to the hall! I am trying to find out how he is moving around so much. Bubble says it isn't her. I know it isn't me. It is my project this week (if the doorbell doesn't get in the way) to find out why Blue Spongy Ball is moving around so much. I'll let you know. {Daddy Tim editorial note: Daddy Trent owned up to throwing Blue Spongy up and down the stairs, let's not tell Banjo}

Bubble's Book Recommendations and Tips for Cat Children of Human People -- "I am a Witch's Cat" by Harriet Muncaster

It's Halloween week...my Daddy Tim never seems to stop dressing up, so around here it is nothing special...except that some night I know there will be a lot of little humans that run up to the front of the house,  make noise and won't go away until Daddy Tim throws candy at them. I am not allowed to have candy--but I may see if I can sneak a piece while his back is turned this year. The wrapper makes fun sounds when you whack it around; the inside must be good too!

This book does NOT have a cat in it. I am not even sure there is a witch in it. (Daddy Trent likes witches). A little human girl says that her mommy is a witch and that she (the girl) is a witch's cat) No, you are a human girl in a costume...but, it's a book so I will let it slide. She says she knows her mommy is a witch because she has lots of potions in bottles in the bathroom that the little human girl is not allowed to touch. So do my Daddies (and a few of the bottles are really smelly, so I don't WANT to touch them). 

She also says her mommy is a witch because she buys eyeballs and green fingers at the store. Those are olives (which my daddies think are yucky) and pickles (which smell funny...but my daddies eat them--humans eat weird stuff--but they are not fingers!)

She says she knows her mommy is a witch because she sits around cackling with her friends. Well, my daddies DO cackle a lot when they are together.  Maybe my daddies ARE witches. Which would make me a double witch's cat (a REAL cat). Hmm. Maybe...

She says her mommy also gets out a broom once a week and lets her ride... Well, that's not a broom...even I can see that--it's a vacuum. My daddies have one and you would NOT want to ride it. It makes a horrible noise.

So every Friday, the human girl's mom takes a break and leaves her with a babysitter...the little girl doesn't know where the mom goes...maybe she just needs a break from being a witch... Hmmm. I don't know what to make of this strange book without a cat. I guess I like it. I think little humans who want to be cat will like this a lot. I do like the illustrations even though there is not a real cat in it. The little girl's funny ideas about what her mommy is doing are so different from the pictures. Not strictly speaking a Halloween story, but good for this time of year.

Today's tip for Cat Children of Human People (CaCHuPs): Let's be honest, every thing in your human's house is there for your amusement. It's all a toy. The glowey box with the clickey flat place that they stare at so much: toy. walk on it, it feels funny under your paws AND you're sure to get a reaction from your human--either they will laugh or make loud funny sounds. The cords that hang from the backs of everything (and the window coverings): toys. You can bat at them for hours! Do NOT chew the ones that come out of the back of their electronics--it can be shocking and everything tastes like litter for a week. Anything that hits the ground: toy. Food off their plates: toy (toys you can eventually eat if you can keep it away from your human long enough). Paper balls, pencils...you name it, it's part of their job to have stuff you can turn into a toy! That's one of the perks of being a cat (a real one!)

Banjo's Book Recommendations and Mousie Recon -- "The Scaredy Cats" by Barbara Bottner

I am NOT a scaredy cat! Daddy Tim brought Bubble "Flabby Tabby" (She is fat, and she is always getting up in my dish and scamming on my tuna treats), and he brought me this book. He and Daddy Trent think I am "skittish"...whatever that means. If it means afraid-they-will-throw-another-bossy-girl-cat-at-me, then yes I guess I am skittish. 

But the book is the story of a family of cats (wearing clothes...so I have come to realize that this is just a human writing a story about humans and saying they are cats--they're not really cats). The mom and dad cats are scared in the morning to close the window in their bedroom even though they are cold.   The mom cat is afraid she will close her fingers in the window (even if the clothes didn't clue you in that these are humans, fingers would--cats, thankfully have PAWS). So the two of them shiver all morning long. The Dad cat is afraid to wake their baby So they let the baby sleep. And they are scared and cold. Baby can't wear the dress she wants because it might get dirty, so she stays in her jammies. They want breakfast, but mom cat is scared she'll burn herself on the skillet. Dad says they could go to town, but the car goes too fast...SO they are scared, cold and hungry. By the end of their day they are: scared, cold, hungry, bored, mad, disappointed, worried and left out. Sheesh!

Then baby cat points out that ll those bad things could happen, but good things could happen too especially if they work together. They go to bed and dream of being brave tomorrow.

Hmm. Well, I guess I like this book well enough. It's kind of silly, but I think little humans who are scared of things going wrong will probably benefit from reading this. I like Victoria Chess's pictures which are a big part of the silliness--liked them once I got over the clothes on cats thing. So I give this book two and a half treats. Featherbutt has been squeaking a lot...I hear him and wonder if it's worth getting off the bed to find out what's going on downstairs. Every time I do, he seems to be alone in the middle of the living room. Bubble is either on her wave or in her sling. One of the two of them is messing with me. I just may sit on one of them until they talk--it'll have to be Featherbutt because Bubble is too fast (and fat). I will discover what's up!

Bubble's Book Recommendations and Tips for Cat Children of Human People -- "Flabby Tabby" by Penny McKinlay

Oh, very funny, Daddy Tim. This week he brought me this book "Flabby Tabby" and Banjo a book called "Scaredy Cats" To use one of Daddy Trent's words: What a Nose! I am not flabby! Though Banjo can be a scaredy cat... I will just ignore the insult and review the book. It's the story of Tabby who has a cushie life. She goes from bed to bowl and back again (sounds nice). Sometimes her little human Polly will even carry her from her bowl to her basket or lift her up on to a chair where Tabby falls asleep. Hmm Daddy Tim does sometimes lift me up to the counter when I miss jumping up there...

One day Tabby gets stuck in the cat flap. (Note to Daddies: if I had a cat flap, I would  run around outside all the time, and then you would not think I am flabby!) So the family in the book take Tabby to the vet. 

How mean!

And the vet makes a suggestion...which the family do: get a kitten. Hmm. Daddy Tim and Trent are always saying that Banjo used to be fat; maybe that's why they got me...The kitten in this book is a little orange boy cat. He beats Tabby to her dish and eats all her food and then runs around...Tabby falls asleep. (That sounds like Banjo, not me. I run around; he falls asleep. He is grey like Tabby and I am orange like the little boy kitten...maybe that is why Daddy Tim brought me this book {Daddy Tim Editorial note: no, I brought it to Bubble because she's getting flabby...like Tabby}).

Then Tabby watches one of her big humans exercise along with another human on the big glowey  box...just like Daddy Trent does every morning...And Tabby decides to exercise along. I do that with Daddy Trent! It takes some work, but Tabby gets lean...and beats the kitten to the food dish. They play together and then have a nap together. Tabby is no longer flabby!

Daddy Tim thinks he is so funny bringing me this book. {Daddy Tim editorial note: no, I think Bubble is getting flabby}. Well, I like the story, but I am not inactive and flabby. I am just a big girl. I run around all the time. I already exercise with Daddy Trent. I don't have a cat flap to get stuck in. And I have a Banjo to chase. I do like Britta Teckentrup's pictures. Banjo recommended her "Grumpy Cat" I remember that (and he IS grumpy!) I think little humans who like cats will enjoy this book, and I think they would agree that I am not as Flabby as Tabby.

Today's tip for Cat Children of Human People (CaCHuPs): Your human won't always understand what you want. They don't speak Kitty. You can try pantomiming what you want like sitting at the door and touching it with your paw and looking at the door and touching it again...or licking the bottom of your empty food dish and asking politely for more...but humans can be ding-dongs sometimes. You can repeat your request until you are blue in the whiskers, and sometimes they won't get it...so you just have to live with their limitations. Yep. That's the tip. You can try to communicate with them. You can repeat yourself. You can show them what you want...but they won't always understand. They have nice laps, and they have thumbs. They know where to find cans of fish...and sometimes they do what you want them to. So if they aren't understanding that you need to go out to see what the squirrels are up to...just remember they are trying to serve you well; they're doing their best. Have a sit in their lap, look cute and try again later...maybe then they'll get it.

Banjo's Book Recommendations and Mousie Recon -- "Maneki Neko the tale of the Beckoning Cat" by Susan Lendroth

Daddy Tim brought me a Japanese legend book this week. Japan is apparently a far away place where the humans are smart enough to really like cats. This is the story of Maneki Neko. Daddy Tim has been collecting statues of Maneki Neko, so it is nice to know the story. Long ago there was a poor human monk. Monks are humans who live alone and think a lot. This one thought about Buddha (though that is not in mentioned in this book; Daddy Tim told me). A little white and black and brown kitty comes to stay with him. (That sounds like my sister Buffy Sainte Meow!) He warns her he's poor and has little food, but she stays. When she washes it looks like she is beckoning...which is a fancy way of saying "come here!" The monk names her Tama, and they get along and live in his small shrine. There's not a lot to eat, but they don't mind. One day there is a terrible storm. The monk thinks Tama is lost, but she's just out chasing birdies. A Samurai is also lost in the storm. According to Daddy Tim that is a Japanese warrior. He sees Tama washing on the porch of the shrine (I bet she caught a birdie and had a snack...she obviously didn't share with the monk). It looks like she's beckoning to him; and when he goes toward her, he's saved from a flash of lightning.  The monk takes care of the samurai who is from a rich family of humans. He, in gratitude, takes care of the monk and Tama by sending them money. The shrine becomes a temple that many humans come to visit. The monk, of course, shares his good fortune with the town that has always been good to him and Tama. Tama gets fat and is happy all her days. The people in the village and all across Japan start putting statues of Tama-like kitties beckoning in their houses and businesses...they call them Maneki Neko which means beckoning cat in Japanese...if humans can speak all these different languages, why doesn't one of them bother learning Kitty? So my Daddies will understand that I don't care if it's cold outside; I wanna go out! And so I can tell them I don't like chicken and turkey any more...just fish despite the fact that I didn't like fish much before. I keep talking, but they don't listen.

At the end of the book, there is a picture that looks like the statues Daddy Tim collects and a word list of Japanese words in the text. Daddy Tim and I both like the illustrations (by Kathryn Otoshi) more than the telling of the story. It was odd that my Daddy Tim had to tell me that the monk was a Buddhist. The story is also a little confusing during the storm. But the pictures are pretty. Daddy Tim says they communicate much more of the Japanese-ness of the tale than the text does. I especially like the one of Tama jumping at fireflies...and of her and the monk cuddling. Daddy Tim pointed out that the text in the images we found is in a different font than the copy we read. He thinks the special font in the images looks better--I'm ready for my post review treat.

According to Daddy Tim we actually own a book that tells this same story. We haven't reviewed it yet. He says he likes it more than this...so look forward to that review! I give this book three treats. It's the first time I have heard the story and I think little humans will learn about this Japan place and see how helpful kitties can be and at least see Buddha (who my Daddy Tim is always talking about). Poor Purple Egg...he went to the big easter basket in the sky. Daddy Tim had a repairman in the house last week (which always makes me run and hide--Bubble was watching though). Purple egg was in the middle of the floor and the repairman stepped on him. Maybe Mammaw Capehart will give Bubble another egg...Purple Egg will be sorely missed (mostly by Bubble, I'm all about Milk Ring right now)