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The Cat Who... #2
The Cat Who Saved the Library
The highly anticipated sequel to Sosuke Natsukawa's The Cat Who Saved Books – an uplifting tale from Japan about a talking cat, a book-loving girl and the power of books to make a difference in the world.
Nanami sees nothing wrong with a library and cat combination. But a talking cat is a whole other story.
Thirteen-year-old Nanami Kosaki loves reading. The local library is a home from home and books have become her best friends. When Nanami notices books disappearing from the library shelves, she’s particularly curious about a suspicious man in a grey suit whose furtive behaviour doesn’t feel right. Should she follow him to see what he’s up to?
When a talking tabby cat called Tiger appears to warn her about how dangerous that would be, together they’re brave enough to follow the frightening trail to find out where all the books have gone. Will Nanami and Tiger overcome the challenges of the adventure ahead?
Warm, wonderful and wise, The Cat Who Saved the Library is also a powerful lesson never to underestimate the value of great literature, and a reminder always to think for ourselves, no matter what our charismatic leaders might say.
Nanami sees nothing wrong with a library and cat combination. But a talking cat is a whole other story.
Thirteen-year-old Nanami Kosaki loves reading. The local library is a home from home and books have become her best friends. When Nanami notices books disappearing from the library shelves, she’s particularly curious about a suspicious man in a grey suit whose furtive behaviour doesn’t feel right. Should she follow him to see what he’s up to?
When a talking tabby cat called Tiger appears to warn her about how dangerous that would be, together they’re brave enough to follow the frightening trail to find out where all the books have gone. Will Nanami and Tiger overcome the challenges of the adventure ahead?
Warm, wonderful and wise, The Cat Who Saved the Library is also a powerful lesson never to underestimate the value of great literature, and a reminder always to think for ourselves, no matter what our charismatic leaders might say.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published February 28, 2024
573 people are currently reading
20477 people want to read
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April 25, 2025
It has been said that books are a uniquely portable magic. I tend to agree and, I suspect since we are all here on book social media, that you probably do, too. In my love for books I also extend my love to the library, an institution aimed at removing barriers to books and education that I’ve made into my livelihood and I couldn’t resist checking out Sosuke Natsukawa’s The Cat Who Saved the Library. Having been charmed by the previous novel, The Cat Who Saved Books, and its tender and quiet magical realism, I was excited to return to the stories of Tiger, the magical book-loving cat, and his quest to protect literature. Did it need a sequel? Maybe not. But was it worth the read? Most definitely, and as someone who rarely reads series I found a certain joy in returning to these cozy, familiar spaces on the page and smiling at the greeting of ‘hello Mr. Proprietor.’ This is a lovely defense not only of books but of libraries and the importance of literature that admittedly can be a bit twee and overly-precious yet altogether from a well-founded love for books and a plea for protecting them. This is especially pertinent in an era of mass book bans and while the fairly wooden dialogue can come across as rather unsubtle, it’s raising an important awareness and ultimately makes for a quick, heartwarming read. Books are a valuable resource and we must stand to defend them.
‘I’m not saying that it isn’t important to succeed…but books teach us that other things are more important. Like reaching out to help someone in need, listening to someone who is troubled, and understanding that there are things more valuable than money. They teach us ideas that can’t be explained by logic alone…’
I couldn’t help but find a fondness for this duology of books. Tiger has a sass that keeps it fun and there is softness of the novel that blends well with the magical personifications of the threats to books. There are moments when I’m reminded of the whimsicality of The Little Prince—though not quite attaining its equal—and it does feel a bit of a rehash having recently read Bothayna Al-Essa’s The Book Censor's Library, a finalist for the 2024 National Book Award for Translated Fiction. The fluid translation here by Louise Heal Kawai renders the book in rather cozy, mystical tones that makes it an easy book to sit down and burn through rather quickly. Though, speaking of burning, we will have to follow Tiger and newcomer Nanami, the precocious reader off on a magical quest with him, as they save books from threats of tyranny including books mass burned and ‘quickly swallowed up by orange, slithering vipers.’ It makes for quite the adventure. And one with libraries at stake.
‘Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination. They open up windows to the world and inspire us to explore and achieve and contribute to improving our quality of life. Libraries change lives for the better’
—Sidney Sheldon
Author Jorge Luis Borges once wrote ‘I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.’ What could be better than a library, a space where one can simply exist for free—a rare space these days—and have access to all sorts of knowledge and tools. They are ‘a free space, a democratic space,’, as Kate Atkinson once said or, as translator and author Anton Hur has stated ‘libraries are not just archives of books and digital media, they are the archives of our very communities, of our civilization.’ Yet libraries are underfunded and often collapsing under the lack of support. There have been around 180 libraries in the UK have closed or been turned over to a volunteer staff since 2016, and the US sees massive budget slashing and around 64 libraries close a year. The loss of libraries is a loss of social infrastructure and access, such as in the US 1 in 5 people use the library as their source for internet access. It also leads to a loss in public trust of the government, especially when US studies reveal libraries are one of the most trusted public resources with 78% of people stating they trust libraries and librarians. Ali Smith discusses the importance of libraries in her collection Public Library and Other Stories:
Despite the widespread love for libraries, they are under attack. Here in the United States, the Republican controlled government just signalled to cut all funding for libraries in museums with an executive order to halt the Institute for Musems and Libraries (IMLS) issued to hide from congressional approval. And book bans are on the rise. The American Library Association (ALA) reported 821 attempts to challenge 2,452 unique titles in 2024, with the number of bans rapidly rising each year (for context, a challenge is a documented request to remove a title, a ban is an actual removal of the material). To ban a book is a violation of the Library Bill of Rights and the stated laws of US Constitution, such as Supreme Court Justice William Brennan Jr. said in ruling to uphold Freedoms of Speech in Texas v. Johnson that the burning of a flag in political protest was protected speech:
Though this is not confined just to the US and removals have been widespread and more devastating in other places. Bothayna Al-Essa’s The Book Censor's Library was inspired by her time as a bookseller as sweeping book bans hit Kuwait. ‘The system was arbitrary and irrational,’ she wrote in an article for Lit Hub, ‘a bureaucracy with neither head nor tail, like a poem by Baudelaire.’ Her novel serves as a warning against the loss of public agency under authoritarianism and a plea to protect books.
The Cat Who Saved the Library stands in defiance of book bans and the fearmongering of literature as “dangerous” that prop up the arguments against them. It comes pretty heavy-handed through rather direct dialogue, but it is still empowering to see it on the page in a book that could reach readers of any age.
‘Go on. Show me the power of books now!’
Tiger and Nanami face hordes of soldiers destroying books and government officials like a general, Prime Minister, and King set against books in this cozy sequel. It is pretty hamfisted personifications of the common arguments against books and claims of danger that, as we see here, are mostly just a stranglehold for power.
Imagination is seen as ‘the worst evil of all,’ so says the Prime Minister who is ‘simply trying to eliminate things that are harmful to human beings,’ by his perspective on things. There is a sense that plurality in society is seen as the real threat, a competition of ideas snuffed out, and an attempt to keep the populace ignorant and oppressed.
There is also a nefarious plan to flood the market with bad media while removing media that points people towards thinking. ‘The key is quantity, not quality,’ explains the villainous General. ‘We aim to completely fill people’s lives,’ he says, ‘so they won’t bother with the older, dangerous books.’ Which, perhaps, is a moment that dips into a preciousness about books. It reads as a neglecting to value the chance of new books achieving greatness that is influenced by a placing upon the pedestal of books already vetted and retained over time through a canonization that, it must be stated, occurred during a period where the works Othered by white, patriarchal gatekeeping either struggled for recognition on were altogether suppressed or silenced. Consider the discussions around the CIA’s backing of The Paris Review to manipulate the stories that would be told, though the idea of flooding the market with mindless media to keep people from thinking feels straight out of Ray Bradbury's anxieties writ large in Fahrenheit 451. It does make for an exciting story though.
The Cat Who Saved the Library is a quick, fun, and rather charming read. The tone implies a greater depth than the book actually delivers, yet it was lovely to return to this narrative and gives me hope to read such heartfelt plea for literature. 'Libraries are the backbone of our education system,' author Karin Slaughter once wrote, 'a library card in your hand is your democracy,’ says poet Jackie Kay, and these are things worth fighting for. Keep books alive, my friends, because they are our friends, too.
3.5/5
‘Sooner or later, you will come face-to-face with the vortex of desire. When that time comes, will there still be a book in your hand? Or will you, too, in the name of freedom and self be seeking more and more?’
‘I’m not saying that it isn’t important to succeed…but books teach us that other things are more important. Like reaching out to help someone in need, listening to someone who is troubled, and understanding that there are things more valuable than money. They teach us ideas that can’t be explained by logic alone…’
I couldn’t help but find a fondness for this duology of books. Tiger has a sass that keeps it fun and there is softness of the novel that blends well with the magical personifications of the threats to books. There are moments when I’m reminded of the whimsicality of The Little Prince—though not quite attaining its equal—and it does feel a bit of a rehash having recently read Bothayna Al-Essa’s The Book Censor's Library, a finalist for the 2024 National Book Award for Translated Fiction. The fluid translation here by Louise Heal Kawai renders the book in rather cozy, mystical tones that makes it an easy book to sit down and burn through rather quickly. Though, speaking of burning, we will have to follow Tiger and newcomer Nanami, the precocious reader off on a magical quest with him, as they save books from threats of tyranny including books mass burned and ‘quickly swallowed up by orange, slithering vipers.’ It makes for quite the adventure. And one with libraries at stake.
‘Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination. They open up windows to the world and inspire us to explore and achieve and contribute to improving our quality of life. Libraries change lives for the better’
—Sidney Sheldon
Author Jorge Luis Borges once wrote ‘I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.’ What could be better than a library, a space where one can simply exist for free—a rare space these days—and have access to all sorts of knowledge and tools. They are ‘a free space, a democratic space,’, as Kate Atkinson once said or, as translator and author Anton Hur has stated ‘libraries are not just archives of books and digital media, they are the archives of our very communities, of our civilization.’ Yet libraries are underfunded and often collapsing under the lack of support. There have been around 180 libraries in the UK have closed or been turned over to a volunteer staff since 2016, and the US sees massive budget slashing and around 64 libraries close a year. The loss of libraries is a loss of social infrastructure and access, such as in the US 1 in 5 people use the library as their source for internet access. It also leads to a loss in public trust of the government, especially when US studies reveal libraries are one of the most trusted public resources with 78% of people stating they trust libraries and librarians. Ali Smith discusses the importance of libraries in her collection Public Library and Other Stories:
‘For me, the public library is the ideal model of society, the best possible shared space, a community of consent—an anarcho-cyndicalist collective where each person is pursuing their own aim….through the best possible medium of the transmission of ideas, feelings and knowledge: the book.’
Despite the widespread love for libraries, they are under attack. Here in the United States, the Republican controlled government just signalled to cut all funding for libraries in museums with an executive order to halt the Institute for Musems and Libraries (IMLS) issued to hide from congressional approval. And book bans are on the rise. The American Library Association (ALA) reported 821 attempts to challenge 2,452 unique titles in 2024, with the number of bans rapidly rising each year (for context, a challenge is a documented request to remove a title, a ban is an actual removal of the material). To ban a book is a violation of the Library Bill of Rights and the stated laws of US Constitution, such as Supreme Court Justice William Brennan Jr. said in ruling to uphold Freedoms of Speech in Texas v. Johnson that the burning of a flag in political protest was protected speech:
'If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the Government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable.'
Though this is not confined just to the US and removals have been widespread and more devastating in other places. Bothayna Al-Essa’s The Book Censor's Library was inspired by her time as a bookseller as sweeping book bans hit Kuwait. ‘The system was arbitrary and irrational,’ she wrote in an article for Lit Hub, ‘a bureaucracy with neither head nor tail, like a poem by Baudelaire.’ Her novel serves as a warning against the loss of public agency under authoritarianism and a plea to protect books.
‘Over the past ten years, it has become clear to me how many of our freedoms have been curtailed. What the censor used to approve in the nineties is banned today. The state has rolled back decades of progress while society—with the help of the latest platforms and technology—has gained access to content so vast it’s impossible to censor. It’s our exclusively homegrown version of Alice’s Wonderland, absurd and devoid of logic. The only difference is that it’s far from what any of us would call fun.’
The Cat Who Saved the Library stands in defiance of book bans and the fearmongering of literature as “dangerous” that prop up the arguments against them. It comes pretty heavy-handed through rather direct dialogue, but it is still empowering to see it on the page in a book that could reach readers of any age.
‘Go on. Show me the power of books now!’
Tiger and Nanami face hordes of soldiers destroying books and government officials like a general, Prime Minister, and King set against books in this cozy sequel. It is pretty hamfisted personifications of the common arguments against books and claims of danger that, as we see here, are mostly just a stranglehold for power.
‘It's a dog-eat-dog world out there. Those with power kick those weaker than themselves to the ground, and then trample all over them. It's a new era where winner takes all. If you show too much kindness to others, someone will seize the opportunity to take advantage of you. In other words, imagination is a terrifying force that can only destroy your rich potential, Nanami.’
Imagination is seen as ‘the worst evil of all,’ so says the Prime Minister who is ‘simply trying to eliminate things that are harmful to human beings,’ by his perspective on things. There is a sense that plurality in society is seen as the real threat, a competition of ideas snuffed out, and an attempt to keep the populace ignorant and oppressed.
‘Imagination is the ability to think about others. To put yourself in their shoes, to be able to sympathize with those weaker than oneself, to become someone who can occasionally offer a helping hand. That’s the power of imagination.’
There is also a nefarious plan to flood the market with bad media while removing media that points people towards thinking. ‘The key is quantity, not quality,’ explains the villainous General. ‘We aim to completely fill people’s lives,’ he says, ‘so they won’t bother with the older, dangerous books.’ Which, perhaps, is a moment that dips into a preciousness about books. It reads as a neglecting to value the chance of new books achieving greatness that is influenced by a placing upon the pedestal of books already vetted and retained over time through a canonization that, it must be stated, occurred during a period where the works Othered by white, patriarchal gatekeeping either struggled for recognition on were altogether suppressed or silenced. Consider the discussions around the CIA’s backing of The Paris Review to manipulate the stories that would be told, though the idea of flooding the market with mindless media to keep people from thinking feels straight out of Ray Bradbury's anxieties writ large in Fahrenheit 451. It does make for an exciting story though.
The Cat Who Saved the Library is a quick, fun, and rather charming read. The tone implies a greater depth than the book actually delivers, yet it was lovely to return to this narrative and gives me hope to read such heartfelt plea for literature. 'Libraries are the backbone of our education system,' author Karin Slaughter once wrote, 'a library card in your hand is your democracy,’ says poet Jackie Kay, and these are things worth fighting for. Keep books alive, my friends, because they are our friends, too.
3.5/5
‘Sooner or later, you will come face-to-face with the vortex of desire. When that time comes, will there still be a book in your hand? Or will you, too, in the name of freedom and self be seeking more and more?’
April 28, 2025
Przeurocza książka, która niesie za sobą piękny przekaz. Jest bardzo prosta, dla mnie może nawet za bardzo, ale żałuję, że takie tytuły nie są wybierane do kanonu lektur w szkole.
March 20, 2025
Sería bakan que el Estudio Ghibli hiciera una película de estos libros.
May 15, 2025
Don’t bother.
There was no point to this book. No plot. Barely any character personality or development.
This hurts me to say as I am an avid supporter of libraries. As a child, I would use the library daily. I would stay in the library after school until closing time waiting to be picked up. The librarian allowed me to take a SUITCASE of books (30) when I was in hospital.
That is to say, SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARIES EVERYONE.
Book one was a heartwarming book made for readers.
Sadly, this book was waaaay too juvenile and almost read like a child’s manifesto at times.
I would say you do not have to have read book one to read this one. There are cameos from the characters, but they act more as Easter eggs.
At least this time the author acknowledged Tiger is mean-spirited.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
There was no point to this book. No plot. Barely any character personality or development.
This hurts me to say as I am an avid supporter of libraries. As a child, I would use the library daily. I would stay in the library after school until closing time waiting to be picked up. The librarian allowed me to take a SUITCASE of books (30) when I was in hospital.
That is to say, SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARIES EVERYONE.
Book one was a heartwarming book made for readers.
Sadly, this book was waaaay too juvenile and almost read like a child’s manifesto at times.
I would say you do not have to have read book one to read this one. There are cameos from the characters, but they act more as Easter eggs.
At least this time the author acknowledged Tiger is mean-spirited.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
June 16, 2025
I enjoyed this second installment even more than the first. It felt much more action packed. The love and passion that the author evokes through these stories is so contagious, and it just makes you wish that you were the characters!
October 21, 2024
“Los libros te enseñan a no perder la esperanza, a no estar solo. Te enseñan a escapar de las llamas y a buscar la salida”.
Esto es muy cierto, los libros han salvado mi vida, han sido mi escape, mi enseñanza y otra forma de viajar al mundo que me encantaría conocer pero por ahora no puedo, la manera de sumergirme en dramas, reflexionar sobre mis propios dilemas, enfocar tomas de decisiones, reír, llorar y contarle a otros lo importante que es leer, las apreciaciones y las opiniones que se forman porque los invito a adentrarse en ese mundo mágico.
Ojalá siempre tuviéramos un Tora para muchas aventuras por salvar la lectura e inducir a muchos que les hace falta , bien sea por educación o por entretenimiento.
Esto es muy cierto, los libros han salvado mi vida, han sido mi escape, mi enseñanza y otra forma de viajar al mundo que me encantaría conocer pero por ahora no puedo, la manera de sumergirme en dramas, reflexionar sobre mis propios dilemas, enfocar tomas de decisiones, reír, llorar y contarle a otros lo importante que es leer, las apreciaciones y las opiniones que se forman porque los invito a adentrarse en ese mundo mágico.
Ojalá siempre tuviéramos un Tora para muchas aventuras por salvar la lectura e inducir a muchos que les hace falta , bien sea por educación o por entretenimiento.
November 18, 2024
És un llibre infantil que es ven com si no ho fos, i aquest ha estat el problema. No l’he llegit amb les ulleres que tocaven i m’ha semblat bàsic i típic i un pal. Ara que l’he tancat he reflexionat i crec que m’hauria encantat llegir-lo als 9-10 anys. El tindré a casa per si mai tinc fills lectors.
December 23, 2024
Nanami is a young teen who loves to read. She notices some books are missing from the library, and she and Tiger, a talking cat, go on an adventure to find out why. They find themselves in a dystopian place where ideas and imagination are unacceptable, and thought-provoking books are burned. An interesting choice for YA readers. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.
July 2, 2025
A follow up to The Cat Who Saved Books. The events in this novel take place 10 years after the events in the first book. A middle school Japanese girl, who spends all of her free time in the library reading, the result of being restricted by asthma. Her mother has passed away, and her dad who used to take her daily to the library, is now busy at work and often misses Nanami has one friend, and otherwise lives her life through the reading of books. Having "grown up" in the library, she notices that books are disappearing, which no one else seems to recognize.
The talking cat from book one appears, and asks her help. Nanami goes on a series of ever more adventurous outings, meeting up with the book store from the first book. A critique of the success driven Japanese culture, and how the power of books can demonstrate another type of success.
The talking cat from book one appears, and asks her help. Nanami goes on a series of ever more adventurous outings, meeting up with the book store from the first book. A critique of the success driven Japanese culture, and how the power of books can demonstrate another type of success.
June 16, 2025
Isto kao i prvom dijelu, 5⭐️, jer je nada nekad jedino što nas drži iznad površine i jer i u tim najtežim momentima kad nam se čini da ostajemo bez daha se pojavi neko ko nam pruži ruku pomoći, a gdje ćeš veću magiju od te?!
August 25, 2025
This is a book that’s very difficult to review so I will just use a quote from one of the “professional” reviewers:
“An uplifting tale from Japan about a talking cat, a book-loving girl and the power of books to make a difference in the world”.
It’s also a book (which incorporates magical realism) whose message can be applied to the current world situation. At a time when books are being censored and/or removed from school and public libraries, it is essential to make sure this does not happen. Books broaden perspectives and educate people about other viewpoints and other cultures. They promote understanding and perspective about issues that may not be readily available otherwise.
Some quotes that I found meaningful:
“…these weak-hearted people easily fall prey to other people’s overconfidence. Making your own decisions and acting for yourself requires taking responsibility. And so, these people stop thinking for themselves. It’s easier to leave everything up to somebody else. And that’s how eventually they end up abandoning their own personal truths.”
“Imagination is the ability to think about others. To put yourself in their shoes, to be able to sympathize with those weaker than oneself, to become someone who can occasionally offer a helping hand. That’s the power of imagination………. It’s a dog eat dog world out there. Those with power kick those weaker than themselves to the ground, and then trample all over them. It’s a new era where winner takes all. If you show too much kindness to others, someone will seize the opportunity to take advantage of you. In other words, imagination is a terrifying force that can only destroy your rich potential.”
“…books are harmful to people…..empathy and compassion render people helpless. Look at the successful people in the world. Not one of them has even a scrap of imagination. The thing they have in common is that they are determined to mow down other people without mercy. They are completely free from the power of books…”
“The most frightening aspect of today’s competitive society is not the fierce cutthroat battles where people stop at nothing to win. It’s the overwhelming force of the system that automatically labels anyone who refuses to participate in the competition as a loser.”
Despite the gloomy quotes I included, the book is uplifting in the end.
It’s not a very long book, but it provides a lot of food for thought.
“An uplifting tale from Japan about a talking cat, a book-loving girl and the power of books to make a difference in the world”.
It’s also a book (which incorporates magical realism) whose message can be applied to the current world situation. At a time when books are being censored and/or removed from school and public libraries, it is essential to make sure this does not happen. Books broaden perspectives and educate people about other viewpoints and other cultures. They promote understanding and perspective about issues that may not be readily available otherwise.
Some quotes that I found meaningful:
“…these weak-hearted people easily fall prey to other people’s overconfidence. Making your own decisions and acting for yourself requires taking responsibility. And so, these people stop thinking for themselves. It’s easier to leave everything up to somebody else. And that’s how eventually they end up abandoning their own personal truths.”
“Imagination is the ability to think about others. To put yourself in their shoes, to be able to sympathize with those weaker than oneself, to become someone who can occasionally offer a helping hand. That’s the power of imagination………. It’s a dog eat dog world out there. Those with power kick those weaker than themselves to the ground, and then trample all over them. It’s a new era where winner takes all. If you show too much kindness to others, someone will seize the opportunity to take advantage of you. In other words, imagination is a terrifying force that can only destroy your rich potential.”
“…books are harmful to people…..empathy and compassion render people helpless. Look at the successful people in the world. Not one of them has even a scrap of imagination. The thing they have in common is that they are determined to mow down other people without mercy. They are completely free from the power of books…”
“The most frightening aspect of today’s competitive society is not the fierce cutthroat battles where people stop at nothing to win. It’s the overwhelming force of the system that automatically labels anyone who refuses to participate in the competition as a loser.”
Despite the gloomy quotes I included, the book is uplifting in the end.
It’s not a very long book, but it provides a lot of food for thought.
August 8, 2025
De terugkeer van de sassy kat! Had het boek zo uit. Avontuurlijker en magischer dan het eerste deel, maar met een zelfde boodschap over de kracht van boeken en lezen.
April 7, 2025
I originally bought this book because of its cover 😅; I loved the little ginger cat, who reminded me of my own🤗. I didn't expect to enjoy it so much.
Nanami is a 13-year-old girl who, because of her asthma, cannot do much physical exertion and is very sheltered by her father, even though he is often absent because of his work. She is a lonely child who lives through her reading and in the bookshops, and her confusion begins when she realises that the books are starting to disappear. One day, a tabby cat called Tiger appears and tells her that the grey man is taking them to a parallel universe and trying to destroy them: because books have power.
I could really identify with Nanami, even though I never had the health problems she had, I was a lonely child who liked to immerse myself in my books. For me, they are a point of reference, a refuge, even friends (even if I know they are only books). I am attached to the stories and the characters.
I really liked the idea that books have a certain influence and can be considered dangerous. Because in a dictatorship, reading is discouraged because it allows us to understand a point of view that is not our own, it increases our empathy towards others. Even if the grey man was the antagonist, I didn't hate him in the end, I felt sorry for him like Nanami did.
The passage about how life and the transition to adulthood makes us forget the love we have for reading touched me, because it happened to me too. When I started working, I lost my love of reading and books, so I could also see myself in the character of the father. It is only recently that I have rediscovered this passion and the benefits it brings. So when Nanami asked the grey man to come back when the time was right to shake her up, I really had to hold back from crying 😭.
I absolutely loved this book and I wasn't expecting it at all🤍🤍. I recommend it!
Nanami is a 13-year-old girl who, because of her asthma, cannot do much physical exertion and is very sheltered by her father, even though he is often absent because of his work. She is a lonely child who lives through her reading and in the bookshops, and her confusion begins when she realises that the books are starting to disappear. One day, a tabby cat called Tiger appears and tells her that the grey man is taking them to a parallel universe and trying to destroy them: because books have power.
I could really identify with Nanami, even though I never had the health problems she had, I was a lonely child who liked to immerse myself in my books. For me, they are a point of reference, a refuge, even friends (even if I know they are only books). I am attached to the stories and the characters.
I really liked the idea that books have a certain influence and can be considered dangerous. Because in a dictatorship, reading is discouraged because it allows us to understand a point of view that is not our own, it increases our empathy towards others. Even if the grey man was the antagonist, I didn't hate him in the end, I felt sorry for him like Nanami did.
The passage about how life and the transition to adulthood makes us forget the love we have for reading touched me, because it happened to me too. When I started working, I lost my love of reading and books, so I could also see myself in the character of the father. It is only recently that I have rediscovered this passion and the benefits it brings. So when Nanami asked the grey man to come back when the time was right to shake her up, I really had to hold back from crying 😭.
I absolutely loved this book and I wasn't expecting it at all🤍🤍. I recommend it!
February 23, 2025
Dit was een leuk boek om te lezen.
We gaan mee met de 13- jarige Nanami en zij leest graag boeken in de bibliotheek. Ze merkt op een gegeven moment dat er boeken uit de schappen verdwijnen en terwijl ze dit aan het personeel verteld wilt niemand haar geloven. Zodra ze een verdachte man ziet in een grijs pak gaat ze er zelf achteraan en ontmoet ze een praatgrage kat die haar mee helpt met dit avontuur!
Ik vond het begin lastig om erin te komen vanwege de schrijfwijze. Maar zodra ik eenmaal gewent eraan was vond ik het een leuk boek!
Er zit zoveel meer diepgang in dan wat je zou verwachten als je de flaptekst leest. Die vond ik heel verassend en dat maakte het ook een stuk leuker om te lezen.
De hoofdpersonage heeft astma en vond het verfrissend om over de struggles te lezen en hoe ze ermee omgaat. Vooral voor zo'n jonge leeftijd.
Ze heeft toch de drang om zichzelf te bewijzen dat ze het wel kan en wijs genoeg is om zelf beslissingen te kunnen maken over bepaalde dingen.
Dit schijnt een deel 2 te zijn maar je kunt dit makkelijk als stand alone lezen. (Eerste is ' Het verhaal van de kat die boeken wilde redden' )
Er worden wat referenties gemaakt naar het 1ste boek maar dit was niet hinderlijk dat je iets niet zou begrijpen. (Zelf heb ik deel 1 niet gelezen.)
Verder over het verhaal zal ik niks zeggen want het is leuker als je er zelf achterkomt hoe en wat met dit verhaal zodat je er ook zelf goed voor kan zitten en op dit avontuur mee kan gaan!
Ik heb dit boek 3,5 sterren gegeven.
Dankjewel A.W. Bruna voor dit recensie exemplaar.
We gaan mee met de 13- jarige Nanami en zij leest graag boeken in de bibliotheek. Ze merkt op een gegeven moment dat er boeken uit de schappen verdwijnen en terwijl ze dit aan het personeel verteld wilt niemand haar geloven. Zodra ze een verdachte man ziet in een grijs pak gaat ze er zelf achteraan en ontmoet ze een praatgrage kat die haar mee helpt met dit avontuur!
Ik vond het begin lastig om erin te komen vanwege de schrijfwijze. Maar zodra ik eenmaal gewent eraan was vond ik het een leuk boek!
Er zit zoveel meer diepgang in dan wat je zou verwachten als je de flaptekst leest. Die vond ik heel verassend en dat maakte het ook een stuk leuker om te lezen.
De hoofdpersonage heeft astma en vond het verfrissend om over de struggles te lezen en hoe ze ermee omgaat. Vooral voor zo'n jonge leeftijd.
Ze heeft toch de drang om zichzelf te bewijzen dat ze het wel kan en wijs genoeg is om zelf beslissingen te kunnen maken over bepaalde dingen.
Dit schijnt een deel 2 te zijn maar je kunt dit makkelijk als stand alone lezen. (Eerste is ' Het verhaal van de kat die boeken wilde redden' )
Er worden wat referenties gemaakt naar het 1ste boek maar dit was niet hinderlijk dat je iets niet zou begrijpen. (Zelf heb ik deel 1 niet gelezen.)
Verder over het verhaal zal ik niks zeggen want het is leuker als je er zelf achterkomt hoe en wat met dit verhaal zodat je er ook zelf goed voor kan zitten en op dit avontuur mee kan gaan!
Ik heb dit boek 3,5 sterren gegeven.
Dankjewel A.W. Bruna voor dit recensie exemplaar.
October 9, 2024
No sabia que antes de este venía otro, el tiempo dirá si leeré el primero, esto debido a que no sentí conexión con el libro, era como una mezcla de varios libros pero sin en el sentimiento que los acompaña. Como los antagonistas, el libro se veía gris, sin vida, cargado de ideas y mensajes que no terminaron de cuajar.
February 4, 2025
Es el segundo de la colección y no me cansaré de decir que estos libros son perfectos para ser animados por el estudio Ghibli. Combinan la fantasía con el amor por los libros y un gato muy majo q guía a la prota. Encima también sale el prota de la anterior novela, es un libro hermoso.
August 19, 2025
Una historia breve y encantadora que sigue a una niña llamada Nanami, quien desde pequeña visita diariamente una biblioteca regenteada por un anciano y un misterioso gato llamado Tora. Cuando los libros empiezan a desaparecer hablando de fuerzas ocultas, Nanami y Tora emprenden una aventura para salvarlos y defender el valor de la lectura.
Es una lectura linda… a secas. No te mueve el cosmos, pero te deja una sensación cálida, ideal para una tarde tranquila.
De mis frases favoritas:
“Books have souls,” repeated the cat softly. “A cherished book will always have a soul. It will come to its reader’s aid in times of crisis.”
Es una lectura linda… a secas. No te mueve el cosmos, pero te deja una sensación cálida, ideal para una tarde tranquila.
De mis frases favoritas:
“Books have souls,” repeated the cat softly. “A cherished book will always have a soul. It will come to its reader’s aid in times of crisis.”
May 1, 2025
While the sentiment of this was very good the plot sadly wasn’t. It was written well but just feels to me like it belongs in the children’s section.
I didn’t know it was a sequel hence I haven’t read the first one, and I think you don’t have to either.
The tabby cat is cute but that’s about it. It kind of appears with the portals then disappears again and reintroduces itself every few years to „special people with the right mindset and heart“ - whatever that means.
Throughout the sessions in the other world we find out that a dark entity wants to rid the world of empathetic individuals that use their imagination for the greater good by getting rid of books that seem dangerous (by teaching us about morals and empathy)
I didn’t really grasp the concept of the other world and its inhabitants to be honest.
The cover is really cute tho.
I didn’t know it was a sequel hence I haven’t read the first one, and I think you don’t have to either.
The tabby cat is cute but that’s about it. It kind of appears with the portals then disappears again and reintroduces itself every few years to „special people with the right mindset and heart“ - whatever that means.
Throughout the sessions in the other world we find out that a dark entity wants to rid the world of empathetic individuals that use their imagination for the greater good by getting rid of books that seem dangerous (by teaching us about morals and empathy)
I didn’t really grasp the concept of the other world and its inhabitants to be honest.
The cover is really cute tho.
March 14, 2025
A great cozy sequel that I found absolutely adorable! I really liked how the characters from the previous book were included in this one, even if it was for certain brief scenes.
The tale told in this book I think is written so much better than the one in the previous. The ending, although slightly confusing, I also found quite heartwarming as well! I also absolutely adore Nanami as a protagonist with her super kind and caring personality with lots determination. She, alongside Tora, embarks on a quest to find missing books from a local library, an adventure which I found much more interesting than the one in the previous book.
I absolutely recommend this one for a more casual yet cozy read!
The tale told in this book I think is written so much better than the one in the previous. The ending, although slightly confusing, I also found quite heartwarming as well! I also absolutely adore Nanami as a protagonist with her super kind and caring personality with lots determination. She, alongside Tora, embarks on a quest to find missing books from a local library, an adventure which I found much more interesting than the one in the previous book.
I absolutely recommend this one for a more casual yet cozy read!
February 28, 2025
I love the book I’m going to be picking up some other books too from this author.
July 9, 2025
Coming back to this cozy sequel to one of my comfort book from last year was a treat. This works perfectly well as a standalone in my opinion but definitely read Cats who Saved Books first since there are characters making their appearances in the sequel. Started with introduction to our main protagonist, Nanami, a young junior high school student with asthmatic problems and her love for reading. Especially reading in library where various of books can be found from all over the world, with the adventure of Three Muskeeters to Arsene the Lupin, The Gentlemen Thief, any kind of books can be found in the library. But Nanami noticed that some of the books started to go missing in the library leaving an odd, empty space where the books should belonged. When a talking tabby cat named Tiger approached her as she saw the bluish light in the long corridor hidden behind bookshelves, she was unexpectedly thrown into a tough journey of retrieving these books from the grasp of The Grey King.
Having loved The Cat who saved Books, I was surprised to find this book leaned very heavily towards fantasy more so than the first book. While the first book followed many different encounters, in this book its more consistent on the face off between Nanami and The Grey King on the importance of books and why we all need books. Books gave us so many lessons, it let us be empathetic towards others, teaching us compassion and made us feel less alone. While the way that the antagonist told on how dangerous books are as they let human weaker and not become powerful was attuned to the current society reflected on how much changes is going on in this fast paced world. Where evil and the powerful took over the world with no sympathy or concern for others, stepping on other'si n order to achieve their position. This story taught us the important lesson on why books are so important to our life.
I love the journey and adventure taken by Nanami and Tiger the cat as there are multiple interesting plot taken to move the story. Its a simple story, nothing over the top. The focus on Nanami's inner strength and how this 13 year old girl with a strong will despite her frail body, she wanted to help, to lend a hand to a struggling friend showed how good she is as a person.
Overall, this is a book that let you take into a journey of a girl that love books and will do anything to save them.
Thank you to Definitely Books for the review copy.
Having loved The Cat who saved Books, I was surprised to find this book leaned very heavily towards fantasy more so than the first book. While the first book followed many different encounters, in this book its more consistent on the face off between Nanami and The Grey King on the importance of books and why we all need books. Books gave us so many lessons, it let us be empathetic towards others, teaching us compassion and made us feel less alone. While the way that the antagonist told on how dangerous books are as they let human weaker and not become powerful was attuned to the current society reflected on how much changes is going on in this fast paced world. Where evil and the powerful took over the world with no sympathy or concern for others, stepping on other'si n order to achieve their position. This story taught us the important lesson on why books are so important to our life.
I love the journey and adventure taken by Nanami and Tiger the cat as there are multiple interesting plot taken to move the story. Its a simple story, nothing over the top. The focus on Nanami's inner strength and how this 13 year old girl with a strong will despite her frail body, she wanted to help, to lend a hand to a struggling friend showed how good she is as a person.
Overall, this is a book that let you take into a journey of a girl that love books and will do anything to save them.
Thank you to Definitely Books for the review copy.
April 12, 2025
The follow-up to “TCWSB” sees our tabby cat returning to save books again from another deadly fate with a new hero in the form of preteen Nanami. Living with asthma and with her widowed dad, she finds happiness through books at her local library and slowly learns that some are missing and the staff just brush off her complaints. It won’t be long until she runs into Tiger the tabby cat who will need her help when a strange man in gray is spotted and thus begins her literary journey.
An excellent sequel that carries that same tone and adventurous spirit as the first one did, with a bit more lighthearted tone that’s a great choice for kids. Nanami’s story is pretty different than Rintaro’s but her adventure with Tiger brings the same magical thrills. Rintaro also does appear in a small supporting role but still plays a part in her story. You’ll definitely be won over by this tabby cat again. A- (91%/Excellent)
An excellent sequel that carries that same tone and adventurous spirit as the first one did, with a bit more lighthearted tone that’s a great choice for kids. Nanami’s story is pretty different than Rintaro’s but her adventure with Tiger brings the same magical thrills. Rintaro also does appear in a small supporting role but still plays a part in her story. You’ll definitely be won over by this tabby cat again. A- (91%/Excellent)
April 21, 2025
koooocham
wiem, że niektórzy się burzą na to przesłanie, cóż, mnie skłania do refleksji, bo ZDAJĘ SOBIE SPRAWĘ, że wpadłam w pułapkę nowości, przepięknych wydań bez treści i powielanych schematów, którymi się zachwycam 😜 i nic w tym złego, ale ta książka przypomniała mi, że lubiłam sięgać po różności 🥺
uwielbiam takie refleksyjne, proste lektury z mnóstwem książek i prostymi mądrościami
wiem, że niektórzy się burzą na to przesłanie, cóż, mnie skłania do refleksji, bo ZDAJĘ SOBIE SPRAWĘ, że wpadłam w pułapkę nowości, przepięknych wydań bez treści i powielanych schematów, którymi się zachwycam 😜 i nic w tym złego, ale ta książka przypomniała mi, że lubiłam sięgać po różności 🥺
uwielbiam takie refleksyjne, proste lektury z mnóstwem książek i prostymi mądrościami
May 23, 2025
The second in the 'The Cat Who.." series sees Tiger the talking tabby cat and the asthmatic Nanami Kosaki investigate why someone is taking books from the library and not returning them.
Dimensions and time change as the two heroes discover the dastardly plan to remove all the books from the world and replace them with blank pages between two covers. Who is behind this idea? It's a general, prime minister, and king who are all grey and drab. They are supported by soldiers who will defend their rulers by any means.
Namani and the tabby cat receive help from unexpected quarters as they battle to save books from the burning pyrrhs created by the grey people. Nanami is the real hero, pushing her aching and wheezing self beyond what she thought were her physical and mental limits.
There's a serious point being made here - the idea that those who have so much and those who have so little can grow together is a pathetic illusion.
Dimensions and time change as the two heroes discover the dastardly plan to remove all the books from the world and replace them with blank pages between two covers. Who is behind this idea? It's a general, prime minister, and king who are all grey and drab. They are supported by soldiers who will defend their rulers by any means.
Namani and the tabby cat receive help from unexpected quarters as they battle to save books from the burning pyrrhs created by the grey people. Nanami is the real hero, pushing her aching and wheezing self beyond what she thought were her physical and mental limits.
There's a serious point being made here - the idea that those who have so much and those who have so little can grow together is a pathetic illusion.
May 29, 2025
Ahhhh! I am speechless! This book is so heartwarming and fantastic! I love the writing and the relationship between the cat and Nanami! I very much recommend to people who love books and sweet stories that bring happy tears to their eyes! Love this and would read hundreds of times.
December 4, 2024
Meh, me gustó mucho más el primero.
May 28, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, Soskue Natsukawa, Louise Heal Karwai - Translator, and HarperVia for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 22, 2025
I loved that the book really dove into the importance of helping each other and the downsides of individualism, that our society is so focused on, AND the best part is that this message is woven into a cute story about a cat (and a girl) who want to save books!!
August 6, 2025
Definitivamente la recomiendo un montón. Una cosa que esperaba del libro es que -como la primera parte- hiciese una crítica (en el caso del primer libro a cómo vemos la lectura entre otras cosas). Esta segunda parte ha conseguido lo mismo, me ha gustado mucho la crítica al concepto de "libertad" que vemos actualmente en la política, hacer lo que a uno le plazca aunque hayan personas que salgan perjudicadas (ten éxito económico aunque la pobreza aumente como consecuencia). Las políticas liberales hacen que nos ignoremos, que nos alejemos el uno del otro, tú tienes que pisar al resto para tu beneficio propio, no te puedes fiar de nadie; la sociedad se rige por la ley de la selva (manda el que tenga más poder).
Frente a estas políticas, hay que recordar que una sociedad funciona cuando hay unión, cuando hay cuidados, cuando nos ayudamos; la unión hace la fuerza. La civilización florece con el cariño. Una buena forma de llegar a este cariño es la lectura, sobre todo, la lectura de clásicos que rescatan estos valores y nos enseñan a luchar contra los autoritarismos. La lectura nos ayuda a crear imaginación, y con esta, podemos ponernos en el lugar del otro.
Pd: también me ha gustado la crítica que hace a la industria actual que busca vender libros sin importar su contenido puesto que, lo que importa es que venda. Recomendadisimo!!!
Frente a estas políticas, hay que recordar que una sociedad funciona cuando hay unión, cuando hay cuidados, cuando nos ayudamos; la unión hace la fuerza. La civilización florece con el cariño. Una buena forma de llegar a este cariño es la lectura, sobre todo, la lectura de clásicos que rescatan estos valores y nos enseñan a luchar contra los autoritarismos. La lectura nos ayuda a crear imaginación, y con esta, podemos ponernos en el lugar del otro.
Pd: también me ha gustado la crítica que hace a la industria actual que busca vender libros sin importar su contenido puesto que, lo que importa es que venda. Recomendadisimo!!!
February 17, 2025
De kat die een bibliotheek ging redden is het vervolg op 'Het verhaal van de kat die boeken wilde redden'. Het boek is ook prima als standalone te lezen, maar ik vond het wel erg leuk om weer terug in de wereld te belanden en delen te herkennen in het tweede deel. Dit boek speelt zich 10 jaar later af en draait vooral om het 13 jarige meisje Nanami.
Nanami is een jong meisje met bronchiale astma en een grote liefde voor boeken. Haar ziekte beperkt haar in het dagelijks leven nogal erg en boeken zijn voor haar een grote steun en toeverlaat. Door het verhaal heen ontdekt Nanami, dat ze sterker is dan ze denkt. Daarnaast is het heel goed om te lezen over een hoofdpersonage met astma en hoe ze daar mee om moet gaan. Representatie is belangrijk en zorgt voor meer begrip en empathie.
Voor mij had dit boek nog een belangrijke laag en dat kwam vooral naar voren in de gesprekken tussen Nanami en De grijze man. De grijze man vindt boeken gevaarlijk en Nanami wil ze natuurlijk redden, maar die gesprekken gingen over meer dan alleen de boeken. Het ging erom waar die boeken voor staan en wat ze kunnen doen.
Iedere keer als Nanami in gesprek was met De grijze man, moest ik onwillekeurig denken aan wat er op dit moment in de wereld gebeurd en met name in de VS. De grijze man klonk voor mij net als Trump en hoe hij de VS wil hervormen. Hier een kleine quote uit het boek: "inlevingsvermogen is een verschrikkelijke kracht die jouw kans op rijkdom te gronde richt, Nanami."
Dit mooie en sprookjesachtige verhaal over Nanami en de boeken zet aan tot denken. Over de situatie in de wereld, hoe je soms uit het oog kan verliezen wat belangrijk is, hoe je dit weer terug kan vinden en hoe het is om met een beperking te leven. Een boek wat laat zien dat empathie en boeken juist zo belangrijk zijn. En hoe je juist sterker kan zijn als je elkaar helpt.
Nanami is een jong meisje met bronchiale astma en een grote liefde voor boeken. Haar ziekte beperkt haar in het dagelijks leven nogal erg en boeken zijn voor haar een grote steun en toeverlaat. Door het verhaal heen ontdekt Nanami, dat ze sterker is dan ze denkt. Daarnaast is het heel goed om te lezen over een hoofdpersonage met astma en hoe ze daar mee om moet gaan. Representatie is belangrijk en zorgt voor meer begrip en empathie.
Voor mij had dit boek nog een belangrijke laag en dat kwam vooral naar voren in de gesprekken tussen Nanami en De grijze man. De grijze man vindt boeken gevaarlijk en Nanami wil ze natuurlijk redden, maar die gesprekken gingen over meer dan alleen de boeken. Het ging erom waar die boeken voor staan en wat ze kunnen doen.
Iedere keer als Nanami in gesprek was met De grijze man, moest ik onwillekeurig denken aan wat er op dit moment in de wereld gebeurd en met name in de VS. De grijze man klonk voor mij net als Trump en hoe hij de VS wil hervormen. Hier een kleine quote uit het boek: "inlevingsvermogen is een verschrikkelijke kracht die jouw kans op rijkdom te gronde richt, Nanami."
Dit mooie en sprookjesachtige verhaal over Nanami en de boeken zet aan tot denken. Over de situatie in de wereld, hoe je soms uit het oog kan verliezen wat belangrijk is, hoe je dit weer terug kan vinden en hoe het is om met een beperking te leven. Een boek wat laat zien dat empathie en boeken juist zo belangrijk zijn. En hoe je juist sterker kan zijn als je elkaar helpt.
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