Library & Literary Miscellany

Mr Pusskins: A Love Story by Sam Lloyd

This is the review of the story of a little girl called Emily and her dear cat, Mr. Pusskins. Emily adores Mr. Pusskins—she incessantly tells him she loves him, brushes his fur, and reads him a bedtime story every night. Unfortunately, it is unrequited love as the cantankerous Mr. Pusskins is illustrated pushing Emily away and shunning her hair brushing and bedtime stories. In fact, Mr. Pusskins walks out the cat door and tries his paws at being a bad cat as the newest member of the Pesky Cat Gang. As clever as the cleverest of cats, though, he soon comes to his senses realizing just how much Emily loves him and just how poorly he treated her in return.

Auspiciously (clever cat that he is), he reaches her via phone (sounds corny, but it works in the book). A joyous reunion follows soon thereafter, and a reciprocal love relationship commences. The moral of the story is, of course, to appreciate what you have because the Pesky Cat Gang (or whatever else is out there) might not be any better and could very well be worse.

The illustrations mirror the story flow as Mr. Pusskins transforms from a cat with a bone or two to pick with the world—fully decked out with ruffled fur and a permanent scowl—to a smiling, huggable ball of love. Mr. Pusskins is a charming book for cat lovers and love lovers alike. This is the end of the review of the story of a little girl called Emily and her dear cat, Mr. Pusskins.

Well, one more thing, be sure to watch for the sequel Mr. Pusskins and Little Whiskers: Another Love Story that comes out in May 20, 2008.

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Water for Elephants begins with a quote from Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss: “I meant what I said, and I said what I meant…An elephant’s faithful—one hundred percent!”

Sarah Gruen’s novel covers much more than elephants drinking water; she throws in a full-fledged circus, the Great Depression, and a poignant love story along the way. Jacob Jankowski narrates the tale providing readers with accounts of his life–alternating between detailing his current existence in the nursing home and flashbacks to his time in the circus. Including the older Jacob’s voice enriches the story about the younger Jacob’s adventures with the circus by adding the voice of experience and reflection to the occurrences.

As Jacob nears graduation from veterinary school, he experiences tragedy for the first time when his parents are suddenly killed in an accident. Tragedy doggedly pursues Jacob as he foregos completing veterinarian school and jumps on a train–only to wind up as the caretaker for a traveling circus menagerie. The bright spots in his life are Marlena and Rosie–the beautiful young star of the equestrian act and the elephant, respectively. August, the controlling, mentally unstable animal trainer has both of Jacob’s loves under his cruel control. August is married to Marlena and he is Rosie’s trainer. Jacob must find a way to save both his loves. Water for Elephants tells a tale of faithfulness, loyalty, and love overcoming all odds in a time of American history when the odds were weighted against poor itinerants attaining happiness and leading rich, full lives.

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“Destiny’s bunk,” at least in Mieville’s Un Lun Dun. UnLondon is a world of umbrellas, unbrellas, and rebrellas, of ghosts and half-ghosts, of Propheseers and of a talking book of prophecy, and of Chosen and Unchosen heroes. Zanna, the Chosen, and Deeba, the Unchosen, are two twelve-year-old Londoners who are drawn through the gap between worlds to save UnLondon from the Smog—the Smog is evil, sentient, and out to get them. When Zonna, the Chosen, inhales Smog and cannot remember anything, it is Deeba, the Unchosen sidekick who winds up on a quest to save UnLondon.

To save UnLondon, Deeba’s quest entails “a standard Chosen One deal” including seven tasks with each task involving collecting a treasure needed to defeat the Smog. Miéville eschews common fantasy quest conventions such as the prophesied savior saves the land and proper quest tasks order. Instead, Un Lun Dun seems to suggest heroism comes from the inside—from true heart, integrity, and perseverance. Deeba’s fellow city saviors are a motley crew—including (but certainly not limited to) a half-ghost boy, a talking book of prophecy, a living milk carton, a few utterlings. Along the way, she uncovers many traitors among UnLondon’s alleged defenders and allies.

Mieville illustrates his 400+ page book with pictures of his bizarre creations. His imagination is endless, and what librarian wouldn’t appreciate the inclusion in Chapter 39 “Due Diligence” of a bookaneer, a librarian who risks life and limb to scale the WordHoard Abyss and fetch volumes for patrons (it’s a dangerous job, but somebody’s got to do it). There’s some little pun or creation in there for everyone, and it’s little touches like this that saturate Un Lun Dun and make it a work of young adult fantasy that will fascinate many teens as well as adults.

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