ABOUT THE BOOK
Grandpa used to say it all the time: books have tremendous power. But what is that power really?
Natsuki Books was a tiny second-hand bookshop on the edge of town. Inside, towering shelves reached the ceiling, every one crammed full of wonderful books. Rintaro Natsuki loved this space that his grandfather had created. He spent many happy hours there, reading whatever he liked. It was the perfect refuge for a boy who tended to be something of a recluse.
After the death of his grandfather, Rintaro is devastated and alone. It seems he will have to close the shop. Then, a talking tabby cat called Tiger appears and asks Rintaro for help. The cat needs a book lover to join him on a mission. This odd couple will go on three magical adventures to save books from people have imprisoned, mistreated and betrayed them. Finally, there is one last rescue that Rintaro must attempt alone…
The Cat Who Saved Books is a heart-warming story about finding courage, caring for others – and the tremendous power of books. Sosuke Natsukawa’s international best seller, translated from Japanese by Louise Heal Kawai, is a story for those for whom books are so much more than words on paper.
PUBLISHED BY PICADOR
MY REVIEW
This is one of those wonderful little books that speaks to you if you are an avid reader and book lover, as I am! It’s just charming and perfectly sums up the wonder of books and the impact that a book can have on a person.
It’s told through the eyes of Rintaro, who is mourning the loss of his beloved grandfather and is faced with keeping open the second hand bookshop that his grandfather devoted his life to. Not knowing what the future holds for him, he is guided by Tiger a cat who shows up at the shop to guide him along the way of saving books from imprisoned states from owners who are ‘mistreating’ books in various ways and it really makes you look at the world a little differently and gets you thinking on different levels.
The characters are very sweet and easy to sympathise with, Rintaro especially, as he’s seemingly on his own in the world for the first time without that family guidance, but he knows he has to honour his grandfather by taking care of the shop and all that is in it. It becomes his destiny so to speak and also makes him grow up with his outlook on life.
A captivating and enchanting book!
★★★★★
Books and Me! 