CAT AND THE CURMUDGEON

Presents humorous stories relating the true adventures of a white cat called Polar Bear and the ill-tempered old man he owns

YA-- In the 12 years since Amory rescued Polar Bear in The Cat Who Came for Christmas (Little, 1987), he has been thoroughly trained by his feline owner. Amory pokes great fun at himself while heaping praise upon his beloved cat. Although most of the anecdotes are humorous, light reading, the section on cruelty to animals by individuals and institutions is serious. Students would find this chapter, which includes Amory's stance on medical research, useful for debates or reports, while the further adventures of this entertaining duo will please animal lovers.
- Judy Sokoll, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Polar Bear the Christmas cat is back, continuing to thwart Amory, his keeper. Featured in the bestselling The Cat Who Came for Christmas , Polar Bear became a celebrity, but refused to act like one. Amory tries to improve the cat's socialization with cat videos (Mews and Feather Report), but Polar Bear is more interested in his fan mail with its gifts of catnip. Amory tries to train himself to train the cat, without result. Visiting Black Beauty Ranch in Texas--the refuge operated by the Fund for Animals--the author recalls the Fund's rescue of the Grand Canyon burros, wild goats of San Clemente Island and wild horses from the Nevada desert. Polar Bear, somehow, behaves when meeting the refugees, including Nim, the chimpanzee trained in sign language. On a later visit to Martha's Vineyard, Amory finds an orphaned white kitten, Polar Star. Pet owners and animal lovers will enjoy these lighthearted tales. BOMC selection.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In this sequel to his best-selling The Cat Who Came for Christmas ( LJ 10/1/87), Amory continues to chat amiably about his feisty cat, Polar Bear. Amory's meandering philosophy and observations are wordy, lacking the crispness of most contemporary writing, although obviously many readers are charmed by this old-fashioned style. The true strength of the book lies in the later chapters, where Amory provides a lucid and precise discussion of animal protection issues, including his fight against animal experimentation, the reasons behind the fur boycott, and the scandal of a San Diego Zoo worker who beat the animals. Some interesting letters from readers are also included. Sure to be popular in public libraries. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 5/15/90.
- Carolyn I. Alexander, Technical Information Ctr., Fort Ord, Cal.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.