Oscar Cat About Town

Nobody knows why a stray cat keeps sneaking away from his new home until he begins turning up at social events all over the village.

Nobody knows why a stray cat keeps sneaking away from his new home, until he begins turning up at social events all over the village.

"Christmas can never go by without my remembering a certain little cat." So begins The Christmas Day Kitten, another true story from James Herriot's rich experience as a country vet. As always, the tale includes a vivid group of characters on two legs and four: Mrs. Pickering and her three stately Basset hounds, James himself, and Debbie, the self-possesed stray cat who makes a special contribution to Christmas at the Pickering house. This is one of James Herriot's own favorite stories, and it is sure to be one of yours.

WHEN IS A WHITE ALLIGATOR A RED HERRING? Okay, granted, an albino alligator on the loose in San Francisco is pretty darn exciting. But my two cats, Rupert and Isabella, and I have better things to do than tail a reptile from Nob Hill to Fisherman’s Wharf. We’re investigating the mysterious Steinhart brothers, the 1900s-era benefactors who provided the original funding for Clive the alligator’s aquarium. Follow the money, as my uncle Oscar used to say… In the media circus surrounding Clive, one clown gets a little too close to the renegade gator—our very own aspiring mayor, Montgomery Carmichael. We’d hate to see Monty meet an undignified end, but we’re on a hunt of our own—for Uncle Oscar’s latest treasure. Of course, that’s assuming the whole thing isn’t a crock…

An ideal match of author and subject: James Herriot and the adorable felines that delight so many millions of pet fanciers around the world. Kittens and cats of all kinds abound in this program and, like their flesh-and-blood counterparts, they will purr their way into the hearts and minds of everyone who hears their stories. This warm and joyful volume of stories collects some of the Yorkshire vet's favorite tales about one of his favorite animals-- each memoir as memorable and heartwarming as the last.

This study examines James Herriot's five major books as carefully crafted volumes of autobiography based on the building block of the short story. In each of these works Herriot explores the fundamental choice of values underlying a happy and successful life. In his vision the bonds of affection and mutual dependence between all creatures, human and animal, form an enduring theme that lies at the heart of the choices he makes in his personal and professional life. This study will help the reader to understand the relationship between Herriot's stories and each book as a whole and to appreciate Herriot's work in the context of twentieth-century anxieties about identity and meaning. Following a biographical chapter that describes the relationship between Herriot's life and literary work, Rossi discusses the genre of autobiography, the relationship between truth and fiction in modern autobiography, and Herriot's use of the genre. A separate chapter is then devoted to each of Herriot's works in turn: All Creatures Great and Small, All Things Bright and Beautiful, All Things Wise and Wonderful, The Lord God Made Them All, and ^Every Living Thing. The discussion of each work includes sections on plot development and narrative structure, character development, thematic issues, and alternative critical approaches that may be fruitfully applied to the book. Helpful appendices contain identifications of minor characters in the works. A complete bibliography of all of James Herriot's works, critical sources, and a listing of reviews of all of his works completes the volume. Because of the popularity of Herriot's work among adults and young adults this companion will be a key purchase for school and public libraries.

Once upon a time, a carpenter entered a forest and happened upon a wolf wearing a feathered cap. Quick, whose side are you on? If you don't know, then keep reading. Stories provide a roadmap for life. This is because stories are life. But oftentimes it's easiest to understand where we are when we can look through other eyesfrom the perspective of someone else, living somewhere else, somewhen else.If you thought you knew The Book Tree, think again. Jane and Elizabeth have updated this charming book with over 100 new book reviews, and whimsical illustrations from recommended titles are scattered throughout. New formatting and four indexes (title, author, illustrator, and subject) make it easier than ever to browse for that next well-worn favorite.

A compendium of funny feline facts and strange stories even more entertaining than a stuffed mouse on a stick! The relationship between cats and us lower animals cannot be summed up in mere words, but leave it to Uncle John to try anyway. Curl up with the Cat Lover’s Companion, and you’ll explore the unique, amusing, and mysterious side of the common housecat (Felis domesticus). Read about the origins of your favorite breeds, meet some kitty movie stars, and decipher those strange feline mannerisms. Then take a catnap. Then run wildly around your house for no apparent reason. Then read about a cat raised by a gorilla, a cat that uses the toilet (for its intended purpose), and much, much more!