Photo Courtesy of Baker and Taylor, LLC
Book Review and Giveaway
For anyone who loves cats The True Tails of Baker and Taylor is a must read and a book you’ll want in your permanent collection. Baker and Taylor are a pair of Scottish Fold cats who “worked” in the Douglas County Public Library in Minden, Nevada, from the mid-eighties through the mid-nighties. “Hired” by librarians Jan Louch (the author) and Yvonne Saddler, they were named for a book wholesaling company. When the company discovered this, they turned these two adorable kitties into their mascots and media stars, long before the days of Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Photo Courtesy of Baker and Taylor, LLC
Through posters, book bags and a variety of other advertising products, Baker and Taylor gained worldwide popularity among librarians and the public. They received letters, phone calls and visits from their fans.
Baker and Taylor even had their very own fan club, the second grade classes of Leslie Kramm at Jefferson Elementary School in Ohio. Through the years, classes sent cards, letters, photos and toys to the cats, and Louch responded as both herself and the cats. Teacher Kramm even wrote a song about Baker and Taylor, which the students sung and recoded for the cats. Click here to see the video.
Photo Courtesy of Leslie Kramm Twigg
Photo Courtesy of Jan Louch
This book by Louch (with Lisa Rogak, who originally wrote about the cats in her book, Cats on the Job) not only covers the lives of Baker and Taylor but also serves as a memoir for Louch, from growing up during the depression in the east bay of California, through her divorce and move with her two children to a Nevada farm to live with her parents, her days at the library, and finally the passing of the cats and her retirement. Additionally, the book includes bios/interviews with other library cats as well as with Baker’s and Taylor’s veterinarian. This combination along with several pages of photos made this book a standout for me.
Photo Courtesy of Jan Louch
Photo Courtesy of Jan Louch
Released this past Tuesday, you can purchase The True Tails of Baker and Taylor on Amazon.com.
For our readers in the U.S., we will be giving away one copy of The True Tails of Baker and Taylor. For the opportunity to win, leave a comment on this post by 5 p.m. ET, Thursday, May 12. The winner will be selected using Random.org and announced on Friday, May 13. Now there’s a great reason to look forward to a Friday the 13th.
We’ll be back tomorrow with Caturday Art. And don’t forget that our Mother’s Day Sunday Selfies Blog Hop will include a don’t-miss, extra special announcement.
