Books Show Power of Connections
Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel
Human-animal connections create powerful bonds that profoundly change our lives. Anyone who has had a pet knows how it expands our world, leaving paw prints on our heart. SurfWriter Girls Sunny and Patti discovered two books that will have you cheering for the animal protagonists - Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt, and Cat's People, by Tanya Guerrero.
In a recent Youtube video Microsoft founder Bill Gates recommended Remarkably Bright Creatures as one of the books to read this winter. Once you meet Marcellus, the wise, curmudgeonly, especially perceptive giant Pacific Octopus at the heart of the book, you'll see why.
Captured as a juvenile, Marcellus, who narrates much of the story, begins the book on Day 1,299 of My Captivity - the same day that 70-year-old cleaning lady Tova Sullivan finds him cowering in the Sowell Bay Aquarium break room, tangled in an electrical cord. How he got out of his tank is a mystery, but Tova manages to free him, thus beginning their unlikely friendship.
Tova is still mourning the loss of her eighteen-year-old son, Erick, who vanished from a boat in Puget Sound over 30 years ago. She is also coming to grips with aging and the passing of friends and family. Talking to Marcellus through the glass panel of his enclosure enables her to open up about her feelings in a way she couldn't before.
And Marcellus, who doesn't care much for humans, is finally able to find someone he can bond with. What's more, he soon discovers that, through his powers of deduction and knowledge of the ocean, he may be able to help Tova get the answers she's looking for and overcome her grief.
Cat's People shows the power a stray black cat on the streets of Brooklyn has to bring a community together, creating meaningful connections between five strangers and a circle of friends for himself. Told from the points of view of each of his people - and Cat himself - the story shows how small acts of kindness and being open about our feelings can bridge the gaps between us and overcome loneliness.
Cat, with no name or home, has learned how to navigate the city's streets, finding out which people are safe and which to avoid. Spending much of the day hidden in the shade of his favorite hedges, he has a wary friendship with Nuria (Cat calls her "Rainbow Lady"), who brings him food. Also, with Omar, the mailman, who buys him treats at the local bodega, and Bong, a grieving widower who owns the shop.
Collin (nicknamed by Cat "Awkward Neighbor Guy"), a successful writer who mostly avoids interacting with people, is drawn into Cat's circle, along with Lily, a young woman who came to New York to find her half-sister. Incomplete by themselves, in coming together Cat and his people all find what they've been missing - family.
These two books are great reads for the new year, encouraging us to reach out to others, enriching each other's lives and reminding us of the power of kindness.
With special thanks to Patti's sister, Eileen Ferris, who recommended both books to us. A cat person and Goodreads reviewer, Eileen loves books and cats.
Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel hold the exclusive rights to this copyrighted material. Publications wishing to reprint it may contact them at surfwriter.girls@gmail.com Individuals and non-profit groups are welcome to post it on social media sites as long as credit is given.
