Two Paws Way Up

In spite of all the craziness, I have been reading. In early June, I read a book you simply must get.

I have followed this comic strip for over a year now. My friends, April and Perry Tarantine, sent me a link. The premise is a CNN-style team of cat reporters giving the news from the perspective of cats. In December, the artist did a whole series "Our IX Lives", a cat-themed soap opera. It was hilarious. Every single soap opera trope you can thing of, well, possibly excepting the unintended pregnancy or mysterious death, was in this strip. You can find the current panels at GoComics, and search A-Z for "Breaking Cat News". The link for the soap opera takes you to the first chapter of story. Or go to the blog list on the right and click on the link. Just keep reading. You won't be sorry. Ms. Dunn's editors are trying to get her into syndication in major newspapers across the US. If you like what you read, write a note to the editor asking them to carry the strip.

This book is a compendium of all the strips from the beginning through last year. The cats; Elvis, Puck and Lupin; are based on Ms. Dunn's own cats. Elvis is a siamese and is the most high-strung of the three. Puck, the black cat, is missing a leg. Their own Puck is also missing part of his right leg. Lupin is white with two-color eyes, and is deaf. This tends to be prevalent amongst white cats. Ms. Dunn will often post photos to her Facebook or Instagram account showing Lupin lying on something white. We readers will join in the fun of asking where Lupin went. She has a toddler and a baby and a very handy husband who is referred to as "The Man".

The premise of cats reporting on "the news" makes for a humorous collection. What's important to cats? Well, at Thanksgiving dinner, it's the mystery of where the turkey went. Puck has to report from the confines of the bedroom when there is a party because he gets nervous. ("No, I don't!") Doesn't anyone see the squirrel at the bird feeder who is tormenting Puck? And Elvis is cynical. He thinks the soap opera is stupid until, well, you should read the comic.

Even if you love dogs and really don't like cats, I think you'll like this comic. Ms. Dunn hand colors, in water color, her panels and I feel that gives the strip a luminous quality. The color brings the cats and their friends and enemies (who usually wind up being friends because they were just misunderstood) to life. See if your library had the book and give it a read. It's the kind of thing young children can enjoy, too. I ordered my book direct from the publisher when it became available, but you can get it from your favorite independent bookstore.

Beverage:  Water

Deb