[.ca] Cats In Cyberspace (ISBN 1892065444)

Smart & Funny - a must read book:
Cats in Cyberspace is a gem. And I don't even care for cats. In much the same way as Harry Potter, this book tackles improbable events in a manner that makes them seem completely commonplace, and does so with grace and humor. The wordplay is extraordinary and avid National Public Radio fans will pick up several inside jokes that make it an even better read. I picked this book up at the bookstore entirely by accident. I started reading it right there and then, and finished it a couple days later. Gave it to another friend who basically read it straight through was well. While short, the book is equally capable of being read by adults or sophisticated teens. 5 enthusiastic stars!

PKP and Fluffy Rock!!!:
Whatever you do, do NOT read this book aloud. It has definitely given our little four-foots ideas! This book is compelling, entertaining, and WAAAY too close to reality. It's a fun ride from start to finish, and we were sad to see it end. So we are very much looking forward to the sequel, Prey-Part Politics. (We'd vote for PKP.) This is a fine addition to anyone's library, but it's an absolute must-have for anyone with four-foots in their lives.

Laughed so much I had tears in my eyes:
What a great wonderful pair Beth Hilgartner has invented for this title. Fluffy and PKP are quite the epitomy of cats and any catlover can relate to their actions and actually wonder while giving their furkids an extra look or two. When their two-feet companions are forced to return to work due to money problems PKP & Fluffy decide they aren't getting the treatment they had signed up for in this household. Dana, a writer & Colin a musician still care for them, they just aren't around enough to answer to all their whims. After watching Dana show Colin how to operate the laptop, Fluffy who has been watching every move decides it would be a great diversion. That's where the "Master Plan" gets it's start. The two begin trading in the stock market and then in futures with some hillarious results. The team keeps going and going and they take you right along on their adventures as they try to never get caught with their paws on the trackball. Would be a delightful read for young teens or as a read-aloud book to younger children.

Cats in cahoots:
A fellow cat-person gave this to me, but I put off reading it for months, fearing it would be too cutesy (actually is a touch heavy on the italics-for-emphasis, thus the 4 rather than 5 stars)...well, last night I finally opened it, and read it in one sitting, laughing all the way. Beth Hilgartner has captured perfectly the way multiple cats conspire to do the things that one could not accomplish alone. While cat-lovers in general would love this book, those who live in a multi-cat household would especially enjoy the collaborative techniques of the feline sisters who, while sparring all the while on a personal level, bring off a caper brilliantly. And notice, too, that the bossy, overbearing Princess is eventually gotten the better of by her cyber-empowered sister. Also delightful is that the cats' keyboarding skills are never discovered by the humans, which would be the more expected end of such a tale. Is a sequel in the offing, perhaps...?

3.5 stars: Short, clever and fun:
This one is pure wish-fulfillment fantasy (but fun) -- a struggling writer and her musician-husband are saved from wage-slavery by Fluffy & PKP \onote 1\c, their Web-savvy, entrepeneurial pets. It's a pretty slight idea to support a novel, but it's short, clever, and has a bravura finish. Recommended, especially for struggling artists. Special kudos to Ed Cox for the cover art -- do enlarge the cover scan, above! PS: when the book gets slow, you may want to skim ahead to where the cats order a pizza. Double anchovies, extra ham, no sauce. ____________ Note 1) --that's Princess Killer Pinknose...