Books like The Cats on Ben Yehuda Street — picked by fans

I was so moved by this true story of Alaa, an ambulance driver who loves his city of Aleppo so much that he chooses to stay there when war breaks out. In addition to helping the people of Aleppo, Alaa helps the hundreds of cats left homeless by the war. His kindness inspires others, who volunteer and donate enough money for Alaa to build a shelter he names “The House of Cats Ernesto” in memory of a friend’s beloved cat. People who visit the shelter are so filled with hope, they donate more money and soon Alaa builds a playground for the children of Aleppo. Kindness begets kindness, and this story lifted my heart and restored my faith in people, most of whom I truly believe are innately kind.

No one wants to buy Pablo Picasso’s sad blue paintings. Unable to feed himself or his cat, Picasso sends Minou out into the world, hoping she can find herself a meal. Minou meets some circus performers who feed her, but she doesn’t finish her food; she brings a sausage home to Picasso. Minou introduces Picasso to her new friends, who inspire him to create more joyful paintings which are purchased by an art dealer. This book is all about kindness. The circus performers kindly feed Minou, Minou kindly brings food to Picasso, and Picasso kindly paints the circus performers’ portraits in exchange for meals. This book, based on a true story, shows that cats, who are rumored to be self-centered and aloof, are really very loving, generous, and kind.

I have read this book at least a dozen times. First published in 1930, it has become a classic, winning the Newbery Medal (the Oscar of children’s books!) and other awards. The story, which takes place in Japan, is about a poor, humble artist, who is working on an important painting. Though he has very little money and cannot afford another mouth to feed, his housekeeper brings a little white cat home from the market. At first, the artist is disgruntled, but nevertheless, the cat becomes known as Good Fortune, and indeed, through an act of selflessness, the cat does bring good fortune to the artist. The writing style is gorgeous, and the book is an absolute pleasure to read. Very soothing and meditative. No wonder it’s become a classic!

This is pretty much a perfect (or should I say purr-fect?) picture book. It is a collection of 13 charming short poems, each one about a different cat, accompanied by wonderful watercolor paintings. The cats—ranging from “Sylvie the Boss” to “Romeo”—put on a good show of being independent from their humans, but the reader quickly learns otherwise. My favorite poem is about “Henry” who sleeps blissfully on his human’s wedding dress, “…the white silk gathered like a cloud/Around me.” Like the best poems, what is unsaid is just as important as what is said. Here, it is left up to the reader to imagine how the wedding dress’s owner feels upon discovering Henry’s new favorite sleeping place! Readers and cat-lovers of all ages will adore this book. 

I love Itty Bitty Kitty-Corn because it celebrates the magic of friendship. The book is about Kitty who wants to be a unicorn but her friends try to prove she isn’t one. This book encourages kids to be exactly who they want to be—no matter what anyone says. The art is adorable to create the most heart-bursting, tail-twitching, fuzzy-feeling, perfectly unicorn-y story imaginable. You can’t help but fall in love with Kitty Corn.

Catwad is a book by the hilarious Jim Benton, the comic style of Catwad is silly and at times, outrageous which is just what you need to keep kids interested.

The comic is broken down into short and sweet chapters that are only a few pages long which is great for those that have trouble focusing for long periods of time. Benton’s character expressions are so animated and funny, kids can pick up what is going on even before they read the words.

Hey! Who's taking the cupcakes that Pete and Gus baked?

They're disappearing two by two. Is it squirrel? Alligator? Turtle? 

I won't tell, but when they find out, Pete and Gus give the cupcake nabber a chance to make amends because "that's what friends do."  

Part of the popular Pete the Cat series, this rhyming, counting, mystery story is also a story of forgiveness and second chances.

Fans of A Little Princess will find a story both fresh and comfortingly familiar inside these pages. Izzy and Emma's personalities spark off the page, and the ticking clock to the time their magic is either activated or snuffed out forever makes their journey to friendship even more endearing. Featuring themes of justice and social change, this is a retelling not to be missed.

Jules wrote this book in 1965, so it certainly doesn’t reflect the latest scholarship. But as probably the first critical history of the Golden Age, it’s a valuable read—and a lot of fun! Jules gives a real sense of what it was like to be alive, in New York City, creating these great works.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that just because the main character (and in fact most of the characters) in this book is a cat it’s only for very young readers. This charming and elegant story, the first of a series, takes place in Greenwich Village, where a small black orphaned cat named Jenny finds a home with a sea captain and a community with her neighborhood felines. Jenny’s explorations of the then-dicey neighborhood and encounters with less fortunate cats are ridiculously poignant and moving, and her foot-high view of her city feels entirely authentic.