The Kitties Are Coming!

Inspired by her popular blog of the same name, Laurie Cinotto's adorable and entertaining book, "The Itty Bitty Kitty Committee" follows the adventures of the many (over 40!) kitten litters she has fostered over the past 7 years.  In addition to some beautiful -- and oftentimes hilarious -- photography, Cinotto also provides helpful tips and tricks that she's learned over the years, such as how to kitten proof your home, best practices for mealtime, and even how to create your own kitten toys out of cardboard.  A fun and worthwhile read!  HM

Must See Photo Books

What's not to love about photo books of kittens? Of puppies? Of dogs doing funny things under water?  If you get a chance to stop by the library take a glance at some of the cutest books I've ever seen. The first is Smitten: A Kitten's Guide to Happiness by Rachel Hale.  The photos of kittens in adorable poses and settings include little sayings sure to get you inspired and give you an all around good feeling.  Rachel Hale has won numerous awards for her animal portraits and we own another prime example - Snog, another book of photos but this time of puppies!  (Check out our previous blog about Snog, October 2012).  What really got me wanting to write about these cute photo books is Underwater Dogs by Seth Casteel.  You will laugh out loud at this book...I have never seen anything so funny.  Casteel has taken photos of dogs underwater, usually as they chase balls.  What results from the dog leaping into the water are bubbles, bared teeth and popping eyes in adorable dog faces. They say visiting with animals alleviates depression and stress.  If you want a 'visit' without the fur you can get it from these books.  There are plenty of images of Hale's work online and check out this link to some photos of Casteel's underwater dogs. SG