Cats

Cat + Gamer (Volume 4) / Wataru Nadatani

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Cat + Gamer (Volume 4)
By: Wataru Nadatani
Genre: Manga
Number of Pages: 168
Published: February 24, 2024 (1st Published July 17, 2020)
Publisher: Dark Horse Manga
Dates Read: March 13, 2024
Format: Library Book / Paperback

In this volume, Riko adopts a new kitten to add to the family, to keep Musubi company. In comes Soboro, a munchkin calico. Double the cuteness.

I always loved when people take the time to introduce new pets to their current ones. Each time I got a new pet, we just introduced them to my cat, Mushi, the day we brought them home.

I still don’t care as much for Riko’s gaming analogies but I stay for the cats. I do want to say I love how she interacts with the felines while she is gaming and that though she gets upset if they mess her up, it’s never anything super crazy.

Overall, this manga is filled with the cuteness of owning a cat(s) for the first time; especially for someone who is introverted and used to being on their own.

Cat + Gamer: Volumes 1-3 / Wataru Nadatani

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment

I’m going to do something a little different with this post and have the reviews for 3 separate books. They’re all from same manga series and I read them back to back to back, so in a way, they all bled together. And my reviews for manga volumes are already so short since the volumes are never that long to begin with.

Cat + Gamer (Volume 1)

By: Wataru Nadatani

Genre: Manga

Number of Pages: 192

Published: May 24, 2022 (1st Published May 17, 2019)

Publisher: Dark Horse Manga

Dates Read: February 1, 2024

Format: Library Book / Paperback

29-year-old Riko’s life revolves around video games. One day, she says yes to taking in a kitten found in the parking lot. Riko’s never had a pet before, but she uses lessons drawn from video games to help care for her new four legged roommate. 

This is cute and I very much enjoy it. 

Riko learning about the different stages of her new kitten’s life is adorable and it just reminds me so much of my two cats when they were kittens (I’ve got a 13 year-old and a 3 year-old).

Her setting up the online account to just post photos of Musubi is relatable, because 90% of my phone’s gallery is also just pet photos.

Cat + Gamer (Volume 2)

By: Wataru Nadatani

Genre: Manga

Number of Pages: 176

Published: August 23, 2022 (1st Published August 16, 2019)

Publisher: Dark Horse Manga

Dates Read: February 1, 2024

Format: Library Book / Paperback

Riko and Musubi learn what it’s like living together. Riko learns more and more about Musubi- such as his favorite toys, treats, and sleeping spots. Musubi learns how to tell Riko it’s time for food.

Is this the best manga on the planet? No, but it’s cute and I still love reading about Musubi’s antics.

Cat + Gamers (Volume 3)

By: Wataru Nadatani

Genre: Manga

Number of Pages: 168

Published: October 10, 2023 (1st Published March 18, 2020)

Publisher: Dark Horse Manga

Dates Read: February 2, 2024 

Format: Library Book / Paperback

Okay, but the entirety of Riko finding all the cat toys only for Musubi to lose one half a second later is so real I couldn’t stop laughing. Especially since the morning I read this, I legit just pulled 6 toys out from under the washer and dryer for my own cat (including a balled up receipt she was most excited for).

Other things in this volume include: hallucinated video game dreams, a cat bath, and finding the turnaround on a cat’s favorite toy.

Meowl-o-ween / Diane Muldrow, Tiffany Chen (Illustrator)

/ Alisha Helms / Leave a comment 
Meowl-o-ween
By: Diane Muldrow, Tiffany Chen (Illustrator)
Genre: Children’s, Holiday
Number of Pages: 41
Published: September 5, 2023
Publisher: Astra Young Readers
Dates Read: October 14, 2023
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Meowl-o-ween is about the neighborhood cats that move around the carved pumpkins and decorations in preparation of spooking the trick-or-treaters out on the streets. A lone kitten is overwhelmed by the crowds and gets separated from their mother.

Okay, this is just adorable. I couldn’t help myself.

A Halloween book with cats.

Adorable cats – with facial expressions and silliness.

I loved it.

Nice change of pace from the older books I was reading. Saw this in a librarian’s newsletter and immediately went and found it on our shelves.

Possibly going to buy myself my own copy – even though I don’t have kids, that’s how much I love it.

Pumpkin the Cat / Jonathan Yavin

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Pumpkin the Cat
By: Jonathan Yavin, Gilad Soffer (Illustrator)
Genre: Children's
Number of Pages: 32
Published: July 18, 2023 (1st Published 2005)
Publisher: Gefen Publishing House
Dates Read: June 25, 2023
Format: eBook

When a father brings home a kitten to his young son, at first the boy wants nothing to do with it, he hates cats! But the orange kitten quickly wins over the boy’s heart and changes everyone’s mind.

I’m a sucker for cat books – especially children cat books. Just look at the illustration of Pumpkin on the cover! How could you not?

This was an adorable children’s book about a boy, who was once scratched by a cat, and got over his fear to welcome home the new orange kitten his father brought.

The text is simple and easy for children to follow.

The illustrations are adorable and there are a ton of hidden easter eggs in the background, especially with the boy’s toys.

I don’t have any younger children to read this too, but once I do, I’ll be reading them this. But also – adults will enjoy this story as well – it’s just too cute!

*Thank you Gefen Publishing House and LibraryThing for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review