Our Dogs
Nani
Nani found herself slinking through the halls of The Museum of Unnatural Histories by Annie Wenstrup—a stunning debut by one of Alaska's finest poets today. She listened, enraptured, to the pot's shapeshifting voice, interrogating what it means to know your family lifeways through colonial archives. Plus, the collection includes many of her favorite things, including Star Trek, ravens, and (forbidden) french fries! Nani promises that you've never read a poetry collection quite like this.
Linguini
Find emotional teen Linguini strolling around a cemetary reading this new title from Cherie Dimaline. A hauntingly beautiful coming of age novel about a young woman finding out who she truly is and where she really belongs. Linguini highly recommends this book about growth, love and coming to terms with death. She also recommends taking a look into Cherie's other incredible novels!
Opie
Opie is not a fellow who ignores his feelings and opinions, which is why he wants everyone to read One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, a book that's unafraid to critique the West's apathy and reactions to violence. He urges you to not be intimidated--this books calls for unity and reflection, not guilt and shame, in language clear-eyed enough that even a tailless cat can make sense of.
Pig
I am a moody, middle-aged cat and I love to sit in my feelings. Not quietly - I shout about my feelings quite often when it seems like Nadine isn't listening to me. The Emperor of Gladness was the book for me. I strongly identify with Grazina, the bizarre elderly woman with dementia that takes in Hai, a depressed 19-year-old who is about to jump in the river until Grazina stops him. The love for each other that these two develop isn't perfect, which is what makes it so relatable. The Emperor of Gladness is about found family and beauty in the little things. It is full of life with a bit of genius on every page. Now someone please go tell Nadine to pay attention to me.
Strangely A. Feline
I can’t hold on to a book because I’m a cat…I mean dog, but when I do, it’s the most recent memoir by Patti Smith, Bread of Angels. She details some of the most interesting parts of her early music career, and shines bright a brilliant, moving, and deeply affecting light on the love story she shared with her late husband, Fred “Sonic” Smith. There isn’t a single book from her that I haven’t held close, and this is no exception, even if these paws make it rather cumbersome. Meow.
Ziggy
Ziggy is a lover of the simple pleasures in life. Becky Chambers gives him solace on hard days, as he curls up in his comfy cozies under the covers. A Psalm for the Wild Built soothes his technology anxiety, giving Ziggy hope that hoomans will come around and remember what matters, and what doesn’t.
Burger
Unlike my sister Pig, I prefer the comfort of sleeping in my basket on the warm radiator in a quiet room where no one can bug me. Which is why I devoured Wild Dark Shore, because it is the ideal mystery to curl up with. I identified with Dominic Salt and his three children that live on a remote island off the coast of Antarctica (although it sounds a little too chilly for my taste). When a woman washes to shore during a terrible storm, the Salt family's little world is disrupted and the mystery of how she got there and what her real motives are will keep you captivated until the very end. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook and getting your copy through Libro.fm.
Noodle
Noodle is an old soul. Her favorite genre to read is historical fiction. She chooses There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak as her dog pick. Follow three different story lines ranging from the early 1800s to current times. All three stories are connected by: water, an ancient Mesopotamian city Nineveh, and the Epic of Gilgamesh. Noodle really immersed herself into this novel and wished it wouldn't end! She highly recommends reading it cuddled on a comfy couch (or dog bed 🐶).
OJ
I am a smart and sneaky guy. I bought this cookbook for Penny knowing that she loves to cook and would make all the delicious recipes (that I can try to swipe a bite of.) I personally chose the book for all the seafood dishes: seafood chowder, mussels, clam fritters, maple-glazed sardines! I'm drooling thinking of all of these innovative recipes that Penny will make (for me 😺)! I recommend this for all omnivores out there who want to try making modern Native cuisine.
Toulouse
Toulouse is a sweet, older gentleman, that loves cuddling while reading a good book. One he recommends that focuses on love and all of the beautiful ways it does and can exist is Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction. From AI rats to indigenous people choosing to protect this planet over colonizing a new one, these stories had a hold on him for a whole weekend. He especially loved reading these stories in between naps so he could dream of different futures himself.
Broozer
Broozer is constantly scared by his own shadow but nothing could stop him from reading Never Whistle at Night. With 26 short stories to invoke all the feelings of dark fiction, he took on the challenge. He jumped off the bed from fright, he whined to his owners when stories got emotionally tough to read, he ran in his kennel when ghosts appeared! He finished triumphantly; we can all appreciate a brave Broozer. He highly recommends this new anthology!
Chloe and Max
These twins saw themselves in the sibling bond between Perry and Pauline. Warrior Girl Unearthed is a beautifully raw and authentic look into the issues Native people, especially youth, are facing today. Perry’s adventure is a story of friendship, family, resilience, and faith. The way Angeline Boulley tackles the complex topics in this novel, while weaving in Anishinaabe language and culture, is masterful. This is a YA novel that is impactful and insightful for young and old cats–and people–alike!
Ryoga
The Marrow Thieves has the most evocative Indigenous speculative fiction premise—Caucasian people have stopped dreaming and are going mad. Indigenous people have dreams stored in their marrow, so they are being hunted down and harvested. Freaky and feels true. Dimaline's first book is a hurtling dystopian adventure, and her second book, Empire of Wild, is also a hunt, but a desperate romantic adventure. Dimaline is Métis, or Michif, and she writes about a traditional hybrid monster who may have stolen her husband's soul. Creepy and also feels true. Cherie Dimaline is an eerie storyteller with a gift for the propulsive narrative!
Ollie
I entered this world from South Dakota, but traveled far to join forces with a girl who dreamed of me for what seemed to be an eternity. It was Make-A-Wish® that made our union possible. My love for my human mommy is boundless, for I am at her side through it all. My human loves humor, and my job is also to entertain her. Since I am a Pug, it comes easy for me to amuse. I am the Jester to my Queen. My Queen finds it difficult most times to pick up this thing that smells very similar to the tall living wood structures outside that she encourages me to pee on. Humans spend many hours looking at these objects, and it appears that it offers some enjoyment. Our palace has many of these items, and the Dowager Queen insists that they are coveted. It is my desire to comply, so we relished The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré. We were swooped through 14-year-old Adunni’s journey and could hardly step away from her story. Adunni is a strong, stubborn fighter who has the reader laugh during the most unexpected moments. Adunni’s experiences is a reminder of the injustices of this world, but provides hope that the human spirit can be victorious over malice. This novel would not be a waste of anyone’s time.
