Wherever you work, there’s always that one coworker. They interrupt you when you’re trying to get important work done. They show up on your video calls, whether you want them to or not. They don’t understand the meaning of personal space. And in these days, where more of us are working from home than ever, that coworker tends to be your cat.
Meet Peanut. Peanut is a typical cat, wanting to be the center of attention, wanting naps in warm places, wanting treats (loudly), and wanting to push all the beverages off the table they’re sitting on.
Author/illustrator Heidi Moreno loves her cat Peanut—that’s obvious. They are two peas in a pod. And when she tries to get some work done, Peanut is always there. He’s there lying in the sink when she’s brushing her teeth. He’s sitting on her computer keyboard, chasing the cursor across the screen like a cool new bug. He meows to be let out. And then he meows to be let back in.
When she’s on a video call, Peanut is there. When she’s trying to paint, Peanut is there, walking across her palette, getting paint on his paws . . . and then the sofa. And the coffee table. When it’s time to make dinner, Peanut is there, wanting to stick his paw into the hot pan.
And at night, when she’s tired and unhappy, Peanut is there, supplying her with all the love she needs to cheer her up.
Working at Home with a Cat is the, as in THE, book to sum up working from home this year. The illustrations are adorable, filled with bright colors and whimsy and all the amazing and irritating aspects of being a cat parent. Cats can be needy, but they are also entertaining. They get in the way, but they keep you from getting lonely. They can be exasperating, but they have so much love to share.
I absolutely loved this book. It is adorable and such a celebration of the best things (and other things) of living with a cat. Looking at these illustrations, you can feel all the frustration, anxiety, admiration, enjoyment, and pure love of having a cat, and every page is a reminder of all the ways that cats fill our lives, our homes, and our hearts with joy.
In short, buy this book for all the cat lovers in your life! It will make them happy! I know this for certain, because it made me happy.
Egalleys for Working from Home with a Cat were provided by Chronicle Books, with many thanks.
