Cat’s Cafe is a happy place. Cat serves coffee along with kindness, acceptance, and emotional support for every creature who comes through the door. The cast of characters in this delightful book of comics come to life with whimsical colors and genuine personalities. Rabbit is nervous serving customers in the cafe. Penguin is there often, a true lover of coffee. Gator is a little shy but a really good artist. Snake understands that he looks scary, but underneath that he just wants friends. And there are so many more animals in the village.
The comics in Cat’s Cafe cover a broad range of topics, loneliness, anxiety, stress, friendship, and depression. These characters are there for each other, supporting each other, accepting each other for who they are, and bringing out the best in each other. The gentle humor and overall warmth of Cat’s Cafe make it a lovely, healing, relaxing place to be.
When I first started reading this book, I thought it would be a fun way to spend some time, a light read to take me out of the stress of the day. And it was. But it was so much more than that. These characters were so generous with each other, so loyal and encouraging, that my heart and soul were lifted. The more I read, the more I wanted to buy several copies and wrap them off and send them to anyone I know who struggles with anxiety or depression, or who is just going through a difficult time. Cat’s Cafe is simply the place I want to be right now.
Author/illustrator Matt Tarpley clearly understands the emotional life of an anxious human. He not only understands the emotions, he can express them through his characters, and he can use the other characters in that comic to demonstrate the best, kindest way to respond. These comics could be seen as a vibrantly fun masterclass in communicating difficult emotions. This could be a perfect way to teach individuals, young and old, how to talk about their own feelings as well as how to empathize with others. That’s the genius of Cat’s Cafe. It seems so innocent, so adorable, and then you’re crying because there is a sudden and powerful truth that shakes you to your core.
I loved this book so much, and I highly recommend Cat’s Cafe to anyone going through a hard time who could use supportive words from adorable, colorful animals who love each other and coffee. Which, I think, is everyone at some point in their lives. Buy it for your kids, but make sure to read it yourself too. It’s worth your time.
Galleys for Cat’s Cafe were provided by Andrews McMeel Publishing through NetGalley, with many thanks.