图书馆里的猫 (2008)

《小猫杜威》（英语：Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World）是美国著名图书馆猫杜威·乐读·布克斯的传记，于2008年出版，作者是曾任史班赛公共图书馆馆长的薇奇·麦仑和书刊编辑布赖特·维特（Bret Witter）。

该书出版后广受欢迎，被翻译成多国语言，并在全球售出一百万本，登上《纽约时报》、《华尔街日报》等各大媒体的畅销书排行榜。

2010年，薇奇·麦仑和布赖特·维特推出了续集《杜威的九生九世》。

背景

1988年的一个冬日，还是小猫的杜威·乐读·布克斯被爱荷华州史班赛公共图书馆发现和收养，从此在该处住上数十年，受到小镇居民的欢迎，甚至世界各地也有不少慕名而来见它的访客。图书馆女馆长薇奇·麦仑与其他工作人员对杜威有着深厚的感情，杜威甚至成为薇奇·麦仑对抗癌症的动力，还间接改善了麦蓉与其女儿裘蒂的关系。

中文版本

2009年，《小猫杜威》的简体中文版本由上海译文出版社引进出版。同年，台湾的皇冠出版社出版繁体中文版本。

评价

美国作家、畅销书《诺顿三部曲》作者彼得·盖泽斯表示：“我的‘诺顿’铁定会非常非常喜欢杜威——这只猫和这本书！”。而前爱荷华州长夫人克莉丝汀·薇莎克则赞许说：“薇琪这本精采动人的传记，为史班赛这只赫赫有名的图书馆人气猫加持出了第十条性命！”。

在《小猫杜威》于台湾出版时，作家深雪、台北市流浪猫保护协会理事长崔智映、中华民国流浪动物花园协会秘书长Steel等人皆表示推荐及作出正面评价。

改编作品

新线影业在《小猫杜威》出版后买下了该书的改编权，计划拍摄电影《杜威》（Dewey），预定由梅丽尔·斯特里普出演主角薇奇·麦仑，马迪·伯恩和威克·格德菲伊担任执行制片人，帕米拉·格雷撰写剧本。但该电影的拍摄终被搁置，薇奇·麦仑本人也不满意剧本的内容。

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World is a best-selling non-fiction book published in September 2008. The book recounts the life of Dewey Readmore Books, the cat in residence at the Spencer Public Library in Spencer, Iowa.

Grand Central Publishing paid $1.2 million to Vicki Myron, head librarian, and co-author Bret Witter for the rights to the cat's life story. In addition to discussing Dewey's life from his discovery in the library drop bin on a cold winter's night, to his unlikely fame, to his death in 2006, Myron covers issues in her life as she dealt with illness and the challenges of being a single mother. Dewey is portrayed as a loving cat who primarily lived in the library and connected with patrons.

The book was also published in London and translated into numerous languages. It "sold more than a million copies worldwide and stayed on bestseller lists for six months." While a film adaptation was discussed in 2008, with Meryl Streep to play Myron, the project was never fully developed. As of May 2012, a final script had not been approved and the option was due to expire in June.

The book's success led to two different children's editions being adapted from this story, for readers of different levels, as well as different editions of audiobooks for children and adults. Myron and Witter published a sequel in 2011, Dewey's Nine Lives and a children's picture book that same year.

Reception

A reviewer for Teacher Librarian wrote, "Any cat lover or pet owner should be charmed by this story of a wonderful feline."

Adaptations

This was also published as an audiobook in 2008.

In November 2008, it was announced that a feature film was being adapted from the book, and was expected to star Meryl Streep as Myron. The project is still listed on IMDb as "in development". As of May 2012, a final script had not been produced, and the option was due to expire in June 2012.

Variations and sequels

The success of the book for adults inspired Myron and Witter and their publishers to create different adaptations and editions for children, variations of the original account, as well as a sequel for adults.

Dewey: There's a Cat in the Library! (2009) is a picture book written for younger children, a variation of the book written for adult audiences. Published by R.R. Bowker, it has watercolor illustrations.

The School Library Journal (SLJ) said,

This heartwarming picture book is based on the authors' adult title, Dewey (Grand Central, 2008). It describes how on a cold night Myron found a tiny kitten in the return box at Spencer Public Library in Iowa, and the feline's impact on the library community. Dewey Readmore Books overcame unpleasant encounters with young children who picked him up upside down or petted him the wrong way and settled in, "happy" to help people. The realistic illustrations, done in vibrant watercolors, bring the tale to life (the orange cat's expressions are priceless). The story moves along swiftly, and will be a hit with readers requesting animal books.

A reviewer at School Librarian wrote,

The attractive full colour illustrations have a photographic quality while the children reflect a variety of backgrounds. Paw print end papers are well-matched to this heart-warming story... The observation that Dewey 'read with the mummies and grandmas [and] helped the daddies work' may well be true but could be interpreted as gender stereotyping in a 21st century library. Nonetheless this is an endearing read which will appeal to children under eight and librarians/catlovers of all ages.

Another children's version, Dewey: The True Story of a World-Famous Library Cat (2010), also known as Dewey: The Library Cat, was written for middle-grade readers and also published by R.R. Bowker.

SLJ reviewed Dewey: The True Story of a World-Famous Library Cat: