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I am Maru #1
I Am Maru
Maru, the mischievous male Scottish Fold cat, is an international YouTube sensation—an adorable ball of fur with a penchant for finding remarkably cozy hiding places. Compiled by Maru’s owner, the user-named mugumogu, I Am Maru celebrates the unique abilities of this unforgettable feline contortionist with photographs and text, in English and Japanese. Cat lovers everywhere and readers who made Dewey, Zooborns , and I Can Has Cheezburger phenomenal hits will be delighted to get to know better this endearing celebrity cat with a big personality and an enormous established online fanbase.
96 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
15 people are currently reading
1382 people want to read
About the author
Mugumogu
10 books4 followersMugumogu is the online username for Maru’s owner. She and Maru live in Japan.
Source: http://www.harpercollins.ca/authors/3...
Maru died on September 6, 2025. He was 18 years old.
Source: http://www.harpercollins.ca/authors/3...
Maru died on September 6, 2025. He was 18 years old.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
September 29, 2016
tomorrow maggie gets her biopsy results so i am floating this review so anyone who reads this will be forced to think about her for a second just cuz she's in it so damn much and even if you don't think positive thoughts or prayers or anything, the phenomenon of people simply reading her name will make the results favorable. that's just how it works.
okay, so i am just learning about this maru-cat. i have seen plenty of his escapades on the internet in the past, but i had no idea it was the same damn cat until dana schooled me in internet-cat-trivia, and i kind of fell in love with this book.
so, fine.
i understand and accept that maru is cute, but here's the thing. i have a cat. her name is maggie. and she is really freaking cute. and i do not have the facebook, so i am going to use this space to show off how freaking adorable she is and hopefully by the end of this review, she will be as famous as maru and i can ca$h in on her.
the only thing is, she hates having her picture taken.
so that's a problem.
but it doesn't stop me from hounding her all the time because - again - she is really freaking adorable.
quick book review for integrity's sake.
this book is really cute. maru is a camera-whore, unlike my own dear maggie, and the photography is great and everyone loves the antics of maru. this book is like youtube.com, only it is standing still.
there. now - onto maggie:
come on, internet - she is way cuter than maru, right?
what could be cuter than a cat with a bunch of bananas??
oh my god - a cat using a bunch of bananas as a pillow!! win a million points!
this is me trying to pay some bills:
if i pay those bills, i will have less money to buy her cat toys!
yeah, she's pretty much planted.
this is maggie watching the hurricane. she was unimpressed.
camouflage.
oh my god my cat is so beautiful!
and she gets into everything!
and she is possessed by demons:
but she is so fuzzy, it doesn't matter:
and spooky. very spooky.
sometimes she escapes into the hallway. she thinks we live here, too... and she flirts with all the neighbors.
why sleep in a very nice cat bed when there are boxes around??
she would be cuter if she would stay still every once in a while...
sometimes she likes to bupp up on the table and see what is happening in the sink...
this face means - do not touch me and do not take my picture.
oh, but she knows i am going to...her glare deepens...
aaack!! attack!!
the sharpest little claws!!
she cleans my blood from her paws...
what have we learned here today?
but awww - she is using the gum-bucket as a pillow...
easily forgiven.
man, she really looks pissed in every picture. why does she hate the camera so much??
my cat is the bitchy supermodel.
oh, but god - look how cute.... look at her little handy!!
she is smooshing a stuffed cat with her paw. meowch!
awww and now she is burying her face in this soft pillow that she has since clawed open, causing tiny styrofoam balls to go everywhere...
look how deeply smooshed she is!!
awwww...
she really likes cuddling with "other" cats...
angry-sleepy...
oh, good! i got a package!
more smoosh:
angry smoosh
new bed!!
prefers box:
grooooming!
sometimes she climbs the other people who live here
and then she goes to sleep.
TAKE THAT, MARU!! MAGGIE KICKS YOUR ASS IN CUTENESS!!! GIVE ME INTERNET FAME AND MONIES, PLEASE!!
also - this book is cute. just not as cute as my maggie.
okay, so i am just learning about this maru-cat. i have seen plenty of his escapades on the internet in the past, but i had no idea it was the same damn cat until dana schooled me in internet-cat-trivia, and i kind of fell in love with this book.
so, fine.
i understand and accept that maru is cute, but here's the thing. i have a cat. her name is maggie. and she is really freaking cute. and i do not have the facebook, so i am going to use this space to show off how freaking adorable she is and hopefully by the end of this review, she will be as famous as maru and i can ca$h in on her.
the only thing is, she hates having her picture taken.
so that's a problem.
but it doesn't stop me from hounding her all the time because - again - she is really freaking adorable.
quick book review for integrity's sake.
this book is really cute. maru is a camera-whore, unlike my own dear maggie, and the photography is great and everyone loves the antics of maru. this book is like youtube.com, only it is standing still.
there. now - onto maggie:
come on, internet - she is way cuter than maru, right?
what could be cuter than a cat with a bunch of bananas??
oh my god - a cat using a bunch of bananas as a pillow!! win a million points!
this is me trying to pay some bills:
if i pay those bills, i will have less money to buy her cat toys!
yeah, she's pretty much planted.
this is maggie watching the hurricane. she was unimpressed.
camouflage.
oh my god my cat is so beautiful!
and she gets into everything!
and she is possessed by demons:
but she is so fuzzy, it doesn't matter:
and spooky. very spooky.
sometimes she escapes into the hallway. she thinks we live here, too... and she flirts with all the neighbors.
why sleep in a very nice cat bed when there are boxes around??
she would be cuter if she would stay still every once in a while...
sometimes she likes to bupp up on the table and see what is happening in the sink...
this face means - do not touch me and do not take my picture.
oh, but she knows i am going to...her glare deepens...
aaack!! attack!!
the sharpest little claws!!
she cleans my blood from her paws...
what have we learned here today?
but awww - she is using the gum-bucket as a pillow...
easily forgiven.
man, she really looks pissed in every picture. why does she hate the camera so much??
my cat is the bitchy supermodel.
oh, but god - look how cute.... look at her little handy!!
she is smooshing a stuffed cat with her paw. meowch!
awww and now she is burying her face in this soft pillow that she has since clawed open, causing tiny styrofoam balls to go everywhere...
look how deeply smooshed she is!!
awwww...
she really likes cuddling with "other" cats...
angry-sleepy...
oh, good! i got a package!
more smoosh:
angry smoosh
new bed!!
prefers box:
grooooming!
sometimes she climbs the other people who live here
and then she goes to sleep.
TAKE THAT, MARU!! MAGGIE KICKS YOUR ASS IN CUTENESS!!! GIVE ME INTERNET FAME AND MONIES, PLEASE!!
also - this book is cute. just not as cute as my maggie.
November 15, 2015
I had seen the Maru youtube video of this super cute cat running and sliding into a box but I had no idea it was this Maru cat I've heard so much about until this book. It was adorable and I loved it. Maru is a pretty cute cat, although I think my cats could give him a run for his money.
That's Buns.
That's Binky.
They're sisters.
They like to cuddle. Bad camera angle... Binky isn't that fat. Okay, maybe she is.
That's Reindeer Buns.
That's Santa Binky.
Binky REALLY hated her Santa suit. And it was a little small.
And see? My kitties like boxes too.
My kitties win.
That's Buns.
That's Binky.
They're sisters.
They like to cuddle. Bad camera angle... Binky isn't that fat. Okay, maybe she is.
That's Reindeer Buns.
That's Santa Binky.
Binky REALLY hated her Santa suit. And it was a little small.
And see? My kitties like boxes too.
My kitties win.
May 6, 2023
Maru is a cat, a Scottish Fold Brown Tabby to be exact. Maru means "Round" in Japanese, which is certainly an appropriate name for this cat. Maru is not a particularity affectionate cat, he doesn't like to cuddle or be held. Maru is a happy go lucky feline, a free spirit who likes to do his own thing, which mainly constitutes sitting in boxes, trash bins and paper bags. If you want to read a book all about a cat, then this is the book about a cat that you would want to read. It will make you feel happy
Read
February 16, 2016
Yup, I totally
So adorable!
April 24, 2012
I would have given this five stars had Maru personally delivered my copy to me. Those are just my exacting standards when it comes to photo books about cats who run blogs.
Seriously though, it's Maru! If you're like me and you love Maru and cats in general, the chances are high that you'll really like this book (especially if you find Maru's blog difficult to navigate even with Google translate switched on) but if you've never heard of or dislike Maru and/or you don't care for cats, buying this book would be like me buying a copy of The Daily Mail - it's gonna get your ire up.
It seems like these days, any blog that is even marginally popular gets a book deal and, even though I genuinely like the book, it'd be very unfair of me to say that this book is in any way an exception to this phenomenon. I like it because it's got photos of a cat that I happen to think is adorable but in the wider scope of things, it is really "just another blog book". That's not to say it's not worth reading - if you love Maru, by all means, it is worth having but if you're on the fence, there's nothing in this book that you can't look at on the internet for free.
Seriously though, it's Maru! If you're like me and you love Maru and cats in general, the chances are high that you'll really like this book (especially if you find Maru's blog difficult to navigate even with Google translate switched on) but if you've never heard of or dislike Maru and/or you don't care for cats, buying this book would be like me buying a copy of The Daily Mail - it's gonna get your ire up.
It seems like these days, any blog that is even marginally popular gets a book deal and, even though I genuinely like the book, it'd be very unfair of me to say that this book is in any way an exception to this phenomenon. I like it because it's got photos of a cat that I happen to think is adorable but in the wider scope of things, it is really "just another blog book". That's not to say it's not worth reading - if you love Maru, by all means, it is worth having but if you're on the fence, there's nothing in this book that you can't look at on the internet for free.
April 1, 2015
Maru is so adorable. I've watched a few of his videos on youtube in the past and thought, they were so cute. This was a fun picture book that had some reposts of the author's blog stories that she wrote during Maru's first year with her. Its a great read for cat lovers and also, if you enjoy the Maru's videos.
April 22, 2015
Maru book finally coming to the USA!!! available on pre-order. hope it comes in a box!! LOL
February 24, 2012
If this book had been solely a book of photographs of Maru, I think I would have given it 5 stars. Maru, the cat, is a natural star. I found myself laughing aloud hard over and over at some of the terrific photos of this cat. I can't say I've ever found myself laughing aloud at a book quite the way I did with this one which is the main reason I gave it the rating I did. Maru is irrestistable and many of his expressions and antics are truly priceless! Kudos to the author for the time spent photographing this wonderful cat. Unfortunately, the book suffers because of the rather lame captions on many of the photos, the unnecessary repetition of photos and text, and the author's attempts to explain the Maru videos at the end. I think Maru needs to find someone other than his "housemate" to tell his story.
November 2, 2011
So, I've become a bit obsessed with a Japanese cat named Maru. You can follow his adventures on the web at I am Maru. It's like reading a little picture book each day that always improves my mood.
As for the book, I might've rated it higher if it were physically larger. A lot of the photographs are actually smaller than what I see on the web, but I still rather enjoyed it. Many of the photos are taken from the early days of the blog, new to me, but I'd say mugumogu's photography has gotten better in the past couple years.
In addition to the usual commentary from Maru that serves as captions to the pictures, there's also some behind-the-scenes entries which reveal more about Maru and what life with him is like.
As for the book, I might've rated it higher if it were physically larger. A lot of the photographs are actually smaller than what I see on the web, but I still rather enjoyed it. Many of the photos are taken from the early days of the blog, new to me, but I'd say mugumogu's photography has gotten better in the past couple years.
In addition to the usual commentary from Maru that serves as captions to the pictures, there's also some behind-the-scenes entries which reveal more about Maru and what life with him is like.
April 12, 2018
Damn, I love that cat and that sweet little face (and I'm not a big cat person at all). My daughter and I used to watch the Maru videos on Youtube CONSTANTLY and it's fun to read more about Maru and see some additional pics, although some of the pics are really SMALL. Just a darling book.
September 14, 2011
I was disappointed with this collection about the internet's most famous cat. I wasn't expecting a masterpiece, but this was so disjointed and unoriginal that I feel cheated. If I'd wanted to see unconnected bits of blog postings and videos, I would've gone to the author's blog or YouTube channel and picked segments and sentences at random. (Sorry, Maru! There's only so much that being cute can do for you.)
Read
March 16, 2011Supercalifragilistically adorable? No, it's cute like burning.
March 12, 2020
Loved learning more about this champion of box sliding.
November 8, 2011
Maru is a four year old Scottish Fold cat, in spite of his traditional, upright cat "prick-ears". He and his owner live in Japan. The name "Maru" means "round". When his owner adopted him as a kitten, she felt that everything about him seemed round.
The book is written as if Maru is talking and his owner, as well. It is written in both English and Japanese. Following life with Maru, from kittenhood through the present day, there are numerous photos. We see Maru's many expressions and moods as he shares his likes, dislikes, and habits. There are pages of still shots from his videos, including the famous "sliding into boxes" videos. Maru also shares his favorite toys, costumes and "behind the scenes" information.
Maru is already a worldwide sensation through his many online videos and blog. This book is destined to be a classic among cat lovers. I am definitely hoping for sequels. You just have to love a good pet book, especially one with adorable photos and captions!
The book is written as if Maru is talking and his owner, as well. It is written in both English and Japanese. Following life with Maru, from kittenhood through the present day, there are numerous photos. We see Maru's many expressions and moods as he shares his likes, dislikes, and habits. There are pages of still shots from his videos, including the famous "sliding into boxes" videos. Maru also shares his favorite toys, costumes and "behind the scenes" information.
Maru is already a worldwide sensation through his many online videos and blog. This book is destined to be a classic among cat lovers. I am definitely hoping for sequels. You just have to love a good pet book, especially one with adorable photos and captions!
July 26, 2012
Maru!!!
Who doesn't love Maru?!!
Maru is the kitty who became an internet sensation by sliding into boxes. He's awesome!!
In this book we learn about Maru's early days and his love for boxes, bags, sinks, bathtubs, under the couch, on the couch, on the table, in the garbage bin, and loads of other places. We also learn that he can be a naughty kitty sometimes, but how could you stay mad at that face?
If you love Maru then this book is for you.
And if you don't know who Maru then this is a great introduction to him :)
Also, this book is great for kids. Let them watch a Maru video and then read this book to them. I'm sure they'd get a kick out of seeing where Maru hangs out.
Love love love!
Who doesn't love Maru?!!
Maru is the kitty who became an internet sensation by sliding into boxes. He's awesome!!
In this book we learn about Maru's early days and his love for boxes, bags, sinks, bathtubs, under the couch, on the couch, on the table, in the garbage bin, and loads of other places. We also learn that he can be a naughty kitty sometimes, but how could you stay mad at that face?
If you love Maru then this book is for you.
And if you don't know who Maru then this is a great introduction to him :)
Also, this book is great for kids. Let them watch a Maru video and then read this book to them. I'm sure they'd get a kick out of seeing where Maru hangs out.
Love love love!
August 27, 2012
If you love Maru, you will love this book.
If you love cats, but don't know who Maru is, you will like this book...and then check out the Maru video clips on YouTube and then love the book.
I liked how the text and captions were in both Japanese and English. They are brief, and gentle with their humour. It was especially nice to find out some background to Maru the cat and what he is like to live with, beyond what we see in the videos, of course.
The photos themselves made me laugh, smile and say 'awww'. I showed this book to a few cat loving coworkers and they loved it. Some had not heard of Maru before and ended up greatly amused when they checked out the videos. Hello, new Maru fans!
I just found out that there is a second Maru book out! Must track down!
If you love cats, but don't know who Maru is, you will like this book...and then check out the Maru video clips on YouTube and then love the book.
I liked how the text and captions were in both Japanese and English. They are brief, and gentle with their humour. It was especially nice to find out some background to Maru the cat and what he is like to live with, beyond what we see in the videos, of course.
The photos themselves made me laugh, smile and say 'awww'. I showed this book to a few cat loving coworkers and they loved it. Some had not heard of Maru before and ended up greatly amused when they checked out the videos. Hello, new Maru fans!
I just found out that there is a second Maru book out! Must track down!
March 17, 2012
On May 24, 2007, a little fluffy Scottish Fold kitten named Maru was born. A few short months later, he had become a big fluffy Scottish Fold cat, and was world famous for his propensity for sliding into boxes, a trait chronicled by his housemate mugumogu on YouTube. This copiously illustrated volume in English and Japanese reveals the feline superstar’s private life, from his complicated relationship with bags (a bug once bit him on the nose when he was investigating one, so now he treats them with caution) to his love of tuna. A sweet little bit of fluff, unlike its mischievous star.
August 24, 2011
Okay, you don't really read this. It's more of a picture book with some cute captions and lots of pictures of Maru. Some of them are his kitten pictures. This is a must for fans of Maru's You Tube videos.
December 26, 2012
What can I say? This is a super cute book, with funny adorable pictures of Maru the internet-sensation cat throughout. And the outside cover opens up into a poster! It does what it says on the tin. Perfect for cheering me up on a down day!
November 10, 2014
If you've followed Maru at all on Youtube then you know what to expect from this book. Mostly just a random collection of pictures and very little text, this is a quick book to wander through, but left a smile on my face regardless.
May 6, 2015
ridiculously adorable.
but best in video form to show off his skillz!
but best in video form to show off his skillz!
October 16, 2016
Fluffy thing
August 28, 2024
brb gonna publish a completely self indulgent book on my cat exactly like this only for me
June 17, 2013
C'est un livre de table tout à fait charmant. L'auteur explique un peu l'histoire de ce scottish fold tigré marron à chaussettes et gants blancs, né le 24 mai 2007. Il lui donne la parole et lui fait raconter de nombreux anecdotes sur sa vie de félin, ses lubies, ses coups de coeur. Bon, les textes n'ont pas vraiment d'importance puisque ce sont les photos qui font le charme de ce livre illustré. Ce chat est vraiment mignon. Je suis sûr que vous craquerez pour lui.
Voir mon commentaire complet sur : http://clodjee.blogspot.ca/2013/06/mo...
Voir mon commentaire complet sur : http://clodjee.blogspot.ca/2013/06/mo...
May 6, 2015
Who doesn't love Maru?
I think the entire world has seen this cat at least once on the internet. If you managed not to yet....how?
He's a fun, fluffy, round, cat who loves all things boxy. His ever-mysterious human, mugumogu put together this little book showcasing this little YouTube star for the world to enjoy. It's a light read, fun, funny, full of pictures, and narrated by the fluffy furball himself. The dual language is great for those learning and practicing Japanese. Fun for everyone.
I think the entire world has seen this cat at least once on the internet. If you managed not to yet....how?
He's a fun, fluffy, round, cat who loves all things boxy. His ever-mysterious human, mugumogu put together this little book showcasing this little YouTube star for the world to enjoy. It's a light read, fun, funny, full of pictures, and narrated by the fluffy furball himself. The dual language is great for those learning and practicing Japanese. Fun for everyone.
September 28, 2018
3.5 stars overall, because the text was kind of boring....but One Million Heart-Eyed Emojis for Photo Cuteness (because Maru is beyond adorable and I want to hug him and squeeze him and hold him and love him and make him my very bestest friend forever and ever and ever!)
This was a good distraction to browse through while on break these past couple days.
This was a good distraction to browse through while on break these past couple days.
September 10, 2011
This book is great for Maru fans. I love the pictures, the captions, and just learning more about him. I give this book five stars because Maru makes me smile, and I never get tired of watching him dive into a box.
September 26, 2011
An unique book of 90 pages with images and text in english and japanese about the great Youtube sensation. If you're a fan of Maru or kittens, you'll love this book just like I did. It's so fun and beautiful.
November 27, 2016
If you love cats this is a cute book for you. Nice photos and a little bit of commentary about Maru's housecat exploits. I recommend the youtube videos though. It is more fun to watch Maru scooting about in his boxes than seeing still photos of it.
May 3, 2017
Maru, the male Scottish Fold cat, is an adorable ball of fur with a penchant for finding remarkably cozy hiding places. I Am Maru celebrates the abilities of this feline contortionist with photographs and text, in English and Japanese. Cute and a short read
Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews