Cat in the Christmas Tree

by Callie Smith Grant (Editor)

Christmas is a time for joy, wonder, and a little bit of mischief. Does any creature manifest these attitudes better than a cat? Their fascination with all those breakable ornaments on the tree and their appreciation of a cozy spot to nap seem made for the season. The way they alternate between calm and crazy echoes the way we all feel at Christmas, doesn't it? And that's just what you get with The Cat in the Christmas Tree .

This collection of true, feel-good holiday stories by various writers celebrates the gift of cats and delivers all the warm fuzzies you could desire. It's the perfect companion for those magical Christmas evenings in front of the fireplace with your favorite feline. It also makes the purrfect gift for cat-loving friends.

Genres: Christmas, Nonfiction, Cats, Animals, Holiday

192 pages, Paperback

Published October 11, 2022

About the author

Callie Smith Grant is the editor of A Prince among Dogs and A Dickens of a Cat. She is also the author of several nonfiction books for young readers and adults as well as many animal-themed stories and poems which can be seen in Guideposts anthologies and in magazines such as Small Farmers Journal.

Reviews

[Maxine (Booklover Catlady) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely collection of heart warming cat tales, with different felines taking centre stage at Christmas time. I like reading anthologies and short stories, they are great if short on time or attention span for a whole book. Usually I’d read in bite size pieces but I whizzed through this over a couple of hours.

I can honestly say I liked every single story, often in a collection like this you lean to some and not so much others. So that was a great surprise. If you are a cat fan you will know and laugh at the well known antics that are unique to cats from head bonks to impatient noisy meowing and crazy zoomies time around the house. Each story features unique cats, often many! From regal Siamese to feisty rescue cats, lazy cats, downright naughty cats and of course stories of the great cat nurses. The ones that know we need them at difficult times who don’t leave your side. Not to mention various responses to the interesting and tempting Christmas tree. Each cat is so special that is included.

I’ve owned cats all my life, my own two cats I have now are truly my best friends. They’ve got me through incredibly difficult times. Every writer that contributes to this collection is a cat lover and it shows. Each feline is special and the story of how the cat or cats came to be in their lives are varied and interesting. It’s a really great book. I’m very impressed. Each writer has a load of published works, many with awards and all with a great love for our feline friends.

This is the perfect book for anytime of the year but with Christmas soon approaching I highly recommend getting this one early for the cat lover in your life and get a copy for yourself also. I absolutely loved getting lost in these purrfectly written cat tails..I mean tales. 5 solid paw prints from me for this one. Just lovely. Highly recommended for any cat fan or animal lover. I’d love this to be under my Christmas tree!

A huge thanks to Revell for my review copy via NetGalley.

Thanks so much for reading my review of this book. Join me as a friend or follower and feel free to browse my shelves for your next great book! I love to connect with other readers.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cat in the Christmas Tree is a delightful non-fiction book. It has three-to-four-page stories authors have contributed to the book about their cats taking place at Christmas time.
Mostly about kittens gotten around Christmas time, it is quite the entertaining read.
As you can imagine with cats, rascals as we all know, there are quite a few stories about cats in the Christmas tree, those trees falling down, decorations smashing and the like. Read this purr and cuddle filled book, perfect for all cat lovers. I think you'll enjoy it as much as I have.

Published October 11,22.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[Monica Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely delightful collection of stories of kitties and their shenanigans during and around the Christmas season.

As a slave to two kitties myself, I found myself nodding and laughing constantly and the assertion by many of the authors that they rescued kitties and then found themselves rescued right back, is definitely something I totally agreed with!

If you are looking for a fun but also meaningful selection of stories, you are in the right place :)

Lovely to take a break from the world and all its woes and count my blessings.

5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Revell.

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.


Do you like cats? Do you like cat shenanigans? Do you like heart-warming stories? Do you love Christmas? Well then you, just like I did, should read this absolutely hilarious book featuring many short stories from people about cats! In this book we get 27 short stories written by various people about their cats. From rescues on the day itself or near the day, to the experience of a kitten’s first Christmas, to finding happiness in a cat, to having a hoot about a cat who brought a present for her owner during a party, to pure chaos as the tree is being set up and is ready, to kids and their love for animals. I loved that the ages of the cats varied. Plus, I loved that while Christmas is the central theme, we also read a bit of a backstory on the cats, on the people, on the family. I loved that!

There is something for everyone and I was just devouring this book because it was just way too fun. I am sadly without cats, because of allergies, but I just love cats. I am the kind of girl who, despite all this, will give some pets and love to the cats she sees on her walk. Just like Rin in Love Live who is an absolute cat lover, but also very allergic. We both just cannot keep our distance from cats. So a book about cats? During the most fun holiday after Halloween (yes, sorry Christmas, but Halloween is an absolute winner)? I needed this.

I loved that the stories weren’t all funny (though I definitely wouldn’t have minded it, haha), there are some more serious. Some made me sad (but also happy at the end). Some a bit too American (I am sorry, I am a Dutch girl and very sober about things).

And just look at that cover? I just want to grab that tiny little kitty and give it a big big hug!

I definitely would recommend this book to all and as for me? I am going to see what this editor has done more and if there are more books like this about cats.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Sheila Samuelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5 Stars!!
Review:
Thank you to Revell for sending me this FREE COPY to read and review for them as part of their Review Crew.

This was only the 2nd Book ive read by Callie so i knew what to expect and i have to say i loved this one just as much as i did her first book Second Chance Cats. Throughout the book it contained cute stories about Cats and Kittens causing Joy and Mischief during Christmas Time with Ornaments and Trees.

I loved all the stories which was hard to pick just one as my favorite.

If you love reading Non-Fiction Books about Cats then this one is just for you. Can't wait to read more by Callie in the future!!

[MKF · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know this is a Christmas book and that it's a Christian holiday which is why the majority are religious but there are other people who celebrate the holiday as well. Some stories though briefly mention Christmas and there's even a story that's not even about a real cat but a cat figurine. There is even a story of a woman sewing cat toys and she doesn't have a cat either. You would think a book that claims to be cat stories would be about actual cats but apparently not in this book. It leaves me to wonder how the author picked the stories included in this book.
There are other problems and one of them is found in almost every cat book. At least the stories were short and it was a quick read which was a good thing because I almost didn't finish it. Others will love and enjoy this book but it just wasn't for me.
*Do not give animals as gifts to anybody.*

[JoJo Bookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

I chose this book as part of my Christmas readathon due to the inclusion of cats, as I am a browbeaten human owned by 2 very demanding moggies. However, I feel as if I have read a very different book to the reviews I have seen on Goodreads and Amazon. I did not find this an enjoyable book, the short stories didn’t resonate with me and I felt that the writing could have been so much better (or maybe it just needed different stories). I love cats and find them endlessly amusing, but the stories seemed to lack the comedy I felt they were trying to put across. It may have been lost in translation (many seemed to be written by American authors).

This book didn’t top my tree this year!

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

The Cat in the Christmas Tree is a heartwarming collection of reader stories and anecdotes curated and edited by Callie Smith Grant. Released 11th Oct 2022 by Revell, it's 192 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats.

These are just as described, funny, heartwarming, and full of feline mischief. Most of the recollections and stories are 3-4 pages and readers will definitely recognize themselves in many of their own interactions with the cats in their lives. There are stories of cats playing in Christmas trees, upending decorations, and bringing joy and love (and purrs) to their humans.

The writing is variable since the stories are sent in by individual contributors, but all of them are easy to read and enjoy. The stories are all Christmas themed and feature kitties in all their mischievous glory. 

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a charming and amusing set of short memories about sharing Christmas with a cat or cats. Each is an individual, quirks, loves, hates, moods and voices. Some climb the Christmas tree and some don't. Some steal the ornaments and some ignore them. Some play with dogs, some stand up to dog bullies. More than a few bring home gifts of rodents, but the unharmed bat takes the prize.

Despite the lightness and charm, we find the authors' serious life moments. A Christmas after a friend or a family member has passed away. Moving house, first Christmas as a couple, a baby expected.

The one story with no real cat, tells of a little girl who made a model cat for the crib, since she knew a stable needs a cat to keep down pests. Quite right too.

Each author is a serious and awarded or published writer, some with novels to their credit, so the stories are well written.

Enjoy. I downloaded an e-ARC from Netgalley. This is an unbiased review.

[Teena in Toronto · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love reading stories about animals. We have two cats we got from a rescue (and I volunteer for that rescue) so this book caught my eye.

This book has 27 short stories about people who have cats and their antics around Christmastime. Not surprisingly, there are a couple stories about trees being toppled and ornaments being broken. It's a quick read and the stories were cute and heartwarming.

I was surprised, though, at the amount of people in the stories who let their cats outside. I live on a busy street and our cats are never allowed outside. They are happy and safe with their inside world because they don't know any better (indoor cats have longer lifespans).

Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2022/11...

[Carolyn Amate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a real cat lover and was so excited to get this fun book to read!
The Cat In The Christmas Tree was the most adorable book! The book had such cute short Christmas stories about kitties. This was a beautiful wonderful book for anyone who loves Christmas and cats!

Very creative and full of warmth and fun. I highly recommend this book!

Thanks to Netgalley and Baker Publishing for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

#TheCatInTheChristmasTree
#Netgalley

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book full of stories of cats and their Christmas antics. Whether destroying decorations on a tree or ripping up wrapping paper, all the stories are sweet and a lovely read. Most of the stories are upbeat and funny but some are a little more heartwarming. I love this book. It's would be a great gift for any animal lover.

[bookwyrmemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cats + Christmas = Purrfect Combination. This was a delightful nonfiction book featuring numerous short-stories of the fun and zany antics of cats during Christmas time. From cats in Christmas trees to decorations being smashed, this was a lovely collection of heartwarming cat tales.

Rated: 4.0/5.0

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being owned by several cats myself, this book is right up my alley. I enjoyed reading about the antics of the adorable cats in each story. I recommend this book to all, even non-cat owners. Thanks to the authors, Revell, and NetGalley.

[JoAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Cat in the Christmas Tree is the very nice collection of true stories based on cats. I definitely recommend this book to cat lovers. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my book. This is my unbiased review.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with the cute cover and loved the sweet story about Christmas and felines. As I'm owned by three cats I shared some experiences with the writers and loved the story.
Perfect for cat lovers.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

[Mamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet, entertaining collection, every cat owner who reads this book will simultaneously picture the story's cats and their own cats creating Christmas mayhem and memories. Good for Christmas in July or a cat themed Advent book share.

[Alana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great heartwarming seasonal stories. Few had me in tears(in a good way).


(Received free through Goodreads First Reads)

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A light and fun read.

[Terry McCauley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, heartwarming cat stories!