Black Cat Appreciation Day
The CBC Holidays Series explores stories that relate to specific holidays so that readers of all ages can celebrate in the best way… with a good book!
Yesterday was National Black Cat Appreciation Day, where we celebrate these felines that often get a bad rap. Many people are aware of how unlucky it can be to have a black cat cross your path; however, this superstition was created way back in the Middle Ages to cause fear about witches and their beloved pets. Before, black cats were often seen as the opposite, a sign of positivity, good luck, and prosperity. Let’s not forget the popular black cats we’ve seen on TV: Salem from Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Gigi from Kiki’s Delivery Service, and even Thackery Binx from Hocus Pocus. These felines are loyal, loving, and sometimes very funny, just like any other cat. So let’s put the superstition aside and appreciate the black cats in our lives today!
Anton and Cecil, Book 1: Cats at Sea, by Lisa Martin and Valerie Martin; illus. Kelly Murphy (Algonquin Young Readers) — Fiction, Prose, Animals, Action / Adventure, ages 7-12.
Black Cat & White Cat, by Claire Garralon (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky) — Fiction, Board Book, Animals, Concepts, ages 0-3.
Bruno, the Standing Cat, by Nadine Robert; illus. Jean Jullien (Random House Books for Young Readers) — Fiction, Picture Book, Animals, Humor, ages 4-6.
Cosas de Bruja, by Mariasole Brusa and Marta Sevilla (NubeOcho) — Fiction, Picture Book, Spanish, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Humor, ages 4-6.
How to Be a Cat, by Nikki McClure (ABRAMS / Harry N. Abrams) — Fiction, Board Book, Animals, Concepts, ages 0-3.
Kaspar the Titanic Cat, by Michael Morpurgo; illus. Michael Foreman (HarperCollins / Balzer + Bray) — Fiction, Prose, Animals, Action / Adventure, ages 7-12.
Kitty’s Magic 2: Shadow the Lonely Cat, by Ella Moonheart (Bloomsbury USA Childrens) — Fiction, Picture Book, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Animals, ages 7-12.
The Revenge of the Black Cat: Swiss Myths, by Katja Alves; translated by David Henry Wilson (NorthSouth Books) — Fiction, Picture Book, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Animals, ages 4-6.
Sabrina the Teenage Witch, by Kelly Thompson and Veronica Fish (Archie Comics) — Fiction, Graphic Novel, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Humor, Series, Teen.
Super Cats: True Stories of Felines that Made History, by Elizabeth MacLeod (Annick Press) — Nonfiction, Picture Book, Animals, History, ages 7-12.
The School for Cats, written and illustrated by Esther Averill (New York Review Books) — Fiction, Picture Book, Animals, Series, ages 4-6.
Temple Alley Summer, by Sachiko Kashiwaba, translated by Avery Fischer Udagawa; illus. Miho Satake (Restless Books for Young Readers) — Fiction, Picture Book, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Animals, ages 7-12.
Up Cat Down Cat, written and illustrated by Steve Light (Candlewick Press) — Fiction, Board Book, Animals, Concepts, ages 0-3.
Weird But True Halloween, by Julie Beer and Michelle Harris (National Geographic Books) — Fiction, Picture Book, Holidays, Animals, Series, ages 7-12.
The Wicked Cat, by Christopher Pike (Simon & Schuster / Aladdin) — Fiction, Prose, Animals, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Thriller ages 7-12.
Celebrate Black Cat Appreciation Day by reading a book!
List compiled by CBC’s resident holiday expert, Sommer Wissner. Check out other CBC Holiday book lists on our blog.
