Sammy's Shelf August 2014: Bears, dogs, dinosaurs and sharks but NOT many cats ... I was looking for something to read. I went through my person's pile of books and couldn't find a single one featuring a cat so I had to settle for Frank Asch's Mooncake (Aladdin. 9781442494046). This series of books has a Moonbear as the main character. I'm not sure exactly what a Moonbear is, but he is small, very brown and seems to have a fixation about the moon. In this book Moonbear wonders what the Moon tastes like, so he devises a scheme to find out. It all boils down to creating a rocket ship that will take the furry little guy up into the sky. Well, one thing leads to another and the silly bear actually thinks he gets to the moon and samples it with a spoon. Actually that's not what really happens but I'll let you read this picture book to see why Moonbear believes he has tasted the Moon. I'll give you a hint, though. What he actually nibbles on is very cold, white and soft and melts in his mouth. NO! It is not ice cream! Guess again! This innocuous picture book is ok if you like bears who aren't terribly bright, but this underscores a problem. I found six books featuring DOGS, three about FISH, five about DINOSAURS, five about different kinds of fish and eight about BEARS. Were there any about CATS? You know the answer is a resounding, 'NO!' And that really upsets me. What's the deal here? Why aren't kitties better represented in the picture book world? We are cute, smart, and children are certainly familiar with us, so why aren't there more books that feature CATS? I mean even elephants and hippos are better represented than felines. Come on guys, get with it and start coming up with more books with adorable kitties, or clever kitties with attitudes, or intelligent kitties who solve crimes. Oh, wait a minute, there are some crime solving cats out there so that's OK. Let's just focus on picture books. There is obviously a scarcity of good books featuring my kind so get with the program, writers, and do something about this dearth of literary material featuring domesticated, intelligent, personable, and charming felines. If you need a role model, I'm available between the hours of noon and 5 pm so just drop me an email! Sammy shares living quarters with Bob Walch. Not only does Bob provide the basic essentials for this loquacious feline but he occasionally offers editorial assistance. Find more of the Maine Coon's musings at CoastTraveler.com. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons.