SUNDAY BOOKS & CULTURE - Holiday Book Gift Ideas
Penny Parrish suggests Tomas Schlesser’s “Mona’s Eyes” for the art lover on your list, and Jeff Bogle’s guidebook “Street Cats & Where to Find Them” for your feline focused friends and family.
MONA’S EYES
By Thomas Schlesser
Published by Europa books (August 26, 2025)
Hardcover $26.04
Audiobook $14.99
Reviewed by Penny Parrish
A little girl, ten-year-old Mona, suddenly goes blind. The loss of sight doesn’t last long, but it terrifies Mona and her family, who send her to a doctor to find out if the threat of permanent vision loss is in her future. Her beloved grandfather Henry tells Mona’s parents that he is taking her to see a child psychiatrist to deal with this, but instead he takes her to view a masterpiece of art every Wednesday for 52 weeks. He is hoping that if Mona does lose her sight, she will have experienced the beauty found in the Louvre, the Musee d’Orsay and the Pompidou Center.
Each chapter focuses on Mona and Henry, as well as her schooling, her friends, her parents, and their store. And each chapter brings Mona and Henry to a work of art, where the girl learns about the art and the artist. Readers will find written descriptions of each masterpiece and much more: the author has all 52 pieces printed on the dust jacket of the book. So as you read the stories, you can also look at the art. It’s a charming way to see the major galleries in Paris (especially since the Pompidou is closed until 2030). The love between Henry and her grandfather is powerful and so is the art.
The author is a French art historian, professor and author. The book was a best-seller in France and has now been published in English. I read it over several weeks, a piece or two of art before bedtime. This is a wonderful gift for the lovers of art and family dynamics.
STREET CATS & WHERE TO FIND THEM
by Jeff Bogle
Published by Running Press (August 19, 2025)
Hardcover $23.04
Audiobook $14.99
Reviewed by Penny Parrish
This is an unusual guidebook by a cat-loving author. He did not grow up with cats, and when his girlfriend took in her aunt’s kitties, Bogle was forced to deal with the furry felines. Four hours later, one was on his lap – and the rest is history as they say.
As a writer, the author traveled frequently, and always found street cats during his journeys. Some were friendly, some wanted to be left alone, and some needed food and medical care. Bogle and his camera captured the cats in cities around the world and he gives “cat cuddle” ratings to each place.
For example, Lima, Peru (5 cuddles – the highest rating), Matera, Italy (1 cuddle aka “leave us alone”), Dubrovnik (4 cuddles which I can attest to since I’ve been there and cuddled with a few myself), and even Tangier Island, Virginia (4 cuddles from cats that outnumber island residents).
The photography is excellent, and the writing is witty and full of information – even which airports will bring you closest to the cats in each city. The guidebook also suggests places to stay and eat, and most important – charities in each city that help to care for the felines. The book ends with information on locations of cat museums, festivals, and oddities.
This is a purrfect (sorry, I could not resist) gift for the cat lover in your family.
Penny A Parrish is a long-time book reviewer and artist. Learn more about her by visiting her page at Brush Strokes Gallery, which is in downtown Fredericksburg.
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