Sōsuke Natsukawa Boeken

Nanami sees nothing wrong with a library and cat combination. But a talking cat is a whole other story. Thirteen-year-old Nanami Kosaki loves reading. The local library is a home from home and books have become her best friends. When Nanami notices books disappearing from the library shelves, she's particularly curious about a suspicious man in a grey suit whose furtive behaviour doesn't feel right. Should she follow him to see what he's up to? When a talking tabby cat called Tiger appears to warn her about how dangerous that would be, together they're brave enough to follow the frightening trail to find out where all the books have gone. Will Nanami and Tiger overcome the challenges of the adventure ahead? Warm, wonderful and wise, Sosuke Natsukawa's The Cat Who Saved the Library is also a powerful lesson never to underestimate the value of great literature, and a reminder always to think for ourselves, no matter what our charismatic leaders might say. Translated from Japanese by Louise Heal Kawai

Bookish high school student Rintaro Natsuki is about to close the secondhand bookshop he inherited from his beloved grandfather. Then, a talking cat named Tiger appears with an unusual request. The cat needs Rintaro's help to save books that have been imprisoned, destroyed and unloved. Their mission sends this odd couple on an amazing journey, where they enter different labyrinths to set books free. Through their travels, Tiger and Rintaro meet a man who locks up his books, an unwitting book torturer who cuts the pages of books into snippets to help people speed read, and a publisher who only wants to sell books like disposable products. Then, finally, there is a mission that Rintaro must complete alone...

After the Japanese phenomenon "The Cat Who Loved Books," comes a novel that offers a new and unforgettable tribute to literature. Young Nanami cannot participate in extracurricular activities due to her asthma, but she loves reading and spending time in the library, surrounded by stories. One day, Nanami realizes that, despite the library being as little frequented as always, her favorite books are gradually disappearing. When she alerts the staff, no one takes her seriously. But then Nanami encounters a mysterious man in a gray suit. She tries to follow him, but fails, and he leaves behind only a strange beam of light among the shelves. It is then that Tora, the favorite cat of readers, comes to the rescue. Will they be able to overcome the challenges that await them together?