A Carnival of Cats

5 Star Review

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Editorial Book Review:

By Alexia Brown

A Carnival of Cats stands out because it celebrates the feline world with a tenderness and curiosity that feel both familiar and surprisingly deep. Dan gathers sixty three poems and pairs them with watercolor illustrations to create a collection that is playful on the surface yet layered with meaning. The book is important because it shows that animals are more than just friends or things to look at; they are also mirrors that show us our own hopes, fears, and quiet desires.

Reading this book is like going to a museum of real-life events. Each poem makes you feel a little better, like happiness, nostalgia, or the soft ache that comes from remembering a pet that has died. Dan's writing is soft and inviting, which makes readers want to learn more about the inner lives of creatures that don't often show themselves directly. There is happiness, but there is also peace and quiet. The experience encourages you to slow down and notice things you might otherwise overlook.

The themes reach beyond cats. Dan looks into friendship, being alone, memory, instinct, and the weak ties between species. These ideas resonate because they speak to the universal desire to understand beings who cannot speak our language yet communicate so much through presence. His poems often hint at the mystery that exists between people and animals. They remind us that relationships can form through looks, gestures, and shared silence.

Dan's craft is clear in the way he uses images and the way he uses rhythm. His poems are short and often make you think, but they stick with you. One memorable line describes a stray cat as "a whisper crossing the alley," which shows both how fleeting and free it is. Another one shows how funny and silly cats can be, turning a simple stretch of sunlight into a graceful moment.

In the end, A Carnival of Cats is a warm, thoughtful collection that invites readers to see the world with softer eyes. It is a lovely companion for poetry lovers and cat enthusiasts alike.

About the Author 

Dan Liberthson

Dan Liberthson, PhD (English), is a well-published poet with six books to his credit and poems in journals and anthologies. His latest poetry book, A Carnival of Cats, evolved out of his love of cats and celebrates those he has lived with and known. Previous books include A Family Album, poems about the challenges growing up in a perfectionistic Jewish family with a mentally ill sister; The Pitch is on the Way—Poems About Baseball and Life, in which he captures his love of the game in poems about position players, batters, auxiliary figures like umpires and groundskeepers, and fans; Animal Songs, poetry about pets and other animals he has known or crossed paths with; and A Poetry of Birds, in which professional photos of birds are accompanied by his poems about each species. Dan has won prizes in the William Stafford Memorial, Maine Poets Society, and Poetry Society of Texas poetry contests, and honorable mentions in many other competitions. His poem “Child’s Play” was read by Garrison Keillor on his weekly radio broadcast The Writer’s Almanac. Dan has served as secretary of the Oregon Poetry Association and as a judge for the National Federation of State Poetry Societies’ annual contests. He is also the author of a spy novel, The Bluejay Contrivance, and a middle grade fantasy novel, The Golden Spider. Now retired from careers as a college English teacher and medical writer, Dan lives with his wife, two cats, and a dog in San Francisco, California and Cottage Grove, Oregon.