Reading Time: 2 minutes

Every once in a while I will re-read one of my favorite childhood books. Most recently, I decided to read “Socks” by Beverly Cleary.

“Socks” was published in 1973. I was probably about 10 years old when I first read it, which would have been about 1979. And I probably checked that book out of the library about fifteen times. Something about Cleary’s writing style just drew me in and made many of her books, including “Socks,” favorite reads for me.

But I remember “Socks” being extra special because it focused on a kitten and I was fascinated by all things cat, especially because my family had adopted a cat named Cuddles around the same time I first read the book. Cuddles was my first cat and I was obsessed with him and his enigmatic personality. Cleary did a great job of getting into the mind of the kitten named Socks, which I think helped me understand my own cat better. Cleary also narrates a loving story about a cat whose cozy life with a young married couple gets turned upside down when they bring home their newborn baby.

Sometimes, when I go back and re-read a book I’m a bit disappointed because some of the childhood magic is gone, but I still found Socks to be a page-turner over 40 years later. I remembered some specific details from the book, such as the babysitter who came to watch the newborn but ended up paying more  attention to Socks than the baby. Other bits and pieces came back to me as I read, including the dramatic encounter Socks has with a neighbor cat and I remember how scary that ensuing cat fight was to me as a child. But I was surprised that I had completely forgotten how the book ended.

While the book does focus a lot on the struggles of Socks to find affection (which I found very sad as a child, but now also found such an accurate commentary on the interactions between pets and their humans), the ending put a smile on my face. Even as an adult, it was still a sweet story about adapting to change and the bonds that develop between a pet and members of a family. Not surprisingly, the book is still popular and widely available today. I recommend it to both kids and adults. I also recommend getting a version illustrated by Beatrice Darwin, who captures the action of the book with humor.