March
02
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A Short Comic Introducing Tiny Kitty, Big City by Tim Miller
Dear Friends,
It is a special treat for me to visit the Nerdy Book Club today and share this short comic with you about how the experience of rescuing a stray cat and her litter of kittens in New York City inspired the idea for my new book, Tiny Kitty, Big City, which is being published today by Balzer+Bray. I first thought about making the book in 2014, but couldn’t make it work, so I filed it away and forgot about it. It wasn’t until a real-life encounter two years later with the stray cat and her kittens, living out of a beat-up cardboard box in Queens, that the idea came back to me and clicked. It was this experience of seeing how they had to survive and imagining what that felt like through their eyes that became the heart of the story. In my book, I invite the audience to explore a stray kitten’s perspective of navigating life in a big city without a home. For me, it also has parallels to being a small child and venturing out into the bigness of a world with curiosity and fear. It’s my hope that readers will identify with Kitty and feel great empathy for her, while also taking inspiration from her example to meet life’s challenges bravely. If any of your students have thoughts about the story that they would like to share, or even an idea about what’s in store for Kitty in her new home, please feel free to tell me. I would love to hear!
Your friend in books and cats,
Tim Miller
Tim Miller is the author-illustrator of Tiny Kitty, Big City, Moo Moo in a Tutu, and What’s Cooking, Moo Moo?, and the illustrator of the Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book), Snappsy the Alligator And His Best Friend Forever (Probably), Horse Meets Dog, Margarash, and the middle grade series Hamstersaurus Rex. Tim studied at the School of Visual Arts where he earned a Bachelor’s in Cartooning and a Master’s in Art Education. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and three rescue cats.
Nerdy Book Club 
Love the juxtaposition of big city, small kitties. Are they your rescue cats now? Ty for sharing & creating this story!
I once rescued 6 newborn kittens whose mother died. I learned so much about caring for them!