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Joy

A new picture book, 'Pigeon & Cat,' teaches readers young and old about the power of compassion

“I want it to be like a unifying book, you know? Just to remind us all that we're all in this together,” author Edward Hemingway said.

edward hemingway, pigeon and cat, homelessness, empathy, picture books
Little, Brown and Company/Edward Hemingway

Edward Hemingway talks about his new picture book, "Pigeon & Cat."

I’m going to say it right now: I think picture books get a bad rap. They’re written off as silly books for little ones, but there are a lot of picture books out there that have strong messages and deal with real issues. A new picture book, “Pigeon & Cat,” by author Edward Hemingway, may be written for kids, but it’s certainly a book that will teach a lesson to everyone who reads it.

Dealing with issues like homelessness and empathy, “Pigeon & Cat” tells the story of an unlikely pair of animal friends who find each other and lose each other. But it also teaches how one simple act of kindness can change someone’s life.

I got to chat with Hemingway about what inspired him to write such a story and what writing this book has taught him about living life in the last couple years.


Inspiration for “Pigeon & Cat”

During the early 2000s and into the 2010s, Hemingway lived in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. The idea for the character, Cat, came from the time he lived there.

“I noticed all these feral cats living in the neighborhood and they would live in these abandoned lots,” Hemingway explained. “They were all so cute and I would go up to them and unfortunately they're very territorial. I was fascinated with them and I was always trying to win them over, but I wondered, you know, what would it take to win them over?”

After Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Hemingway was forced to leave his home in Red Hook. And even though he had left the neighborhood, he couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to those feral cats. So when he was creating this new character, he immediately thought of those cats.

Feral cats are a very specific kind of cat. When we meet Cat, he lives alone in a vacant lot and is fiercely territorial of his space. He never wants to leave his lot for fear of losing the only thing that’s his, which keeps him from making meaningful relationships.

pigeon and cat, edward hemingway, unlikely friendships

Cat creates a lovely home for his friend Pigeon.

Edward Hemingway

The relationship between Pigeon and Cat

In the story, Cat finds Pigeon’s egg in a nearby nest. Despite knowing that the egg would make a wonderful meal for a hungry cat, he doesn’t eat the egg. Instead he allows it to hatch and cares for the little bird.

“Pigeon's also a stray, but she's known nothing but love because Cat loves her. And so she is able to show Cat that he's capable of loving so much more,” Hemingway said. “I love that idea of this small single act of kindness actually changing an entire community because it brings these two animals together.”

Cat pours so much love and care into Pigeon’s well-being. He begins to decorate their lot with pretty things and teaches Pigeon words. His love and care offers Pigeon the safety to explore, which eventually means that she leaves the lot, and Cat is alone again. But this time it’s different.

Empathy has a ripple effect

Throughout our conversation, one word came up a lot: empathy. The empathy Cat shows for Pigeon’s egg changes both of their lives for the better. And when Pigeon leaves their lot, Cat is a different animal than he was at the beginning of the book. He goes out into the world unafraid—he’s learned you can find friends where you least expect them.

“I really wanted to make a book that kind of celebrated the things that bring us all together, that make us a community,” Hemingway said.

During their time apart, both Pigeon and Cat see more of their city, making new friends and having new experiences. Cat especially learns that not everyone is a threat because he’s forced to talk to other animals in his quest to find Pigeon.

“This small act of kindness actually changes both of these characters' lives and not only changes their lives, but actually leads to urban renewal.” Hemingway explained.

In the end, Pigeon and Cat turn their lot into a home for more than just themselves. They create a new community for other stray animals who don’t have homes where they can share their resources and support each other.

pigeon and cat, edward hemingway, empathy

Empathy creates a ripple effect that can unite a community.

Edward Hemingway

Why did he choose a pigeon and cat of all the possible animal choices?

“I think visually I love the, sort of the difference between a, you know, a feral cat and a, and a city pigeon that they're both, they're so different, also dynamically in the way that they would move and think. And that's why I think they make kind of a charming pair as well.”

pigeon and cat, edward hemingway, city living

Pigeon soars high above her home city.

Edward Hemingway

On writing a book about homelessness, community and empathy during a pandemic

“It was just so trippy during the pandemic to be painting these big city scenes, you know?” he said. “And I was missing all that interaction. But also, when I painted it I was yearning for all that. So I think there's some of that in the feeling of the book too.”

Hemingway, who is an artist first (he studied at the Rhode Island School of Design), handpaints all of his illustrations on a board about three times the size of a book page. Though he now lives in Montana, he fondly remembers the community of living in a city during major devastation. Though a hurricane is different than a pandemic, there’s a similar sense of isolation.

So, what does he ultimately want readers to gain from reading “Pigeon & Cat?”

“I want it to be like a unifying book, you know? Just to remind us all that we're all in this together,” Hemingway said.

Whether you’re a kid or an adult, you will find something to take away from “Pigeon & Cat.” That’s the beauty of picture books.

Planet

Easy (and free!) ways to save the ocean

The ocean is the heart of our planet. It needs our help to be healthy.

Ocean Wise

Volunteers at a local shoreline cleanup

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The ocean covers over 71% of the Earth’s surface and serves as our planet’s heart. Ocean currents circulate vital heat, moisture, and nutrients around the globe to influence and regulate our climate, similar to the human circulatory system. Cool, right?

Our ocean systems provide us with everything from fresh oxygen to fresh food. We need it to survive and thrive—and when the ocean struggles to function healthfully, the whole world is affected.

Pollution, overfishing, and climate change are the three biggest challenges preventing the ocean from doing its job, and it needs our help now more than ever. Humans created the problem; now humans are responsible for solving it.

#BeOceanWise is a global rallying cry to do what you can for the ocean, because we need the ocean and the ocean needs us. If you’re wondering how—or if—you can make a difference, the answer is a resounding YES. There are a myriad of ways you can help, even if you don’t live near a body of water. For example, you can focus on reducing the amount of plastic you purchase for yourself or your family.

Another easy way to help clean up our oceans is to be aware of what’s known as the “dirty dozen.” Every year, scientists release an updated list of the most-found litter scattered along shorelines. The biggest culprit? Single-use beverage and food items such as foam cups, straws, bottle caps, and cigarette butts. If you can’t cut single-use plastic out of your life completely, we understand. Just make sure to correctly recycle plastic when you are finished using it. A staggering 3 million tons of plastic ends up in our oceans annually. Imagine the difference we could make if everyone recycled!

The 2022 "Dirty Dozen" ListOcean Wise

If you live near a shoreline, help clean it up! Organize or join an effort to take action and make a positive impact in your community alongside your friends, family, or colleagues. You can also tag @oceanwise on social if you spot a beach that needs some love. The location will be added to Ocean Wise’s system so you can submit data on the litter found during future Shoreline Cleanups. This data helps Ocean Wise work with businesses and governments to stop plastic pollution at its source. In Canada, Ocean Wise data helped inform a federal ban on unnecessary single-use plastics. Small but important actions like these greatly help reduce the litter that ends up in our ocean.

Ocean Wise, a conservation organization on a mission to restore and protect our oceans, is focused on empowering and educating everyone from individuals to governments on how to protect our waters. They are making conservation happen through five big initiatives: monitoring and protecting whales, fighting climate change and restoring biodiversity, innovating for a plastic-free ocean, protecting and restoring fish stocks, and finally, educating and empowering youth. The non-profit believes that in order to rebuild a resilient and vibrant ocean within the next ten years, everyone needs to take action.

Become an Ocean Wise ally and share your knowledge with others. The more people who know how badly the ocean needs our help, the better! Now is a great time to commit to being a part of something bigger and get our oceans healthy again.

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