Ladybug Nominee Profile

No Cats in the Library by Lauren Emmons (Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 2024)

A stray cat follows her love of books all the way to a new library home in this charming debut picture book that’s “catnip for librarians and young book lovers alike” (School Library Journal, starred review).

Clarisse is a clever cat who loves books. She may not understand the dark, squiggly lines, but she can’t get enough of the pictures. One day, she stumbles upon a magical building where people walk in empty-handed and come out with an armload of books. She has to find a way inside!

There’s just one problem: NO CATS are allowed in the library! That’s not going to stop clever Clarisse, though. Once she sneaks in, she stumbles upon exciting new stories and even helps a little girl practice reading aloud. But when the librarian comes looking, will Clarisse be allowed to stay?

About Lauren Emmons

Lauren Emmons is an award-winning illustrator who currently lives in North Dakota with their partner, dog, and two rambunctious cats. No Cats in the Library is their debut author-illustrated picture book. Lauren has loved libraries since they were a child, and still regularly walks out with their arms full of books. Their website is at: https://www.laurenemmons.com/

Activities & Links

• Read along with the author/illustrator at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxBlcz-pNJg
• Here's a news article about real life library cats at Richard's Free Library in Newport, NH: https://crazyboutcats.com/new-hampshire-library-gains-meowy-employees/
• Read about the Auburn Public Library in Maine's "Cats in the Library" adoption program at: https://gahumane.org/2025/02/paws-itively-purrfect-auburn-public-librarys-feline-foster-program/
• Check out this activity guide for No Cats in the Library at: https://d28hgpri8am2if.cloudfront.net/tagged_assets/16580412/9781665933681_as_no%20cats%20in%20the%20library%20downloadable%20activities.pdf

Suggestions for Further Reading

• Check out the other 2025 Ladybug Longlist titles featuring dogs and cats at: https://nhbookcenter.blogspot.com/2025/01/ladybug-longlist-cats-dogs.html
• If you want another book about a library cat, try Library Lion, a 2007 Ladybug nominee.  
• For more books about cats, consider Atticus Caticus or Inside Cat, both 2022 Ladybug longlist titles.
• For a book about the importance of libraries, consider the 2024 Ladybug shortlist title, Love in the Library. 
  

This is one of nine titles nominated for the 2025 Ladybug Picture Book Award.

We will be posting information about a different nominee each Friday throughout the summer and will issue a pdf voters guide featuring all the titles by Labor Day.