Recently, I created a nonfiction book display composed of nothing but cute books. I set a couple of parameters for myself: they had to be adult nonfiction; I could not select exclusively animal books (a real possibility); and I would offer some variety. I decided to come up with a system for selecting books.
Cute books seem to come in a number of categories. Let’s start with the obvious: baby animals. In this category, we find “Nursery Earth: the Wondrous Lives of Baby Animals and the Extraordinary Ways They Shape Our World,” by Danna Staaf. Booklist says, “Case study after case 
study, like those of the 17-year cicada and the one-day mayfly, demonstrates that, despite obvious differences, every creature (humans included) experiences these cycles, and in ways that scientists can learn from: the two-year fertilization of elephant eggs, water births of salamanders and octopus, the internal hatching of seahorses within the father’s pouch.” I would argue that all baby animals are not equal in cuteness but they all have their place in the ecosystem. The variety of ways in which different creatures are brought into the world is certainly fascinating. If you want to jump straight into cute pictures, check out “Cute Animals for Hard Times,” from Chronicla Books. It has over seventy delightful animal photos to brighten your day.
An offshoot of this is adult animals. Here is a book by the always-cute baker, Kim Joy: “Bake Me a Cat: 50 Purrrfect Recipes for Edible Kitty Cakes, Cookies and More!” “Catering for a range of skill
levels, whether you fancy baking Tiger Buns, Meow Bao, Kit-tea Scones or a Happy Purrrrthday Cake, bring joy to your cooking and a smile to every cat-owner’s face with Bake Me a Cat!” Adorable.
A second category (cutegory?) is cute crafts. This category is swamped with options. One book that makes a BIG claim is, “Cutest Ever Baby Knits,” by Val Piercel. I can’t verify that these are the cutest EVER but there are some pretty cute patterns. The baby strawberry hat and booties are a winner, in my book.
If a country could win the prize for achievements in cuteness, it would have to be Japan. Japanese things are our third category. In Japan, the word for cute things is “kawaii” which can also be an adjective meaning “appealing in an endearing way; cute,” according to the Oxford Languages dictionary. There is a lot of overlap, here, with crafting. “Amigurumi, the traditional Japanese art of knitted or crocheted stuffed figures, is a craft that is sweeping the world,” according to “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Amigurumi
,” by June Gilbank. The cover features crocheted guinea pigs, which seems promising. This book aims to get anyone started on the pathway to an adorable hobby.
Kawaii extends to envisioning cuteness in the mundane. This is often expressed by putting a sweet face on pastel foods. Here we have: “Kawaii Doodle Class
,” by Zainab Khan. If sketching adorable cosmetics makes your life shinier, why not? You could also try your hand at making actual cute sushi, instead of just sketching it. “Sushi Party: Kawaii Sushi Made Easy!” by Ken Kawasumi has instructions for this niche food. You could create a whole display of sushi shaped like the emperor, empress and imperial court of Japan, if you are on a roll. (See what I did there?)
The last category I have identified is possibly my favorite. It is tiny things. Why are miniatures so cute? Is it because they look small and vulnerable? Is it because they look like the baby version of whatever they are modeled after? Tiny things are not always cute, of course. There are a number of creepy-crawlies (roaches, scorpions, 
etc.) that are not at all cute, in my opinion, but, I digress. One book addresses the question of the appeal of miniatures. It is “In Miniature: How Small Things Illuminate the World,” by Simon Garfield. “Bringing together history, psychology, art, and obsession, Garfield explores what fuels the strong appeal of miniature objects among collectors, modelers, and fans.” (Don’t miss the part about Frances Glessner Lee’s miniature forensic studies, if you like your cuteness mixed with a bit of creepiness.)
According to a study at the University of Oxford, “Cuteness may help to facilitate well-being and complex social relationships by activating brain networks associated with emotion and pleasure and triggering empathy and compassion.” If you need a little hit of adorable pleasure in your day, check out a library book from one or more of these “cutegories!”
