Creator Corner: Author Anna Humphrey and Illustrator Kari Rust

Welcome to Creator Corner, a blog series where we interview the creators of our recent and upcoming books. For this post, we interviewed At the Rescue Cat Café author Anna Humphrey and illustrator Kari Rust, whose book published August 12, 2025!

Owlkids Books: Anna, why did you begin writing children’s books?

Anna Humphrey: I’m not even exactly sure! I’ve always loved children’s books. Aside from the fun and imaginative stories they hold, they’re beautiful objects. My first part-time job in high school was at a bookstore in Ottawa called Puggwash Children’s Books. Maybe that was why? When I started trying to write as a career, years later, I probably gravitated toward the types of books I knew best.

Owlkids Books: Kari, why did you begin illustrating children’s books?

Kari Rust: I began illustrating children’s books because I like to use art to tell stories. I have always loved picture books and when I had my own kids, I became even more interested in making them.

OKB: Anna, what inspired you to write this book?

AH: For the last four years I’ve been volunteering at Kitchener Stray Cat Rescue, a local cat shelter in my area. I help staff the kitty lounge on Saturdays, introducing potential new pet owners to kitties who are ready to find forever homes. Sometimes it takes weeks, months or even years, but—from the most playful kittens to the cats who start out almost feral—the right cat and human have a way of finding each other. It’s heartwarming work, and it’s what At the Rescue Cat Café is all about.

OKB: Kari, what was the most enjoyable part of illustrating this book? What was the most challenging part?

KR: The most enjoyable parts of illustrating At the Rescue Cat Cafe was arranging where to put everything in each drawing, creating the atmosphere of the cafe, and of course, drawing the cats.

The most challenging part was figuring out how all the people and cats would look. But the challenging parts and the enjoyable parts are in some ways the same.

OKB: Anna, what was the most enjoyable part of bringing this story to life? What was the most challenging part of the process?

AH: The most enjoyable part was seeing how Kari illustrated the kitties. She has such a strong grasp of cat attitudes and body language that I was floored to learn she’s really a dog person!

The most challenging part was getting all the wording just right. I usually write middle grade, so it was eye-opening for me to see how every single word choice gets weighed, considered, then weighed again in the editing process for a picture book.

OKB: Kari, what was the inspiration for your illustrations in this book?

KR: For this book I was inspired by the sweet story and the quality of the writing, especially the developing relationship between the child and Mouse. Because kids and cats are small, I tried to keep the point of view low to reflect the way smaller people and animals see the world around them.

OKB: Anna and Kari, is there a specific cat you relate to in the book?

AH: If I were a cat in the book I’d definitely be Mouse. He and I are both shy, introverted and slower-to-warm-up by nature.

KR: I don’t think I relate to one specific cat (although sometimes I feel like hiding like Mouse does). I enjoyed illustrating how different all the cats are from each other.

OKB: What do you hope readers will take away from this book?

AH: I hope readers will come away having seen that the world needs many kinds of people (and cats!) and that there’s a place for us all.

KR: I hope readers will feel surrounded by a soft warm feeling, like having a purring cat in their laps. I hope they are encouraged to appreciate animals and people in all their different forms and characters.

OKB: What’s an interesting fact people may not know about you?

AH: I have three cats (Josie, Sophie and Cleo) and I think they would all agree that the worst part of living with me is that I love to crochet tiny hats for them.

KR: My whole life, even as a kid, I always loved spinach.

Thank you so much Anna and Kari for taking the time to do this interview and creating a wonderful book! We hope readers enjoy At the Rescue Cat Café as much as we did!

Grab your copy today!