Socks is a children's novel written by Beverly Cleary

Beverly Cleary

Beverly Cleary is an American author. Educated at colleges in California and Washington, she worked as a librarian before writing children's books. Cleary has written more than 30 books for young adults and children. Some of her best-known characters are Henry Huggins, Ribsy, Beatrice Quimby, her...

, originally illustrated by Beatrice Darwin, and published in 1973. It won the William Allen White Children's Book Award

William Allen White Children's Book Award

The William Allen White Children's Book Award is an annual book award chosen by Kansas students. It was established by Ruth Garver Gagliardo in 1952, in memory of William Allen White and is administered by Emporia State University. It was the first statewide readers' choice book award in the United...

. The title character of the book would eventually become the name for Socks Clinton

Socks (cat)

Socks was the pet cat of U.S. President Bill Clinton's family during his presidency. An adopted stray cat, he was the only pet of the Clintons during the early years of the administration, and his likeness hosted the children's version of the White House website...

, the cat of U.S. President, Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton

William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...

.

Plot summary

The story is told from the perspective of a tabby cat

Cat

The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...

with four white paws who lives with a young married couple, Bill and Marilyn Bricker. Initially, Socks and the Bricker couple are alone, and Socks receives a great deal of love and attention as a result. However, the Brickers soon have a baby son and Socks begins to feel as though he has been forgotten. In order to take care of the new baby, Socks receives less attention than he normally would, and even ends up living in the garage at one time when his behavior is misinterpreted. He has several misadventures in the course, culminating in a fight with another neighborhood cat. After this takes place, the Brickers realize they have been so wrapped up with the new baby that they have neglected Socks. Later on, Socks discovers that he has a new friend in little Charles and a new way to be part of the family.