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Wednesday, November 4, 2026Nov 4

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Ack! Picture book on Bill the Cat coming in September

This book cover image released by Philomel Books shows "The Bill the Cat Story: A Bloom County Epic," by Berkeley Breathed. Breathed renewed his beloved comic strip last summer after a 25-year hiatus. The book will release on Sept. 13. (Philomel Books via AP)
This book cover image released by Philomel Books shows "The Bill the Cat Story: A Bloom County Epic," by Berkeley Breathed. Breathed renewed his beloved comic strip last summer after a 25-year hiatus. The book will release on Sept. 13. (Philomel Books via AP) This book cover image released by Philomel Books shows "The Bill the Cat Story: A Bloom County Epic," by Berkeley Breathed. Breathed renewed his beloved comic strip last summer after a 25-year hiatus. The book will release on Sept. 13. (Philomel Books via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) – Ack! There’s a picture book coming about Bill the Cat.

Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, told The Associated Press on Monday that it was publishing Berkeley Breathed’s “The Bill the Cat Story: A Bloom County Epic.” Philomel is calling the book the “origin story of fan-favorite Bill the Cat from Bloom County,” and will release it on Sept. 13.

Breathed, who renewed his beloved comic strip last summer after a 25-year hiatus, said in a statement that he thought it was time “that the gentle, cuddly watercolor world of children’s literature discover that a quasi-comatose cat’s life story is sweetly touching.”

Breathed’s other picture books include “Pete & Pickles” and “Mars Needs Moms!”