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    Sleepy Cat Books

    4.8 (92 reviews)
    ModerateBookstores
    Closed 12:00 pm - 8:00 PM

    Sleepy Cat Books Photos

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    Recommended Reviews - Sleepy Cat Books

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    Lila AKA the sweetest baby!! - A white cat with blue eyes and light markings is sitting on a pink cushioned surface, possibly in a pet or retail store. The cat appears calm, with a person's hand gently petting its head. The background includes photographs and decorative items, indicating an indoor setting. The surface has a textured mat with two yellow ball toys nearby.
    Apoorvi S.

    The owner is the sweetest person ever! Such an amazing variety of books (new and used) and Lila is the sweetest kitty ever! Prices are very reasonable. He even threw in a freebie for me, which I really really appreciated!! I will absolutely be visiting again!

    book!
    Angel L.

    The cat was indeed very sleepy. There's a good selection of books, with a lot of recent releases in international fiction. I liked that there was a lot of Asian literature available here, like Han Kang's award-winning works! And, of course, I had to get a cat-related book :))

    Alyssa H.

    such a cute and fun bookstore!! they had high quality used books and a wide selection. and the cat was so sleepy, plus the service was so amazing! The worker there was so kind and friendly, definitely recommend supporting this shop :)

    Alice L.

    Cute little book store down the street from Moe's Books run by Lyla the cat & her owner, who are both soft-spoken. Had fun browsing thru the extensive postcard selection.

    Rachel C.

    Love, love, love this bookstore on Telegraph Ave.! First- the name is everything AND if you're lucky (which you'll probably always be) get to meet Lyla! The friendliest, cutest (and sleepiest) cat you'll ever meet! Sleepy Cat Books has a ton of books for all sorts of book lovers! I won't even go over genre because you just have to walk in there. It's def a book lovers safe-haven. Books, posters, bookmarks. It's just really cute inside lol You can probably spend hours just walking from wall to wall, trying to figure out what you're next read will be. So if you're looking for a new book to read, check them out! They have an Instagram, too!

    Bookmark of sleeping Lyla! - The image shows a hardcover book titled "The Gambler and Other" by Fyodor Dostoevsky, published by Penguin Classics. The book is placed on a flat surface, and a white cat with closed eyes is sleeping on top of it, partially covering the cover. The cat appears relaxed and is resting comfortably, with its head and paws visible. The background of the book cover features an illustration of two men sitting at a table, engaged in a card game or conversation.
    Diem N.

    Cute book store on Telegraph less than 10min walk from UC Berkeley! The store is small but have a decent selection and the price is very good (compared to other bookstores) as other reviews mentioned. I was walking back from a nails appointment a decided to stop by since I've been wanting a copy of Dostoyevsky's White Nights and wanted to see if they had one. Everything was organized and therefore easy to find. It's quiet but comforting and upon checking out, Lyla appeared! She's friendly and will greet you but I was short on time so I couldn't take a picture or play with her (definitely ask for permission first!). Will be back to check out more books and see Lyla again! Also, the owner is soft spoken and is very sweet!

    The image shows the interior of a bookstore with multiple wooden bookshelves filled with a variety of books. A table in the center displays more books, and a small wooden rack holds additional titles. The wall features three pieces of artwork, including a portrait of a woman, a silhouette of a girl, and a blue-toned face. Natural light streams in through large windows, illuminating the space and creating a cozy atmosphere.
    Liz B.

    OK first of all, there's actually a sleepy cat here! So cute and completely unbothered by all the bookworms coming through. I love this tiny, quiet little bookstore. Perfect for the true book lover, lots of popular books but also classics can be found up on the shelf. Really any kind of reader can find something in here, despite the size of this little gem! They also have cute little jukeboxes on top of the shelves, just adding even more charm to this super charming shop. I love browsing the titles found here. Sleepy Cat Books is the perfect local gem that everyone should visit and stop by soon!

    Abigael Osana T.

    The best independent bookstore in Berkeley! I absolutely love coming here to pick up new reads and to see Lyla, of course! The owner and Lyla are the sweetest and the store is just so charming. My favorite thing is the bookmarks you get along with your books, as they feature Lyla! Always a pleasure visiting :)

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    6 months ago

    Amazing vibes and a lovely place to find books. Not a large selection, but well-curated.

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    1 year ago

    Love this bookstore! The owner is very kind and his cat is adorable. It felt very homey and cozy in there. Highly recommend!

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    3 years ago

    The shopowners are very kind and there really is a white cat inside :) the prices are very good and selection is great!

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    Sleepy Cat Books Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Sleepy Cat Books

    Are there 2 Bookstores,one in Orinda and the other in Berkeley with 2 different names?Sleepy town b00ks and Canettis,same owner and same kind of Books?

    Thanks for asking! There is only one store: Sleepy Cat Books, located at 2509 Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley. Previously it was located in Orinda, and its original name was Canetti's Bookshop when it was founded in 2008.

    View All 2 Questions

    Review Highlights - Sleepy Cat Books

    Lyla is of course an angel, but the owner is a very kind person and gave me some spot on recommendations.

    Mentioned in 17 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Half Price Books

    Half Price Books

    (374 reviews)

    $

    Downtown Berkeley

    Save your time! Save your money!…read moreIt's time that they got what was coming. We came here and it was an absolute waste. Most of the stuff they have are packed up in the boxes that you can see in some of the pictures. You can also see they pulled a lot of stuff off the shelves and the prices are higher. I have a picture of two of the same books. One looks used. The other one looks new and one is 699 and the other one is 599. It isn't like one has a signature or anything. It's not special. It just cost more. The people who work there were kind of just hanging around in the back and not doing much. And they're already closed! I remember what the days when they were open until 10 11 o'clock at night but that was a long time ago back when they were relevant. I say it's karma because they didn't buy everybody's books. I have a picture of them saying they are no longer buying books. They don't buy books from Black people, full stop!And so. Bye!!! The problem they always said they had my books that my books are old. So why am I looking at a bookstore with nothing but old books. If they have separate pricing for Black people, they should just say that and suffered the consequences for that. This is a place I used to go to for all my books and I loved going there because I love getting a bargain, however, when I wanted to sell some books that's when things got funky. I find it interesting that I get more money from other places selling less books than I've ever gotten from them and I never did do my experiment where a white friend would walk in and sell my books so that I could see how much money she got. I bet she wouldn't have been told about how old her books are, which is hard to understand when the books are old as Methuselah! But, now they won't be my inspiration for purchasing off of Amazon, which is pretty much what they've become to me. I see a book in the store, look up the author and the book online, and if I can get it at my library or on Amazon, I will get it because I don't wanna waste money with people who say they buy books and don't buy them., full stop! Bye...

    I have came here several times but never reviewed. There's a lot of street parking but a very busy…read morestreet. This bookstore has been here for a very long time so it is a little older. It's a pretty good size they have plenty of books, kid activities, and music. They do not have a public bathroom. The prices are pretty reasonable. We were able to find a few things here.

    Sleepy Cat Books - bookstores - Updated May 2026

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