First contact book. Enjoyable read.
Every once in a while, I feel the need to insert a little science fiction into my reading list. I believe I read a review that alerted me to this particular book years ago when I was in Peace Corps. I was never able to find it at my local libraries, but stumbled across it at a recently discovered (awesome) bookswap. It's the story of two civilizations, who expressly are avoiding other civilizations for their own reasons, colliding and trying to figure out how to coexist. It's a super quick read and, while it won't become my most favorite sci-fi book ever, it was still quite enjoyable.
Read this in my teens and absolutely loved it. Typical McCafferey style interpersonal drama, with some lessons on acceptance and friendship along the way.
After the first human contact with the Siwannese ended in a mass suicide, the Terran government made a law that no further contact with sentient aliens would be allowed. But since their own planet was overcrowed, they looked to colonize Doona--until they found the Hrubbans. Their choice was simple but dangerous. They could kill the cat-like Hrubbans, or for the first time in history, learn to to coexist with an alien race....
if you like well done fantasy/sf, and especially if you like cats, this one is for you