The Cats of Krasinski Square

The Cats in Krasinski SquareWritten By: Karen Hesse
Illustrated By: Wendy Watson

This is an incredible story based on true events in Warsaw during WWII.  My eight year old daughter is enamored with the important role a group of fuzzy felines played in helping bring food to starving people.  With its clear and visual story line, filled with emotion, I can also see sixth graders enjoying the heartfelt story while learning about world history.  It is a wonderful story that a variety of ages can relate to.

Discussions/Projects

Research animals that help humans: Search dogs, seeing eye dogs, police and calvary horses, carrier pigeons, therapy with animals.

Imagine that part of the food went to a person who would not have made it another day without that meal.  What small act of kindness might that person have done for someone else and so forth.  Write a story about the chain reaction that brave act could have ignited.

What if it had been stray dogs instead of cats?  Try to write or tell the story including this change and all the changes it would have created.