Picture Book:
The Cats in Krasinski Square
Author: Karen
Hesse
Illustrator: Wendy
Watson
Summary: The
cats of the title are the abandoned cats left after the Jews are placed
in Warsaw, Poland’s ghetto during Nazi occupation. The young female narrator,
who enjoys petting the cats, struggles to survive on the
free side of the wall. She and her sister have managed to escape the ghetto. With other rebels, they get
food to their starving friends behind the walls. Because she watches the cats, the
narrator knows the openings in the wall where food can be passed. News comes
that Resistance Fighters are arriving on trains with smuggled food stashed in their bags for those behind the wall. But The
Gestapo knows of the plan and will be waiting with dogs to sniff
out the food. The narrator has a clever counter move. They lure into baskets as many cats as possible, take the closed baskets to the train station, and spread out. Once the train
arrives, The Gestapo releases their dogs. Before the dogs can find the
hidden food, they are distracted by the many cats that have been let
loose. Chaos ensues and those with hidden food are able to flee and quickly
pass their food through or over the ghetto walls.
Hanna’s Comments: I like the way this story is written so that a very dark and
scary situation is told in a light manner that even young children can handle
and enjoy. The suffering Jews behind the wall are only seen from afar. The
illustrations are beautiful and help the subject seem less intense than reality. The
political and religious issues are not in the narrative so you can avoid those
difficult topics if you prefer or expand on them if that suits your purposes
and is age appropriate. In the end papers, you’ll find an Author’s Note and a Historical Note.
Original Publisher & Date of Publication: Scholastic, 2004
Age & Grade Appropriateness: 7 and up, 2nd and up
# of Pages: 32
Available in Spanish? Not at present
Formats other than Book: None at present
PBT Category:
Non-fiction, Post 2k
PBT Topics this Book connects with: abuse/abuse of power, action, adaptation/assimilation,
animals, bonds/connections, bravery/courage, caring/tending, challenges,
chaos/disorder, commitment, creativity/imagination/ingenuity, cruelty, danger,
dependence/interdependence, enemies, Europe, evil, exile/separation/walls,
feasting/food/hunger/nutrition, helping, heroes, injustice, leadership/servant
leadership, mission, obstacles, outreach, partners/teamwork, poverty, power,
prisons/prisoners, rebellion, risking, secrets, social justice, surprise
Scripture Connections: The Lord works righteousness and justice for
all who are oppressed. (Psalm 103:6); a righteous person knows the rights of the
poor (Proverbs 29:7); let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like
an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:24); …do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly
with God (Micah 6:8); as you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to
me. (Matthew 25:40)
Idea(s) for Application: Read this book to a group of elementary students
who are about to engage in an outreach project involving feeding the poor or to
supplement a lesson on the social justice issue of access to healthy food.
No comments:
Post a Comment