The Cats in Krasinski Square

 The Cats in Krasinski Square

 

Written By:  Karen Hesse

Illustrated By:  Wendy Watson

Readability Score:  Grades 3-5, Grade Level 3.5, DRA 38, Lexile Measure 990L

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Subgenre:  Humorous, Animals, Cats

Theme:  Jewish, Human Rights, Holocaust, World War II, Cleverness, Creativity and Imagination, Courage and Honor, Equality, Fairness and Justice

Primary Characters:  Young Girl

Secondary Characters:  Cats, Mira, Michal, Arik, Henryk, Mrek, Hanna, Anna, Tosia, and Stasia

Awards:

Sydney Taylor Book Awards Honor Book 2004 Older Readers

 ALA Noteable Book for Children 2005

Publication Data:  2004

Publishing Company:  Scholastic Press

ISBN Number:  0439435404

Summary: The story setting is in Warsaw, Poland in 1939 at the beginning of World War II.  A young girl’s family has been destroyed by war.  Realizing the danger, she and her sister plan to help the people that are trapped behind the Warsaw Ghetto Walls.  As their plan unfolds, the Nazi police hear of the plan so they rethink their plan that will include stray cats to distract the search dogs while food packages are sent to the other side of the Ghetto wall.

Classroom Teaching Ideas:

1.    Use this book to teach conflict and resolution

2.    Plot

3.    Timeline, sequence of events

4.    Teach laws and government changes from then until now.

5.    Introduce students to Holocaust History