The Cats in Krasinski Square by Karen Hesse

     This is an excellent example of a piece of historical fiction for young readers! It goes into the story if a girl who moves out of her ghetto in Poland during the harsh times of the Holocaust and works to try to save others by sneaking in food to those still residing in Poland! Students will experience history in a gentle and informative narrative.

    The setting in this book is very vivid and gives a good sense of what was happening during this time period in this specific place. The events are accurate and appropriate for the target age range and the time period. The cultural information reflects that of the people of the past, and it is a good quality depiction of this time in history. 

    Motivational Activities:

You could have students write poetry responses to questions about the text and theme. You could set up a readers theater activity, have students read a collection of books similar to this one and compare and contrast differences and similarities of the texts. Students will be able to learn about the time period and experience the story more thoroughly when they are actively doing activities or having good discussions during reading, instead of simply just having them read alone with no extension or inquiry activities connected. 

Possible questions to ask: 

  1. What do we learn about bravery?
  2. Do you think this is a story about a hero?
  3. What does this story tell us about the time period?

There is a lot of possible pairings to do with this book and also some amazing learning opportunities to be had about the Holocaust. Younger students may get weary or scared about learning of this time, and this book is a very sensitive and age appropriate example of how to teach this type of content to young students. 

References:

Galda, L., Liang, L. A., & Cullinan, B. E. (2016). Literature and the Child. Cengage Learning.

Hesse, K., & Watson, W. (2004). The Cats in Krasinski Square (First Edition). Scholastic Press.

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