Spay or neuter your pet
By Ingrid Lee
Scholastic, $16.99, 181 pages
What would you do if a starving, wounded stray kitten approached you? In Billy’s small town, feral cats are running wild and the adults want to get rid of them. When Billy finds the needy kitten, he must hide her in his room while he nurses her back to health. Ingrid Lee’s book Cat Found is a story about a group of kids fighting for animal rights. For many readers, the first few chapters will be tough to read. It describes the kitten being abandoned by its human owners and then a boy throwing rocks at it which results in major injuries. Although a sensitive subject, someone must tell the story of animal abuse to raise awareness about the importance of spaying/neutering, no-kill animal shelters, and animal rights advocacy. Parents should review the book before handing it over to their child to decide on an individual basis whether they are ready for the subject matter. Many kids will need a mentor to help process the messages. If too disturbing, the first part of the book can be skipped or read with parental or teacher guidance. Lee stresses the importance of caring for those less fortunate. Kindness and compassion are the keys when protecting each other and animals.
Reviewed by Kathryn Franklin
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