Second Reaction: Through the Eyes of a Cat
Second Reaction: Through the Eyes of a Cat
Mader
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Lost Cat, written by C. Roger Mader, is a welcome addition to my collection of read-aloud books
for my first grade students. We began the year with a multitude of books with cats as the main
characters, and this book was a perfect fit.
Lost Cat is the story of Slipper, a cat who is forgotten on moving day. Slipper, whose name
comes from the place where she loves to lie, begins to look for someone new to adopt. The
story takes us through many twists and turns until finally, Slipper finds her new home, which
just so happens to be right back with the woman she loves.
One of the best things about this book is that the beautiful illustrations are all from
Slipper’s point of view. You only see the feet of the people she encounters on her way to look for
a new home. The author uses several very clever names such as Ms. Muddy Boots, Mr. Cowboy
Boots, High Tops, Mr. Big Boots, and Miss Shiny Shoes to identify the characters in the story. Of
course, there is also Mrs. Fluffy Slippers who is so near and dear to Slipper’s heart.
As a first grade teacher, I am given the task to teach point of view to my students. This
is not always an easy task with first graders since many struggle with the concept. C. Roger
Mader, the author of this book, does an excellent job of helping young readers see that he
Through the Eyes of a Cat
chose to tell the story from the point of view of the main character, the cat. My students had
no trouble understanding that the cat was telling this story. They instantly recognized that,
since Slipper is small, the feet of the other characters would be at her eye level. As I read the
story, I observed many of my students instantly noticing this.
When I asked students what they liked about the book, many immediately responded
that they were happy that Slipper had found her family. They liked how she was no longer
alone and was happy. I found out that many of my students have cats at home, so they made
the connection to Slipper’s predicament when she was left behind and lost. I think they all
could relate to the lonely feeling of being lost and understood how the little cat would feel
after being separated from her family. Many suggested that they were so glad that Slipper was
reunited with Mrs. Fluffy Slippers by the story’s end. I don’t think that I would have wanted to
share this book if the ending were different.
I will definitely add Lost Cat to my list of cat-related books for the beginning of the years
to come. It was enjoyable to me to be able to read this book with students. The illustrations
are beautiful and so well done. I asked my students if they thought they would like to read
more books by C. Roger Mader and the answer was an enthusiastic “Yes!”
About the Author
Kelly Curtis has been a first grade teacher for 17 years and is presently teaching at James
Cole Elementary in Tippecanoe County. She thoroughly enjoys reading to her students. She is
married and has two married daughters and a brand-new granddaughter. (...truncated)