Cats are creatures of habit. They like to make the daily rounds and to sleep in familiar places. They stretch out their bodies and lie with their bellies exposed once they feel safe and secure. They don't like to be taken out of their favorite places and routines.
Karen Ritz has illustrated more than 40 books and in this appealing picture book for children aged five to seven, she tells the story of a cat who loves his home and is quite upset when he is forced to move. Animals have as much trouble with change as humans do!
The cat lives with a boy in a house with windows with birds, stairs to climb, and a mouse in the basement. The boy feeds him regularly and scratches him in just the right places. Then they both move to an apartment. The cat hides in a laundry basket and refuses to come out. But then the cat slowly settles into a new routine and realizes that everything is going to be okay. There are windows with birds only now they are flying by; there are still hiding places and a promising new fish in a bowl of water. Gratitude is always a natural response to the way things are. Best of all is the love and attention lavished on him by the boy. Some things never change.
Windows with Birds by Karen Rite does an effective job in teaching children ways to adapt to change and to find the familiar in a new place.
