Five Kittens

When a beautiful cat appears in Jad, Tala, and Zozo’s garden and gives birth to five tiny kittens, the children are overjoyed. But as the kittens grow, their playful mischief begins to cause chaos in the family’s once-peaceful garden. Can the children convince their parents to keep the lively kittens, or will the growing trouble force them to say goodbye? This story explores the joys and challenges of caring for mischievous pets.

Parent and Teacher Guide

'Five Kittens' is a heartwarming and humorous story that will capture the imaginations of young readers! When a hungry cat named Namoura shows up at Jad and Tala’s house, the family decides to take her in—only to discover that she’s expecting kittens! Soon, their garden is filled with five adorable, tiny kittens, bringing joy, laughter, and a bit of chaos to their home. As the kittens grow and their playful antics take over, the family, especially the mother, scrambles to find a solution.

More than just a fun read, 'Five Kittens' fosters:

• Empathy and compassion: Learn the importance of caring for animals.
• Responsibility: Discover the joys and challenges of pet ownership.
• Creativity: Engage in fun activities like acting out scenes and designing adoption posters.
• Flexibility: Explore how to adapt to change and embrace new experiences.

'Five Kittens' is a heartwarming tale that celebrates the bond between humans and animals, while teaching valuable life lessons about kindness, cooperation, and responsibility.

Questions for Discussion:

• Have you ever seen a hungry or lost animal? What did you do?
• If you were in Jad, Tala, or Zozo’s place, would you welcome the new cat?
• Do you have a pet at home or in the garden? How do you take care of it?
• If you designed an advertisement for something you love, like the children did to find families for the kittens, what would your ad say?
• Imagine you were in Fustuq’s place. How would you deal with new guests in your home?

About the Author

Taghreed Najjar was awarded the 2021 Jordanian State Award for Children Literature. She has been a several time nominee for the Astrid Lindgren award and a several-time winner and short listee of the Etisalat Prize for Arabic Children’s Literature. Her YA novel Whose Doll is This? Won the YA book of the year (2019). With a portfolio spanning 4 decades, Taghreed – a multifaceted author - writes picture books, middle grade and young adult books. Her picture books have become classics that are read and enjoyed by generations. While her YA novels have found great success in addressing difficult subjects reflecting political and cultural realities in the region. Several of Najjar’s books have been recommended by “White Ravens” and several have been translated to languages including English, Italian, Swedish, Danish, French and Turkish.

About the Illustrator

Aly Alzainy lives in Alexandria Egypt. As a child, he was fascinated by art and would daily draw a visual diary of all that he encountered. He also loved to draw family members, friends, and their pets. He experimented with different styles and art mediums and recently started illustrating children's picture books with great success.