What's the Matter with Henry? The True Tale of a Three-Legged Cat by Cathy Conheim and BJ
Gallagher
Hardcover: 88 Pages
Published by Breakthrough Press (2006)
ISBN: 978-0988403536
Reading Level: Ages 6 and up
Animal lovers of all ages will find What's the Matter with Henry? to be a truly heartwarming and inspirational tale of sacrifice, love, and acceptance. When Cathy and Donna meet Henry, he is just a stray cat who sometimes roams around their backyard with his siblings. Cathy and Donna are self-proclaimed dog-lovers (i.e. not cat people), but they have no problem with the kittens living on their property. But one day, Cathy and Donna find Henry inside their Dog's house with a broken leg. They take the cat to the veterinarian's clinic and the doctor tells them that the cat will either die or have to have surgery. Well even though Cathy and Donna are dog lovers, they can't stand the though of letting an adorable, helpless animal die, so they agree to take care of little Henry until he heals from surgery.
When Henry wakes up from surgery, he only has three legs, but this doesn't stop him from jumping, cuddling, and exploring. Henry even makes friends with Cathy and Donna's dog. After a while, they decide that Henry, who "had the body of a kitten - but the heart of a lion" had already found his forever home with them. They realize that Henry came into their lives for a reason - "to show us something about ourselves...Henry has shown us that we don't get to decide what happens to us in life - but we do get to decide how we respond to it."
Henry's uplifting tale of survival and unlikely friendship earned the book an ASPCA Humane Issue Award for Best Gift Book (2006), and all proceeds from the book's purchase are donated to animal shelters and animal rescue groups. Even if you're not a "cat person," What's the Matter with Henry? is impossible not to love. And the book opens up opportunities for educators and parents to discuss issues like kindness, open-mindedness, and acceptance.
Complete with several pictures to document Henry's journey, this book also includes a feature entitled "Henry's Homework for Humans." This feature acts as a sort of reader's guide to kids, and asks them to consider questions such as "Sometimes Henry wants to hide. Are there times when you want to hide, and why?" There is a great deal that we can learn from animal stories, and What's the Matter with Henry? is a wonderful way to get that conversation started with your little ones.
Read-Alikes:
- Kate & Pippin by Martin Springett and Isobel Springett
- National Geographic Kids: 125 True Stories of Amazing Animals by National Geographic Kids
- Stay: The True Story of Ten Dogs by Michaela Muntean
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