Carol, the author, met this kitty while working at a medical clinic in Honduras. Their meeting inspired this story about a cat who needs a home and a little girl who wishes for a friend, in a special place where people work together to help others.

Carol, la autora, se reunion con este gatito mientras trabajaba en una clinica medica en Honduras. El encuentro inspire esta historia sobre un gato que necesitaba un bogar y una nina que deseaba un amigo, en un lugar donde las personas trabajan juntas para ayudar a los demas.

Alisa lives in Honduras and when she is not in school, she goes with her sister Karen to the local clinic. At the clinic, Alisa gets bored and would like to help her sister but I’d only get in the way. If only she had a friend to pass the day with. That is Alisa’s one wish, for a friend. Then she sees a face she has not seen before. It is a golden kitty, looking hungry. Alisa lays out a bowl of food for the kitty each day, until the cat is comfortable approaching. Alisa asks the kitty, do you need a friend? I can be your friend. Soon the two are spending their days together. Alisa christens the kitty Cinco and he fits in well at the clinic. He even helps one of Alisa’s schoolmates when he arrives at the clinic in need of help.

This is a nice bilingual book written in both English and Spanish. The first bilingual book I have received. The author bases the story on the real-life cat that adopted the clinic where she volunteered. Alisa, feeling alone, needs a friend. How many kids are alone each day wishing they had just one friend? At first shy, Cinco needs to learn to trust and Alisa does a good job helping Cinco learn to trust her. Then, Cinco becomes the friend Alisa wanted and needed until Marcos comes to the clinic and they befriend him.

Cinco the Clinic Cat is a nice story around the theme of no one being an island. We need others and they need us, whether to help the sick, comfort a sad friend, feed a hungry cat, or simply to dance. I think this makes a lovely bedtime story. It is a fast read, a story young children will enjoy and parents won’t mind re-reading several times. Besides, everyone knows that a story with a cat in it is a good story. A story about a cat is a great story.

Note: received book from publisher, Brown Books.
Originally posted on Kid Lit Reviews:
http://kid-lit-reviews.com/2012/03/21/cinco-the-clinic-cat-cinco-el-gato-de-la-c... ( )