“The Cat Man of Aleppo”
by Irene Latham and Karim Shamsi-Bash. Illustrated by Yuko Shimizu.
G.P Putnam’s Sons, New York, 2020, 32 pages, K-3.
When war breaks out, terrible things happen. This is especially true during a civil war within a country. There is nothing foreign about a civil war, everyone knows the other side.
In Syria, a violent civil war has been going on for nearly 10 years. Several million people have fled Syria to avoid the destruction. Others have chosen to stay in the country and try to make it through the war, in the hope of a better future.
This is the story of one man, Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, and the heroic actions he continues to take as the brutal war grinds on. Often known only by his middle name, Alaa, he has become a beacon of courage throughout the world. Irene Latham tells his painful but powerful story in this picture book, “The Cat Man of Aleppo.”
Aleppo is one of the oldest cities in the world and contains cultural treasures that are more than 2,000 years old. Until recently, Aleppo was a thriving city with a substantial population. That is, until 2012. The Syrian Civil War explodes in Aleppo during that year. Instead of beauty, chaos and destruction descends upon the city.
Thousands are killed and wounded. Alaa drives an ambulance and tries to help the wounded. His great heart is filled with compassion at the sight of the destroyed buildings and injured people. He wonders what he can do in the face of all this hateful destruction.
One day, after work, Alaa spies several cats laying on a limb at the top of a tree. They are abandoned and nearly starving. An idea comes to him. The reasons for the Syrian Civil War are beyond the ability for one ambulance driver to solve. But he can take care of some ill-fed, abandoned cats.
The next day, he uses all of his money to buy scraps of meat for the cats. After he feeds them, more cats start following him around Aleppo. In fact, most of the cats in Aleppo are in peril. So he begins feeding all the cats. Soon, the dogs begin following Alaa as well.
But how can one man feed hundreds of cats and dogs? An answer soon arrives. The story of Alaa and his cats becomes major news on the internet. Alaa’s charity for the cats and dogs of Aleppo inspires people throughout the world to help the ambulance driver. The situation becomes more positive. What happens?
How does Alaa continue to feed all these abandoned animals? Does he also help war orphans? How does he get the money he needs? Have you ever helped someone in need? Why does the act of giving enrich the giver?
What finally becomes of Alaa and his cats? To find out the answers to these and other questions, go to the library and check out “The Cat Man of Aleppo” by Irene Latham.
This award-winning book is the true story of one man’s response to the brutal conditions of a civil war. Alaa’s courageous and charitable actions show that one person can make an important impact under the most trying situations.
The artwork in the book effectively shows the damage of war and the greatness people like Alaa show in a tragic situation. It is a marvelous book and I hope you get a chance to read it with your family. I’m glad I read the book, and am sure you will be as well.
