Definition:

The ability to read body and facial language that shows when others are feeling hurt, and demonstrating the desire to try to help them with their troubles. 

In short: 

Feel what others feel.

Summary:
The author reads his book based on real events about a family in Iraq who arrange to be smuggled out of the country due to ominous circumstances. He describes the details of their journey from danger in Iraq to freedom in Lesbos, Greece. When their boat lands in Lesbos, their beloved cat escapes its carrier, and the family desperately searches for the cat without success. What follows is a miraculous story about a four-month international search for the lost cat and a very happy reunion with its family.  

Lesson Objectives: 

1. Students gain empathy for people and animals in difficult circumstances, and a willingness to want to help them. 

Guiding Questions:

1. Why did the family in Iraq choose to leave their country?
2. Find Iraq, Greece, and the Aegean Sea on a map. 
3. How did the family travel from Iraq to Greece and why was it dangerous? 
4. What happened to Kunkush once the family arrived in Lesbos? The people in Lesbos helped Kunkush. What did they do for the lost cat? 
5. Amy decided to help reunite Kunkush, renamed Dias, with its family. What did she do and how did that help? 
6.  Did it surprise you that so many people helped the lost cat and its family get back together? Why do you think everyone was willing to take the time to help? 
7. When someone has empathy it means they understand the feelings of another person and want to help. When there are people or animals that are in trouble, do you think most of us want to help or are most people too busy and don’t care? 
8. People in this story went out of their way to help this family and their pet. Have you ever done something to help someone in trouble? What happened? 
9. If you ever got lost or your pet got lost, do you know what to do? Talk with your parents about what to do if you ever get lost. Ask them to help you with memorizing your parents’ full names, their phone numbers and your address. Remember to find a safe place and stay there, because wandering around can make it difficult to find you. You can call out for help using your parents’ or guardians’ name. Try to find a mother with children or a person in authority like a store clerk, to help you. Practice this at home with your parents. 
10. Ask your parents or grandparents if they ever helped someone or a pet who was lost. What happened?