There once was a cat who loved to run,
Under the garden and have some fun.
She chased the birds up in the tree,
And after them she'd quickly flee.

But one day, as she tried to climb,
She realized it wasn't the best time.
A letter lay there, in her way,
So she stopped to read and didn't play.

The letter said, "Dear cat, you see,
There's something you can do for me.
I need some help down in the grass,
To find my keys that I can't pass."

The cat who loves to help a friend,
Agreed to help until the end.
She searched and searched all through the yard,
And found the keys that were so hard.

The cat then went back on her way,
To chase the birds and run and play.
She learned a lesson she won't forget,
To help someone, and not just fret.

Reflections

Here are a few questions to ask kids to think about the poem:

1. What did the cat love to do in the garden?
2. What did the cat find in the tree?
3. Why did the cat stop to read the letter?
4. What did the letter ask the cat to do?
5. How did the cat feel about helping the letter writer?
6. What did the cat learn from helping the letter writer?
7. Have you ever helped someone like the cat did? How did it make you feel?
8. Why do you think it's important to be kind and helpful to others?