Life in the Basement with Mother (Paperback)

On a cold March night, 5 kittens are born. Shortly thereafter, the mother tells the newborn kittens of their responsibility to find the human who knows their feline names. This person is the Name Giver. In this first book of a series of nine, the kittens learn how to hunt, interact with people, and begin the quest for their Name Givers. The smallest kitten is named “Mittens”, but that is not her feline name. This nickname gives the reader a hint that finding a Name Giver will not be an easy task. G.m. Staley hopes that young reluctant readers will not only read about the rewards of caring for animals but will also enjoy the pure experience that comes from reading a story that tugs at your heart and urges the reader to read “just one more page.” This book has a 3.5 reading level.

G. M. Staley lives in California with her husband Bob. They share their home with Sonny Bob and Pearl, two rescued cats, along with Rocky the turtle and many colorful koi who swim in the back yard pond. She is a retired elementary school teacher. During her teaching career, she saw a need for a longer, easy to read chapter book in which reluctant students could become motivated readers. In this book series children can read about the struggles of life, loss of a parent, feelings of being alone and abandoned, and trust issues, be it through the eyes of a kitten. Life in the Basement with Mother has chapters with few pages, low vocabulary with high interest, and a unique Name Giver theme. This combination will motivate a struggling student to finish a chapter book and feel the gratification of reading. This book is also easy to listen to at bedtime. Everyone enjoys listening to a story that is easy to understand, especially if someone they love is taking the time to read the book to them.