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The lost kitten

Komako Sakai Lee - Author

Hina and her mother welcome a stray kitten into their home. Hina learns about caring for it, then faces the kitten’s disappearance and the worry of losing something she loves.

More about this book

When a tiny stray kitten turns up on the doorstep, Hina and her mother take the kitten in. Hina makes a home for it and learns all about caring for a living creature. Then one day the kitten goes missing.This is the eagerly anticipated new picture book from Japan's leading illustrator Komako Sakai, whose atmospheric illustrations are filled with grace.The Lost Kitten is a perfectly simple story about finding something to love then fearing it is lost, drawn with a light touch. Full-Color Illustrations.

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Book Analysis

At a Glance

Discover

Care for animals· ExplainedAttachment· ExplainedWorry about loss· Explained

Consider

Fear and suspenseFrightening scenes

Personalised Fit

Beyond the Cover

care for animalsattachmentworry about loss

FictionPicture book

Themes in Context

Caring for and losing the kitten

Hina makes a home for the stray kitten and learns to care for it; later, the kitten goes missing.Exploratory / explanatory

How the book presents it: The story follows a bounded emotional arc from welcoming the kitten to fearing its loss, with the events described as handled lightly.

Talk about: What does Hina learn about caring for a living creature, and how does her worry change when the kitten is missing?

Why It May Be Worth Reading

The story links the pleasure of making a home for an animal with the unease of its going missing. Its gentle, light-touch handling may offer a way into talking about attachment and worry.

What Deserves Attention

The kitten goes missing, and the story includes Hina’s fear that it may be lost. This could feel worrying for a child who is particularly sensitive to stories about separation from a pet.

A Conversation Worth Having

What do you think Hina is feeling when the kitten goes missing, and what might help her while she is worried?

Reading Approach

Read together at an unhurried pace, pausing to notice the illustrations and check in when the kitten goes missing. Let the child decide whether to talk about any worries the story brings up.

Confidence & Basis

Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.

What remains unconfirmed

Caring for and losing the kitten: The ending and how the kitten’s disappearance is resolved are not established.

The lost kitten by Komako Sakai Lee | Open Library

Limited information

Checked: 1 October 2026.

Relevant to: Caring for and losing the kitten

Komako Sakai’s “The Lost Kitten” | Fairfieldbooks On Station