Illustrated by Lauren CastilloBloomsbury, 2009
32 pgs.
For: ages 3-8
Rating: Unsure
Endpapers: Yellow
A rhyming story about a boy's love for his cat. But Pepper is getting old, fails, and dies. We go through it all with the boy - including the burial, the grief, and finally the realization that Pepper's "spirit" is flying high.
As much as I enjoy the lovely writing and touching illustrations, I have mixed feelings. I've lost animals. I've had many student who've broken into tears - at school- in grief or sadness. And I know everyone grieves differently (oh, have I ever found that out) but this book makes me sad. And if I'd lost a pet recently I'd be over-the-top sad after reading this. So when would I ever share this book?
The illustrations are lovely. It says mixed media is used....it looks like colored pencils to me, but it was probably done partly on the computer, which is being done more and more and I want to find out more about this process.
"Mama, me , and Pepper,
always been this way.
Never been without him,
even for a day."
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