29 May / The Day Tiger Rose Said Goodbye by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Jim LaMarche
Once upon a time B.C. – that’s Before Children – the hubby and I had four furry practice kiddies. One of them was named Bob. As in Bob Cat. He was named by my middle brother, who lived with us on and off (in between breaks from his 10-year MIT plan), which meant Bob belonged most to said brother.
Years later when he told us Bob had passed away in his arms – by then Bob and brother were back in Boston – we all wept together at Bob’s devotion, his trust, his waiting, his contented albeit fragile goodbye before he finally closed his clouded orange eyes.
More than 15 years later, I still get all teary thinking of that unique, goofy, mini-tank-like blue/grey bundle and how very much he loved us, but especially my brother. So when I opened Jane Yolen‘s Tiger Rose, I had an instant flashback to Bob … his snuffling, his purring, his dozing, his stalking, his kneading.
As I read of Tiger Rose’s last day filled with meowed goodbyes to the butterflies, the children, the mother and father, the dog, the chipmunk, the snake, the ants … the page got blurrier. As Tiger Rose curled up into a soft ball one final time, closing her eyes, I could just about feel Bob in my arms … “Up and up and up she went, / and then she was gone, / now part of the earth, the air, the sky, the sun – / and all.”
Almost every child (regardless of age) will have a pet to whom he or she will one day have to say goodbye … Tiger Rose can help make that transition a little easier for your young one. As Tiger Rose shares her love will all the creatures who surrounded her in a life well-lived, she’ll also assure your own little one that their beloved pet was content and ready to go up, up, up …
For me, I can well imagine Bob’s having a fabulous time chasing Tiger Rose one minute, snuggling with her the next … it’s a feline fest up, up, up there for sure.
Readers: Children
Published: 2011