This book is evidence that grown women, and I suspect men, can still cry over picture books.

Tillman is possibly my favorite picture book author ever, even if she hits me right in the feels.

Beautiful illustrations, that goes without saying.

The text is also comforting to anyone who has lost a beloved pet or as a way to explain pet loss to a child. If you can read it aloud without crying, that is. I haven't made the attempt.

I love the message and illustrations but thought the wording was a bit awkward in some parts.

From Judy:
****

From Saffron:
Good story for kids who have lost a pet. ****

It was sweet and sad at the same time. Having recently lost a pet, this book was nice.

With all of my heart, I believe it is true
that there is a heaven for animals, too.

Sometimes I think that they already know,
all of the animals...just where they'll go.

Haven't you noticed them drift off and stare,
lift their soft noses, and gaze into air?

I think that maybe it's heaven they see...

I hope every word of this book is true. I wouldn't even want to go to heaven if there were no animals.

This is a poem about what Heaven might look like if you're an animal. It is not long, and meant for children ages 5-8 or older. It has bright, colorful pictures and it almost seems whimsical until the last few pages. The last few pages imagines the animals' heaven includes the people that they love. This is a good way to start a conversation with a child about death and the afterlife. It might be a good book to read when a pet has passed, or when someone in the child's sphere is very sick.

Beautiful!