The Cat Next Door

Written by: Betty Ren Wright and Gail Owens

First line: Last summer our vacation started when we drove through a dark tree-tunnel and out into the sunshine.

Why you should read this book. A little girl compares last year's perfect summer vacation with Grandma and Grandpa to this year's vacation, for which Grandma is conspicuously absent. The book doesn't address death per se, but rather the way that life goes on in spite of loss, both the sorrow and the joy. The cat next door, who doesn't talk to anyone but the narrator, offers a breath of hope when she turns up with two fuzzy little miracles to prove that life—and memories—go on.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You hate cats. In which case, how are you on the internet?