196:. In the story, a large, white cat welcomes a new black cat into a family. The white cat then dies, and the cycle begins anew when the family adopts a new kitten. Cooper was inspired to write the story after his family experienced a similar situation. Critics praised his illustrations, for their ability to help further the story's messages and themes. These monochromatic illustrations were different than the style Cooper normally employed when illustrating a book. The book was well-reviewed, and received a 2018
297:. The cats' companionship was a key theme of the book, with the friends teaching and learning from one another. The human family in the story, by contrast, is only shown in silhouette. According to critics, Cooper nonetheless manages to effectively convey the feelings of all of the characters. For instance, it is clear how sad both the black cat and the family are after the white cat dies. The themes of loss and the cycle of life are shown through the circular nature of the story. The book has, according to
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An older white cat is a family's sole companion until it is joined by a younger black cat. The white cat welcomes the black cat. Over the course of the story, the two cats age, until the white cat dies. The white cat is mourned by the family and the black cat, until one day a new white kitten joins
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The text was minimal. The opening lines were specifically quoted in several reviews: "There was a cat // who lived alone. / Until the day // a new cat came." The cats were the focus of the story without losing their feline qualities; "absolutely cat... it stays respectful and non-anthropomorphic",
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Cooper was inspired to write the book based on experiences in his life. He had grown up on a farm, and had thus been familiar with animals "cycling through". As an adult, Cooper and his family adopted two cats. A couple of years after the adoption, one of them died, and Cooper observed that his
345:, with the award committee citing how the book's "imple and joyful domestic routines underscore the deeply entwined lives of two feline companions and the impact of loss on one". The book's writing was "Highly Commended" in 2018 for the
281:, "produce figures full of kinetic energy and personality". The largely monochromatic drawings were accompanied by a few pages with colored backgrounds, mostly yellow, with one grey. These backgrounds, it was suggested in
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in a starred review, explained that "Cooper certainly loves and understands cat behavior, as exemplified in his various poses of cats at rest and in action. The book also received starred reviews in
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Cooper wrote and illustrated the book simultaneously, saying "I love how words and images play off each other. Like good teammates, who make each other better." He typically illustrates with
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The book's illustrations could be considered simple yet with a rhythm. The black-and-white illustrations were a change in style for Cooper and were compared in
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was published on March 14, 2017 by
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daughter was less familiar with death as a child than he had been.
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The book received critical praise. Lolly Gepson, writing for
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images. In developing the book, he drew inspiration from
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of the
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184:) is a 2017 children's
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567:"The Year in Pictures"
519:School Library Journal
373:. www.elishacooper.com
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278:The Horn Book Magazine
273:Japanese brush painter
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