"The little bunny started to cry.
"When someone dies, we miss them."
The cat agreed. "I think missing
someone is a way of keeping them close."
The bunny stopped crying, and she soon
fell asleep. The cat curled up closely
against her."
There is comfort in the unconditional support of a good friend in times of trouble. There are three creatures living in the garden when this story begins - a cat, a little bunny, and an older bunny. Too quickly the older bunny dies. He is buried in a place of prominence. After dealing with the death, the young bunny has a dream where their old friend seems to be alive. Upon awakening, the little one is consumed with by questions which need answers.
He wonders why every creature who lives must die. Where has their friend gone? The cat offers the reassurance that everyone asks the same questions, and wonders what happens. The bunny continues to consider the questions before realizing something very important.
“A friend who dies hasn’t left....
They become the garden and we live in them."
They become the garden and we live in them."
The words and tone are comforting, while the lush illustrations bring calm and comfort. In a final spread, readers can see the cat and little bunny cradled in the arms of their dear old friend. This is a tender way to consider loss and the uncertainties that arise when a loved one dies. In the end, the little one understands that missing a loved one is just a way of holding them close in your heart. Their old bunny friend will always have a place in the garden that surrounds them and gives them peace.
There are no quick answers; only ways to help each other live with loss knowing the loved one will always be part of the world we continue to live in.
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