An old cat comes to live with two Siamese kittens, Benny and Bing, and when she refuses to be friends, they turn to the older, wiser Gracie for advice and set out to win Dribbles over.
The family cats work hard at befriending the new, though elderly, cat that moves in with the family’s grandfather. They are especially glad they did when the cat dies, knowing it was loved.
Soft, beautiful pictures tell a gentle story from three cats’ point of view about aging and loss. An old man, who has recently lost his wife, moves in with his elderly cat, Dribbles. The three resident cats, Benny and Bing, two kittens, and adult Gracie, are at first confused and ruffled by the appearance of the ill-tempered senior cat. It’s a realistic depiction of cats gradually acclimating to each other, and the author and illustrator do a nice job contrasting between young and old. By the time Dribbles passes away, the cats have reached a mutual peace.
This would be a fine choice to help a child with the loss of a person or a pet.