Big Cat Pepper

By: Elizabeth Partidge
Illustrated by: Lauren Castillo
Ages : Pre-K - 2nd grade


Although you may not be able to tell from the adorable chalk-like, colorful cover of the book, Big Cat Pepper is very much about loss. After the death of a beloved Cat, a young boy explains his feelings of loss and hurt from losing his favorite pet and best friend. It is an interesting example of how children deal with death and what it is like to feel sad and upset about losing a friend. I feel that many children and adults would be able to relate to the themes that this book brings up. How do we deal with the death of a pet? How do children understand death? The story tells of the memorial that is made for Pepper and how he is buried in the backyard. Even though not all families do this with their pets, this is just one example of how a family dealt with the feelings that come along with loss.