FICTION

The Heaven of Animals

by Nancy TILLMAN
illus. by Nancy Tillman. 32p. Feiwel & Friends. Sept. 2014. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780312553692.
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K-Gr 2—Tillman describes a heaven for animals that is a magical place. Angels know every dog's name and its favorite games, and all of the creatures coexist peacefully. A gorilla is eye to eye wth a cat, a dog is curled up with a buffalo, etc. The digitally rendered illustrations feature an idyllic landscape suffused with light and are the best part of the book. All of the angels depicted are small children. Unfortunately, the text consists of awkward rhyming couplets whose meaning is sometimes fuzzy. "I think that maybe it's heaven they see,/beyond what their wishes/could wish it to be." Also, while angels abound, there is no mention of God. Cynthia Rylant's Dog Heaven (1995) and Cat Heaven (1997, both Scholastic) are better choices, as they both address the issue without the sentimentality.—Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
Tillman assures her reader that there is a heaven for animals where former pets cavort and play until they can be reunited with their favorite humans. This heaven features winged children to throw Frisbees for dogs and cuddle with cats. Tillman's surreal, digitally manipulated illustrations and clunky rhymes are cloying rather than reassuring. Stick with Cynthia Rylant's Dog Heaven.
Reviewed by Grace Oliff , Aug 01, 2014

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