Kindergarten-Grade 3-This book takes an interesting and unusual approach to a longtime favorite character. Although Mog dies on the first page ("Mog was tired. She was dead tired.- Mog thought, `I want to sleep for ever.' And so she did"), the cat stays around for the duration of the story in the form of a spirit, thinking that the family won't be able to get along without her. The family members are sad at first, but their attention is soon taken up with a new kitten that is afraid of everything. With the help of Mog, it learns to play like a proper cat, and to love its family and be loved in return. Satisfied that her former family is now in good cat paws, Mog's spirit flies up to the sky. Like so many other classic children's book characters, this feline seems frozen in time, cared for by children who never get any older and in a house that always appears the same, providing readers the comfort that accompanies familiarity. But young listeners who know Mog may feel as bereft as her fictional family, and the uninitiated may be taken aback by the abrupt death. The floating spirit in each of the color cartoon illustrations may elicit questions that require some thoughtful adult answers. Although this is an interesting exploration of loss, endings, and new beginnings, for Mog's loyal fans, saying good-bye to her is like killing off Clifford, the big red dog.
Jane Marino, Scarsdale Public Library, NY
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Wise, sometimes wistful but ultimately triumphant, this picture book really is something special. Judith Kerr’s previous Mog stories have always hit the highest standards; this one is her best yet: clever, affectionately illustrated and totally life-affirming.’ The Independent

Judith Kerr escaped to England with her family in 1936, after fleeing Hitler’s Germany. During the War she worked for the Red Cross before winning a scholarship to the Central School of Art and Crafts in 1945. She worked as an artist and as a BBC television scriptwriter, before becoming one of the best-loved children’s authors of the twentieth century. Judith Kerr has written three novels about her childhood, including ‘When Hilter Stole Pink Rabbit’, and many picture books.