A story using cute cats, rhyming and colorful illustrations to encourage conversations with young children about kindness, empathy and acceptance. In our current society this message is even more important than ever. Diversity is front and center in all conversations and the story of Angus & Coco helps parents and teachers to have this dialogue with children in a sweet, entertaining, non-threatening or authoritarian way.
Angus doesn't dislike Coco out of malice. He has just never met another cat who doesn't "look" like he does.
His mommy or in this case "meowmy" helps to explain to him that we are all "different" in our own way and that those "differences" are what makes each of us special and who we are. While trying to understand what his meowmy is teaching him, Angus makes Coco feel bad and she exclaims "just because I am different that does not make me bad"! This line in and of itself says it all. In her case the "difference" is that her tail is very small and not at all like his and that's why he tells her that she can't possibly be a cat like him. I was "born this way" she tells him.
Angus & Coco were my real-life fur-kids and Coco really did have that tail as you will see in a photo provided in the book. It was confirmed that she was indeed "born this way" and we did find her in my mom's yard when she was about 3 months old. She is to this day the most adorable being I have ever known!
Tails of Two Friends is the first of what will be a series of books featuring Angus & Coco and addressing topics such as jealousy, sharing and fear. It is my hope that their stories will encourage conversations with children about feelings that most of them have especially when a new sibling or friend enters their lives.
Book has been accepted and resides in the Library of Congress in Washington D.C.
Control # 2021907719