With gentle words and calm illustrations, this book takes on death and the newness birth brings as well.

This is a careful book, and that comes across in the gently colored illustrations. With swimming watercolors i calming hues, a normal neighborhood with two neighboring houses is presented. A doctor enters both, but what waits beyond is very different for each one. The idea of life and death, and the balance between the two is presented in a way which is emotional and yet, steers clear for becoming overwhelmingly depressing.

The text is simple and appropriate for even the younger end of the intended audience. It does make a nice read-aloud but for more serious topic moments.

A few, tiny things did hit me a little off. (Spoiler alert, now.....) The death is a dog while the birth is a human. Plus, the dog is put to sleep there among the family members with a syringe. This alone opened up a discussion which was more upsetting for the kids than the idea of death ever was. The caretaker/guardian reading this book to young children should be aware of this.

I received a complimentary copy and am giving it 3.5-stars and rounding up. ( )