by Tessa Ellis (Author), Jessica Green (Illustrator), Keli Bonanno (Editor)
This children's book is to help with the heartbreaking loss of a beloved pet. Stella and the Stars is about a dog named Stella, who was fascinated by the lights above. She loves the stars and is drawn to them throughout her entire life. When Stella reaches her final moments and drifts away, she discovers that she is being transformed into the very thing she has admired all her life... a star, and she shines brightest for her family to see her. As a second grade teacher, I experience all my students' highs and lows. Not all struggles happen in the classroom, but that is where many are felt. Losing a beloved pet can be traumatic and incredibly difficult, for a child, to overcome. We know this truth as adults, but sadly, so do our children who may have had their pet as their companion all of their lives. The death of a pet is a great, heavy, and irreplaceable loss. The last page will allow families to personalize and illustrate their own page to best remember their pet that they are missing. My hope is that this book will help with heal hearts and offer a positive way to remember our pets when they pass.