To Maud, Daffy is more than a pet. He is both friend and confidant. As she writes, she reads aloud to him from her manuscript; she takes him along on her photography expeditions; she finds comfort and solace in his affection when she suffers from depression. Following the death of her grandmother, Maud moves from her grandmother's home and goes to live with relatives, taking Daffy with her. Some time later, she marries and moves to another province with her new husband. Daffy is left behind, feeling lonely and abandoned, and not at all fond of his new owners. One day, he is placed in a box and sent by boat, train, and, finally, by horse-drawn buggy to his new home on a farm where he is joyfully reunited with Maud.

      Manuel tells the story with emotion. Through her wonderfully descriptive passages, she gives readers a glimpse of the time during which the events took place. Though cat lovers and Anne of Green Gables fans will particulary enjoy this book, the story stands on its own merit and will appeal to a wide audience.

      Wilson achieves a three-dimensional quality in her oil paintings through her use of rich colours, light and shadow, and her attention to detail, particularly texture. Her rendering of the cat, for example, makes readers want to reach out to stroke its fur. The close-ups of Maud, too, are especially lifelike. Small sepia-toned sketches, reminiscent of a bygone era, accompany the text on the left page, while the full-page oils appear on the right.

      Manuel's heartwarming story and Wilson's realistic paintings are a winning combination. A very enjoyable read!

Highly recommended.