Fluffy and the Stars

Fluffy and the Stars is a great new book that, in a clear and relatable way for young children, deals with the loss of a pet. It also includes incidental representation of a nonbinary main character.

Shay and their little white dog Fluffy are best friends. They do everything together and support one another. When Shay’s mother tells them Fluffy is dying, Shay is understandably upset. Instead of saying goodbye, Shay thanks Fluffy for the wonderful times they spent together. Afterwards, Shay misses Fluffy. Shay’s mom tells them that their love for Fluffy will always be in their heart. One night, Shay dreams of Fluffy playing with other dogs among the stars. They know Fluffy is happy and safe. When Shay looks at the stars, they think of Fluffy.

Roza Nozari’s illustrations capture the playfulness of Shay and Fluffy’s special relationship. The bold cartoon shapes and bright colours used in the artwork make the emotions of the story very clear for the young reader. When Shay dreams of Fluffy in space, the bright happy illustrations, including an anthropomorphic planet giving Fluffy belly rubs, help lift the reader up from the sad events. Nozari ends the story with a touch of peaceful whimsy with an illustration of Shay smiling and hugging their mother while looking at a Fluffy-shaped constellation in the sky.

Although it is clear that Fluffy has died in the latter half of the story, the actual words dying and death are not used. It can be difficult to talk to children about grief and mental health, but the author and illustrator both have additional professional qualifications in social work. The author, T’áncháy Redvers, has a master’s degree in Indigenous social work and a background in mental health. Nozari is a registered social worker and therapist.

As previously mentioned, the protagonist in Fluffy and the Stars is nonbinary. Gender and race are not explicitly discussed in this story; Shay uses they/them pronouns and has brown skin and a long brown braid. Redvers is a Dene/Métis two-spirit creator from the Deninu K’ue First Nation in Treaty 9 territory. Nozari identifies as a queer, Muslim person of colour.

Fluffy and the Stars is a beautiful way to talk about death with young children while having an authentic representation of a young nonbinary person of colour. It will be helpful to children dealing with grief and is an important addition to elementary school classrooms and libraries.