This was a tough book to read. I read this with my 6yo son. I chose this book because our cat Lilly is 18 years old. Her age has been starting to show for a while. I wanted a book to help explain about animals passing away. It may come to a point where she will need to be euthanized. This was a great book to help show why we may have to put animals to sleep sometimes. It was told in a way that little kids can understand.
Like the rest of the books featuring this duo, Oscar and Emmy Lose a Friend is a great teaching tool. While the book does have a well developed story, it is not a light read. Oscar and Emmy Lose a Friend provides a story about a loveable cat in child-friendly language to help children learn about end of life practices for pets. This book would be a great way to introduce children to the topic of pet/animal loss if you know you’ll be faced with it soon.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Megan Pesekhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngMegan Pesek2023-08-29 19:40:302023-09-09 12:22:17Oscar and Emmy Lose a Friend (Oscar and Emmy Series) by Terri Sabol – Review by Megan Pesek
This was a difficult and an emotional book to read. The toughest decision in life is when we decide to put a pet to sleep. And explaining it to children is very critical . This book covers the subject. Oscar and Emmy are very fond of their stray feral cat Shadow which lives in their neighborhood and comes over for food. Over a time, they see a difference in Shadow. The family has to take a tough call about putting Shadow to sleep. It was a very difficult book to read for me, but the awareness does help.
This beautifully illustrative children’s book explains the rainbow bridge for our furry friends in an easy-to-understand and sensitive way. I would recommend reading this with an adult to help guide the conversation. All I can say is please read this book!
Oh my heart 💜 😢 This book deals with the heartbreaking life event of saying goodbye to a beloved pet. It was so well and sensitively written. It’s a very emotional time losing a pet and it can be difficult to find the words and this story would be a great way to broach the subject with young children and to help explain the process and get the discussion started. A wonderful addition to any home or classroom library. Highly recommend.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Rayne Easthttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngRayne East2023-08-23 03:04:092023-09-05 14:08:37Oscar and Emmy Lose a Friend (Oscarand Emmy Series) by Terri Sabol – Review by Rayne East
Oscar and Emmy Lose a Friend by Terri Sabol is a poignant story about dealing with the loss of a furry friend and making difficult choices. Covering topics such as rescue pets, stray animals, end of life decisions, euthanasia, crossing the rainbow bridge, saying goodbye, family, friendship, compassion, loss, and emotion- the story comes with really cute illustrations that help to build and guide the storyline. It’s a sad story but with an important message for all ages. Having lost several furever friends and furever family members, the details in this book hit close to home. It’s never easy to say goodbye- and this book helps explain things in an educational but understanding way. The story is told through Oscar and Emmy, who are cat siblings, their human family, and their stray cat friend Shadow, whose health has been on the decline of late. What happens when the family take Shadow to the Vet? Some decisions are extremely important, but not the easiest to make. This story helps to explain why.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Angela Hayeshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAngela Hayes2023-08-22 23:41:482023-08-28 13:23:25Oscar and Emmy Lose a Friend (Oscar and Emmy Series) by Terri Sabol – Review by Angela Hayes
Oscar and Emmy Lose a Friend is a very touching story that helps younger kids learn about having to put a pet to sleep. This story takes you through the whole process of finding out whether a pet is ill to the final stages if the pet can’t get better. With clear language and beautifully drawn illustrations, this can help many families better explain things to younger children. The author has done a wonderful job writing on such a tough subject! I’m glad I picked this book up as we have a sick pet currently and though we hope to avoid putting it to sleep, this will help my family if we have to face that tough choice. For anyone having to go through this hard life decision, this is definitely a book you want to have.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Donyahttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngDonya2023-08-22 22:02:222023-09-05 13:53:44Oscar and Emmy Lose a Friend (Oscar and Emmy Series) by Terri Sabol – Review by Donya Pedigo
This story is emotional. Even is you have never owned a pet, most people know what it means to put an animal to sleep. Our pets often have become part of the family. This story goes through the process of doing just that. It walks through from diagnosis through to sending them off to the Rainbow Bridge. I found the story does a very nice job of explaining this in a family friendly way so that it can be read to children. This may help to answer questions and possibly put some worries at ease, Either way, it will help parents to talk with their children when that time comes that a fur baby has to be put to sleep. This book is a gentle way of explaining the process. I think it is a definite must for the library of any parents of younger ones with pets.
I appreciated this is a direct continuation of Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend, which makes the pairing logical for helping children acquire, and sadly, lose, pets. This book continues, as with the first, to depict the cats and playful and cheerful animals and characters. This book has a great description of what a vet may do, which helps with social stories for young kids that have to take their pet to the vet, written in language they can understand, and teaching proper terms such as euthanasia (yes, children can understand big words). For a sensitive topic, the authors handle it well and this book provides a bridge to discuss pet loss with young children.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Jennifer Crainhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJennifer Crain2023-08-21 20:42:152023-08-28 13:19:31Oscar and Emmy Lose a Friend (Oscarand Emmy Series) by Terri Sabol – Review by Jennifer Crain
This is a fantastic book that explains illness and euthanasia and makes it understandable to children as young as five. Nobody wants to talk about these difficult subjects and it helps so much to have a book to open the door to a discussion.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christina Fordhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristina Ford2023-08-21 18:45:562023-09-05 14:21:22Oscar and Emmy Lose a Friend (Oscarand Emmy Series) by Terri Sabol – Review by Christina Ford
Oscar and Emmy Lose a Friend is an emotional and educational read about saying goodbye to a furry loved one which is not easy no matter how young or old you are. Grief is different for everyone and especially little people, but Terri has done a brilliant job of putting together a controversial topic for a child and made it into a story that is caring and easily shared. I like that she doesn’t shy away from topics that others would not think to do especially for kids where it is a confusing and hard time. It is a story about making those tough and importance decision together as a family. The bright and colourful pictures help to explain the process of what happens and to know it is ok to be sad and miss them. I see there are many more adventures for Oscar and Emmy to read to my family.
Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend by Terri Sabol. This is a wonderful book about the topic of stray and feral cats. Abby and Charlie have 2 pet cats, Oscar and Emmy. When the cats make a new friend in Shadow, a stray cat that has kittens, they ask their mom if they can feed them. Their mom says yes but she also explains to the kids that she has to call the vet. The vet wants her to trap the momma cat and kittens and bring them in. The vet teaches them all about the trap neuter return program. Trying to cut down on the stray cat population is a must for just about all areas. The kids are excited to be able to help the momma cat and kittens and are excited to have learned something new. Such a good educational book!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Tausha Treadwayhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngTausha Treadway2023-08-21 15:35:322023-09-05 14:20:18Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend by Terri Sabol – Review by Tausha Treadway
This books is heart breaking and yet amazing all at the same time. This book covers a topic that is difficult to discuss with children – loss and the loss of a pet. The author handles it beautifully and it is an emotional and well written story. Thankfully, this isn’t a topic I have had to touch on with my kids but it thought it was a great way to gently introduce them to the subject. And, in the future if it becomes any more relevant, I will certainly revisit this book with them as a way to explain what is happening. This whole series has been engaging and fun to read and, despite the subject matter, this one has to be my favourite so far. I can’t wait to see what is next.
Illustrations are wondering done and full of detail. I like how the kids want to help a stray cat and give it food. The cats that Oscar and Emmy have were adopted from the shelter and I love how this promotes adoption of stray animals. I have never heard of a trap-neuter-return program before. I’m not sure how I feel about returning animals back to the street. The book let’s the reader know how the animals are treated and released. The book is simple enough for kids to read and doesn’t go into too much detail about neutering. Just enough information for age appropriate audience.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Brandy Vaughnhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngBrandy Vaughn2023-08-21 14:34:142023-09-05 14:19:10Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend by Terri Sabol – Review by Brandy Vaughn
It’s sad when we lose our pets. This story explains about euthanasia in a soft way that is just right for children to understand. We all know when it is time to help our pets not feel pain anymore. This is just what happens with Shadow when the family who feeds him comes down with cancer. The parents are great about explaining what is happening with Shadow and why they are making this choice.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Tanya Wallhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngTanya Wall2023-08-21 13:40:252023-09-05 14:18:57Oscar and Emmy Lose a Friend (Oscarand Emmy Series) by Terri Sabol – Review by Tanya Wall, August 2023
This children’s book deals with the hard truth of losing a pet and the even harder truth of having to make the decision to euthanize the pet. It was fabulously done. Sabol handles the topic with a delicacy that speaks of experience and wisdom. This is a fantastic book filled with information if you have children and are having to go through this experience. The illustrations are very well done and, again, the topic is treated with dignity and respect.
I definitely enjoyed reading this story, despite it being a children’s book and only a few pages long, I learned a lot on the subject of trap-and-neuter. The story was effective and gave information in such a way that the reader is able to both follow the story and learn. The situation was explained well in simple terms that even children can understand and follow. The illustrations were cute and helped the reader understand what was going on throughout the story. Though it’s clear this story is part of a series of educational books on the subject of cats, it can be read as a standalone.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Amanda Gonzalezhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAmanda Gonzalez2023-08-21 10:24:072023-09-05 13:47:00Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend by Terri Sabol – Review by Amanda Gonzalez
This is a cute book about Shadow- a black cat that shows up at Oscar and Emmy’s house. They begin to feed her and find she has some hungry kittens too! Mom explains that the TNR (trap, neuter, release) progam will be best for Shadow and her kittens. So they trap them, take them to the vet and then release once the vet says it is okay. Great illustrations and explanations are kid friendly.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Tanya Wallhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngTanya Wall2023-08-21 09:04:002023-09-05 13:45:50Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend by Terri Sabol – Review by Tanya Wall, August 2023
I’m definitely crying. Judge me all you want. I just met Shadow in the book before and wasn’t ready to let go myself. I did enjoy this story that is teaching children about euthanasia and how it’s humane. My favorite part is the family not leaving Shadow even though Shadow wasn’t as much of a pet as Oscar and Emmy.
“Oscar and Emmy Lose a Friend” is a heartwarming children’s book that explores the bond between a family and their stray cat, Shadow.
As Shadow’s health deteriorates, the family must make a difficult decision about euthanasia.
This beautifully illustrated book teaches empathy and the importance of treating animals with love and dignity. It emphasizes the power of compassion and the bravery it takes to say goodbye to a beloved animal.
Terri Sabol is an accomplished children’s book author, renowned for her heartwarming and entertaining stories featuring the real-life adventures of her two beloved rescue kittens, Oscar and Emmy. Born and raised in Texas, Terri developed a love of writing and storytelling at a young age, and always dreamed of one day becoming an author. Thinking that was out of reach, she focused on her other dream… teaching.
After graduating from college with a Masters degree in education, Terri worked as an early childhood teacher, and it was during this time that her passion for picture books truly blossomed. She was inspired by the joy and wonder that children experienced when reading and listening to stories, and it was this love for inspiring young minds that led her to create her own series of children’s books.
Terri’s debut book, “Oscar and Emmy Get Rescued”, was published in 2016, and told the heartwarming story of how she came to adopt her two kittens from the animal shelter where she volunteered. The book was an instant hit with children and parents alike, and it quickly became clear that there was a demand for more stories featuring Oscar and Emmy and to help educate children on the importance being involved in pet care.
Over the years, Terri has continued to write new books in the series, each one capturing the unique personalities and quirks of her two adventurous cats. Her books not only entertain children, but also promote the values of compassion and kindness towards animals, as well as the importance of rescue and adoption.
In addition to her Oscar and Emmy series, Terri has also written several other books showing off her writing skills, including “Green With Envy” and “Kneading a Winning Idea”.
When she’s not writing, Terri can be found spending time with her two rescue kitties, Oscar and Emmy. She also loves travelling and exploring new places and visiting old favorites, all the while taking inspiration for her next book. Through her stories, Terri hopes to inspire children to explore the world around them, to embrace their imaginations, to never give up on their goals, and to always be kind and compassionate towards others, especially animals.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Oscar-and-Emmy-Lose-a-Friend-Front-Cover.jpg750740itsybitsybookbitshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngitsybitsybookbits2023-08-21 00:01:422023-09-02 22:13:12Oscar and Emmy Lose a Friend (Oscar and Emmy Series) by Terri Sabol
What an adorable and informative story. This is a great story about a stray cat who shows up on Oscar and Emmy’s door step. The kids feed the cat and soon, more show up. As the story contiues on, their mom tells them about TNR. At the end of thte book, there is a very informative, detailed page all about TNR. I read this with my 6yo son and he enjoyed the story and learning about strays.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Crystal Brehanthttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngCrystal Brehant2023-08-20 22:37:042023-09-05 13:44:16Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend by Terri Sabol – Review by Crystal Brehant
Oscar and Emmy are two children with two pet cats who they love, but one day another cat appears outside their back door, at first they shoo it away, but it keeps coming back, so they are told by their mother to try feeding it and this is when the cat started interacting with theirs through the window.
When their mother calls the vet for advice, they are told about the Trap-Neuter-Return programme and they decide to help these cats by getting them into the programme.
This is a story which teaches a valuable lesson about caring for animals and how important this is, not just for pets, but for those without a home as well.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Roxsanne Lesieurhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngRoxsanne Lesieur2023-08-19 05:28:322023-08-24 14:56:36Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend: A Story About Trap-Neuter-Return by Terri Sabol – Review by Roxsanne Lesieur.
This book covers a topic close to my heart. The story is primarily about the TNR program, which is very informative in handling stray and feral cats. It is a beautiful story about a family which has a lot of stray cats coming to their door step. It is about how they educate themselves about the TNR program and how it comes useful to them. With beautiful illustrations and lot of information, this book acts like a guide to any pet lover. I highly recommend this book.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Anantha Rusumhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngAnantha Rusum2023-08-18 20:39:552023-08-24 14:39:21Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend by Terri Sabol – Review by Anantha Rusum
Oscar and Emmy are two cats who notice a stray cat outside. Their owners start feeding the cat only to notice that she has a few kittens. Finding out information about the Trap Neuter Return for feral and stray cats have the owners setting up a plan to let them live a happy life.
The illustrations are wonderful for this book. Educational story that I think will bring awareness to this cause.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Emily Heislerhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngEmily Heisler2023-08-17 16:56:502023-08-24 14:11:04Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend by Terri Sabol – Review by Emily H
This is a sweet story about a stray cat that hides in bushes and searches for food. As a woman who spends a considerable amount of time trapping and releasing the feral cat colonies, I love that this book explains that feral and strays deserve love and patience and the importance of spaying and neutering. In this story the stray cat remains a stray cat, but learns he is safe and fed by the family and becomes friends with them all. All cats need love, not just lap cats.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Christina Fordhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngChristina Ford2023-08-17 07:02:302023-08-24 13:37:38Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend by Terri Sabol – Review by Christina Ford
I really enjoyed this story. Not only does it tell children what happens with strays but it also teaches them how to save the cats from reproducing too many offspring. This is a sweet tale of stray cats and what should be done to help save their lives. I also learned something new with the ear clipping.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Tonya Merritthttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngTonya Merritt2023-08-15 20:53:152023-08-23 08:29:55Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend by Terri Sabol – Review by Tonya Merritt
This is a wonderful and well written book that touches on a subject that isn’t really discussed, especially amongst kids. The author navigates what could be a difficult topic with such ease and does so in a fun and engaging way. It was nice to pick up this book after reading the first one and my kids enjoyed it all the more. From an adult perspective, this book was more emotional that I expected. I think I enjoyed this book just as much as my 2 kids did. We have read this book multiple times already and I am sure we will be reading it many times more.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Kerry Bakerhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKerry Baker2023-08-15 15:41:222023-08-23 08:01:27Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend by Terri Sabol – Review by Kerry Baker
5 Stars Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend by Terri Sabol
Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend is a wonderfully written children’s book that children of any age will enjoy reading. This is an educational story that helps bring awareness to the T-N-R ( Trap Neuter Return) program and how it works. The colorful illustrations help to bring the story to life through the eyes of animals. Oscar and Emmy are cats and they meet a new friend Abby who is a stray cat. Follow along with them on their adventure and also learn about what The TNR is. What will happen when they come upon a stray cat? We loved reading this book by a new to us author. We are animal lovers and truly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more from this Author.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Dawn Daughenbaughhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngDawn Daughenbaugh2023-08-13 05:32:322023-08-23 07:32:25Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend by Terri Sabol – Review by Dawn Daughenbaugh
I read this book because it is very close to my heart. I volunteer for a rescue in the UK and the number of cats we have come into rescue to have kittens because of their owners have chosen not to neuter them. We have male strays who have been fighting again because of not being neutered, cats who get run over because they are either chasing females or getting away from other unneutered male cats. It’s a huge problem and I love that this story is addressing the issue at a young age. Its giving children to correct information about how to care for their pets to keep them safe. The story was really well written and had beautiful illustrations. I cannot recommend the book enough it shows how the T-N-R programme works and the positive effect it can have.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Katie Matthewshttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngKatie Matthews2023-08-11 10:50:212023-08-23 07:19:48Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend by Terri Sabol – Review by Katie Matthews
This is a sweet story that is also educational. Oscar and Emmy are the house cats and they start to see a black cat come up to the door of the house they live in. Oscar and Emmy’s owners start to set out food for Shadow, the new cat. The parents of the home teach their children about house pets vs feral cats and what they need to do. The children learn about Trap-Neuter-Release and then have an opportunity to continue to see Shadow after her procedure.
A great learning tool for youngsters to teach proper pet responsibility.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Julie Johnsonhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngJulie Johnson2023-08-09 13:50:242023-08-16 14:03:55Oscar and Emmy Gain a Friend by Terri Sabol – Review by Julie Johnson
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