TULIP AND LUPIN FOREVER
by Mireille Levert and illustrated by Mireille Levert and translated by Elisa Amado
Tulip, the watering fairy, and her dog bee, Lupin, are best friends. They breakfast at the same table, tend the fields of flowers together and howl when the moon is full. Dog bees don’t live as long as watering fairies, however, and Lupin passes on. Tulip is so sad she heads out for parts unknown to explore. She meets a sea turtle and spends time on a beach, but quickly becomes homesick. On her return she finds a baby dog bee to care for, though she’ll never forget Lupin. This French Canadian tale of pet loss is workmanlike at best. The fey nature of the whole concept of “watering fairy” and “dog bee” seems out of place when they appear in the context of more conventional animals, and Tulip’s job seems unnecessary, given that her absence does not affect her flowers. Her emotions never feel as strong as readers are told they are, and the bright watercolor illustrations rarely pick up the somber mood of the tale. As evanescent as its subjects. (Picture book. 4-7)