Happy Birthday Coco

The collaborative effort of a Tokyo graphic design team, this narrative of a year in a dog's life features lots of airy white space and several jazzy die-cut and translucent pages; the overall visual effect is rather ethereal. However, the happy account of Coco's life includes an unexpected encounter with death. Coco, a trim-looking terrier, is celebrating her first birthday when the book opens. As the illustrations depict her chewing on her owner's shoes, shrinking from threatening cats, and leaping after tennis balls, the narrator reminisces about her warm friendship with a big dog (""They both liked to explore,"" says the text on a spread showing a meadow and a tree, but no dogs). Not long afterward, though, Coco runs away and is discovered in the vet's waiting room, hunched by the side of her friend the big dog. ""It was time to go, but Coco wouldn't.... Not until much, much later."" Readers don't see what happens to the big dog, but the next page (""Time often makes things better"") makes it clear that the big dog died. There are many lighter moments, but they don't quite dispel the gloom of the big dog's loss. The book might serve younger children as an introduction to the idea of death, but may be too sad for them otherwise. Older readers will enjoy Coco's antics and her loyalty to her friend. All ages.