ON THE NIGHT OF THE SHOOTING STAR

Bunny and Dog live solitary, parallel lives in adjacent homes until their shared glimpse of a shooting star engenders a new and steadfast friendship.

Each tidy lakeside home, separated by a fence, is appointed with décor that reflects its inhabitant. Bunny’s house—blue, like her—contains such lapine accoutrements as rabbit-shaped salt-and-pepper shakers and a framed portrait of three carrots. Bunny ears pop up often: on the loft bed’s headboard, the lamp, and the cocoa cups. Sharp-eyed kids might notice the reading chair’s fluffy white “tail.” Dog’s abode is similarly cozy in his signature red, with a portable radio, a rug woven with a border of dogs, and a goodly supply of biscuits. As the animals engage in solo pursuits, from knitting (Dog) and drawing (Bunny) to cultivating twin gardens, they steal furtive glances at each other. Sleepless and outdoors on a moonlit night, each deduces that the other needs a friend. Their mutual, ephemeral experience—witnessing the shooting star—fuels their new relationship, as they share meals and pastimes together. Hest’s gentle subtext seems to say, “Life is short. Engage; connect.” Desmond’s mixed-media illustrations juxtapose simply rendered animals, charming household details, and lovely full-bleed expanses of starry sky and moonlit lake.

A gentle, empathetic tribute to the value of reaching out to welcome a new friend.