Goodbye Mog

by Judith Kerr

Overview

Say goodbye to MOG in this incredibly moving and stunningly illustrated story from Judith Kerr, creator of The Tiger Who Came to Tea and the MOG series.

Mog was tired. She was dead tired… Mog thought, ‘I want to sleep for ever.’ And so she did. But a little bit of her stayed awake to see what would happen next.

Join the Thomas family as they say goodbye to their dear pet Mog, and get a new kitten. It could all be a disaster, but Mog is still there to help…

A touching tribute to a character beloved for generations of children, Goodbye Mog is the perfect story for a gentle introduction to the subjects of grief and bereavement, with the one and only MOG herself.

Mog the Forgetful Cat was first published over fifty years ago, and Mog has been delighting children all over the world with her adventures ever since. These books are the perfect gifts for boys, girls and families everywhere.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780007149698
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	09/01/2003
Series:	Mog the Cat Series
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.69(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.12(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Judith Kerr OBE was born in Berlin. Her family left Germany in 1933 to escape the rising Nazi party, and came to England. She studied at the Central School of Art and later worked as a scriptwriter for the BBC.
 
Judith married the celebrated screenwriter Nigel Kneale in 1954. She left the BBC to look after their two children, who inspired her first picture book, The Tiger Who Came to Tea. Published in 1968 and never out of print in the fifty years since, it has become a much-loved classic and perennial bestseller. Her second book was Mog the Forgetful Cat, which was published in 1970 and has also gone on to become a beloved classic, with Mog appearing in a further 17 adventures in the years since.
 
Judith was awarded the Booktrust Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016, and in 2019 was named Illustrator of the Year at the British Book Awards. Judith died in May 2019 at the age of 95, and her stories continue to entertain and delight generations of children.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Wise, sometimes wistful but ultimately triumphant, this picture book really is something special. Judith Kerr’s previous Mog stories have always hit the highest standards; this one is her best yet: clever, affectionately illustrated and totally life-affirming.’ The Independent

Editorial Reviews

‘Kerr’s warmth, humour and honesty make this an engaging introduction to a difficult topic’ Financial Times

‘A supremely sensitive story’ The Times

‘The best, most consoling book for children on the subject of bereavement…a joy to read’ The Independent on Sunday

Praise for Mog:
‘Since her debut in 1970, Mog has become… a national hero.’ Junior Magazine

‘A firm favourite on children's bookshelves’ The Telegraph

‘Mog is a star, she really is. I can't recommend her highly enough. Someone should give that cat a medal, or an egg for breakfast.’ The Bookbag

‘Delightful stories about the family cat with attitude.’ The Guardian

Praise for Judith Kerr:
‘One of the best authors a child of 3+ could encounter.’ The Times

“It’s no surprise Judith’s work is still popular. It owes nothing to the vagaries of style or fashion. Her warmth and humanity are timeless.” Michael Foreman

From the Publisher

Kerr seemingly caps her bestselling series of books about an affable family pet with this simultaneously sad and soothing story. "I want to sleep forever," thinks the "dead-tired" Mog: "And so she did. But a little bit of her stayed awake to see what would happen next." As a faint apparition of the cat hovers overhead, the Thomas family mourns the passing of their beloved feline. She looks on curiously and occasionally disapprovingly when Mrs. Thomas brings home a new kitten that appears to be afraid of everything. Mistakenly thinking their new pet has escaped outdoors, the Thomases search for it while Mog heads inside ("I knew they'd never manage without me. They've got themselves the wrong sort of stupid kitten and now they've lost it. I'm going in"). Mog, thrilled that the kitten can apparently see her, reverses her opinion about the young feline's intelligence and gives it the "help" it needs to become less timid and more playful-and to endear itself to its new family. Kerr's appealing story entirely avoids the maudlin with its fine balance of humor and sentiment. Her winsome art captures the sincerity and spunk of the memorable-and, perchance, immortal-Mog. Ages 4-7. (Mar.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

K-Gr 3-This book takes an interesting and unusual approach to a longtime favorite character. Although Mog dies on the first page ("Mog was tired. She was dead tired.- Mog thought, `I want to sleep for ever.' And so she did"), the cat stays around for the duration of the story in the form of a spirit, thinking that the family won't be able to get along without her. The family members are sad at first, but their attention is soon taken up with a new kitten that is afraid of everything. With the help of Mog, it learns to play like a proper cat, and to love its family and be loved in return. Satisfied that her former family is now in good cat paws, Mog's spirit flies up to the sky. Like so many other classic children's book characters, this feline seems frozen in time, cared for by children who never get any older and in a house that always appears the same, providing readers the comfort that accompanies familiarity. But young listeners who know Mog may feel as bereft as her fictional family, and the uninitiated may be taken aback by the abrupt death. The floating spirit in each of the color cartoon illustrations may elicit questions that require some thoughtful adult answers. Although this is an interesting exploration of loss, endings, and new beginnings, for Mog's loyal fans, saying good-bye to her is like killing off Clifford, the big red dog.-Jane Marino, Scarsdale Public Library, NY Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

Readers who remember Mog from Kerr’s long popular and recently reissued Mog the Forgetful Cat will be both happy and sad to see this final episode in the long series by the British author/illustrator. As the title, cover art (Mog floating in a starry sky), and opening sentences ("Mog was tired. She was dead tired . . . I want to sleep for ever") not too subtly foreshadow, Mog is ready to die. Being a curious cat, a part of her "stayed awake" to see what would happen in the Thomas house. After a period of mourning, Mrs. Thomas brings home a kitten that has a hard time adjusting. Afraid of newspaper, noise, and being held, it is most comfortable hiding under the couch. It’s a good thing that Mog is still keeping an eye on things. After a brief jealous period, she takes heart ("I knew they’d never manage without me. I’m going in") and models proper behavior for the kitten, including jumping, hiding under newspapers, and playing with bags. Mog also pushes the still-shy kitten into Debbie Thomas’s arms for some petting, which it discovers it likes. Finally, Rumpus is ready to become the new family pet. Debbie Thomas notes, "I’ll always remember Mog," and the never-humble Mog leaves this earth thinking, "So I should hope." Now Mog is able to take the last part of her journey, as "she flew up and up and up and up right into the sun." Although Mog’s slightly ghost-like celestial presence is easily spotted in each picture and each family member does weep following Mog’s death, there is nothing scary or overwhelmingly morose here. Kerr’s understated humor and cheery, cartoon-like illustrations make the mood more sweet than sentimental or frightening. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews