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Coco and Stephen, Together Forever

How a Kitten and Bunny Became Best Friends

Author Beth Stern
Illustrated by Joanie Stone
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Hardcover
11"W x 8.81"H x 0.41"D   | 15 oz | 24 per carton
On sale May 05, 2026 | 40 Pages | 9798217123544
Age 4-8 years
Reading Level: Lexile 580L

From New York Times bestselling author, proud animal foster parent, and spokesperson for the world’s largest no-kill rescue and adoption organization Beth Stern comes the heartwarming story of an abandoned bunny and a discarded kitten who each found their forever home and became best friends.

Coco is a kitten who was surrendered to a shelter. Stephen is a bunny who has been abandoned in the forest. All they both want is a forever home. When the two see each other for the first time through a glass door in Beth’s foster room—Coco has never seen ears so fuzzy, and Stephen’s never seen eyes so golden!—it’s friendship love at first sight. 

Soon their days are filled with hide and seek, the zoomies, and snuggling in the sunlight. They have found not only their forever home, but also a forever friend.

This sweet and simple meet-cute is inspired by the unlikely friendship between a heartbroken kitten and an optimistic bunny whose love captured the attention of thousands of people on Instagram. New York Times bestselling illustrator Joanie Stone fills every page with warmth as this adorably irresistible pair find each other against all odds. 

In an author’s note at the end of the book, Beth shares her experiences rescuing animals and offers information about fostering or adopting pets.
JOANIE STONE was born and raised in Virginia, where she still lives today with her husband and young daughter. She spends her days painting in her studio in the country, surrounded by nature. She is the illustrator of Julia Child: A Little Golden Book Biography and the Little Golden Books Let's Go Trick-or-Treating! and I'm Going to Kindergarten! View titles by Joanie Stone
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additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
"Sweet prose and softened digital illustrations make this duo an irresistible springboard for discussions about responsible pet ownership or fostering....A tender tale of forever friends finally finding a forever home." —Kirkus Reviews

"[A] touching story....Clever parallels and repetition make this suitable for a younger audience and early literacy development." —School Library Journal

About

From New York Times bestselling author, proud animal foster parent, and spokesperson for the world’s largest no-kill rescue and adoption organization Beth Stern comes the heartwarming story of an abandoned bunny and a discarded kitten who each found their forever home and became best friends.

Coco is a kitten who was surrendered to a shelter. Stephen is a bunny who has been abandoned in the forest. All they both want is a forever home. When the two see each other for the first time through a glass door in Beth’s foster room—Coco has never seen ears so fuzzy, and Stephen’s never seen eyes so golden!—it’s friendship love at first sight. 

Soon their days are filled with hide and seek, the zoomies, and snuggling in the sunlight. They have found not only their forever home, but also a forever friend.

This sweet and simple meet-cute is inspired by the unlikely friendship between a heartbroken kitten and an optimistic bunny whose love captured the attention of thousands of people on Instagram. New York Times bestselling illustrator Joanie Stone fills every page with warmth as this adorably irresistible pair find each other against all odds. 

In an author’s note at the end of the book, Beth shares her experiences rescuing animals and offers information about fostering or adopting pets.

Creators

JOANIE STONE was born and raised in Virginia, where she still lives today with her husband and young daughter. She spends her days painting in her studio in the country, surrounded by nature. She is the illustrator of Julia Child: A Little Golden Book Biography and the Little Golden Books Let's Go Trick-or-Treating! and I'm Going to Kindergarten! View titles by Joanie Stone

Photos

additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo

Praise

"Sweet prose and softened digital illustrations make this duo an irresistible springboard for discussions about responsible pet ownership or fostering....A tender tale of forever friends finally finding a forever home." —Kirkus Reviews

"[A] touching story....Clever parallels and repetition make this suitable for a younger audience and early literacy development." —School Library Journal
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