Atom, the Little Moon Monkey (1970)

So here is my sad posting for you. Those with sensitive natures will want to skip this one. For  wherever I post a book about animals in space I regularly get a comment that I have not reminded people that many of the animals died during their "missions."

So Atom, the Little Moon Monkey, is the solution (SPOILER ALERT!!!). Atom dies at the end of this beautiful and peculiar children's book. Yes I was shocked when I first read this one but at least (as you will see) he gets to go to monkey heaven. I quote:

Atom, the little moon monkey. Anne Philipe. Illustrated by Jacqueline Duhème. New York : Harlan Quist, 1970. 28 p. 29 cm. "A Here-and-There book."

He loves another but has to be separated from her.

So very beautiful up to this point. Highly colorful abstract and impressionistic illustrations. NOW IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE SKIP THESE FINAL ILLUSTRATIONS!

 The book explains that suddenly Atom is not lonely or cold any more. They do not show his death simply he is joined with his true love in their jungle paradise. The dangers of biomedical space research for children. :)