Lucky & Norman: Saying Goodbye Is Bittersweet

Inspired by a cherished memory and her #1 New York Times bestseller Bittersweet, Susan Cain has collaborated with three generations of family members to tell this touching tale of a forever friendship between two brothers and the donkeys they meet on a memorable vacation.

On the first day of their farm vacation, Sam and Eli meet Lucky and Norman, two donkeys who live on the grounds. Oh how they want to make friends with them! But the donkeys are wary of these two young strangers. They try feeding the animals, they try offering games, but Lucky and Norman refuse to approach the fence where the boys eagerly wait. Until one morning, when the boys' patience and interest are rewarded: The donkeys come to the fence and allow the boys to pet them. For the rest of the vacation the boys and donkeys play together, sudden best friends. Now, how in the world will the boys be able to bear leaving at the end of their stay?

This endearing family story illustrates the strong bond between people and animals in a tender, meaningful portrait of the bittersweet experience of saying goodbye to something or someone you love.

Author: Susan Cain,The Cain Family
Publisher: Rocky Pond Books
Published: 06/02/2026
Pages: 40
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 10.10h x 10.30w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9780593695685
Audience: Ages 4-8


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 04/15/2026
Booklist 04/28/2026

About the Author
Susan Cain is the author of the global sensation and #1 New York Times Bestseller Quiet and the instant #1 New York Times Bestseller Bittersweet, an Oprah Book Club Selection. She is the host of the Quiet Life online community; her Kindred Letters newsletter is read in 193 Countries.

Albert Cain is professor emeritus at the University of Michigan where he served for ten years as Chair of the Psychology Department. His scholarly publications include articles on child bereavement, object loss, survivors of suicide, and the pioneer article on "The Replacement Child."

Barbara Cain was clinical supervisor at the University of Michigan's Psychological Clinic for forty years and conducted a private practice in Ann Arbor. Her articles on divorce and "problems of the heart" appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Science, and academic journals, and she is the author of several children's books.

Kenneth Cain served as an officer in UN Peacekeeping Operations in Somalia, Rwanda, Haiti, and Liberia, where he learned all too well how hard it is to say goodbye. His book on the subject was an international bestseller and was optioned for film by Russell Crowe.

Sam Cain attends the Dwight Englewood School in New Jersey where his favorite subjects are history and law. He plays on his school's record-setting soccer team and writes a popular Substack column about world history.

Eli Cain attends Choate Rosemary Hall where his favorite subject is international affairs. He is the kicker on Choate's championship football team.

Beyond loving and leaving Lucky and Norman, the family's devotion to their beloved Goldendoodle, Sophie, served as inspiration for this story.

Stella Lim studied Fine Art at SWU in Seoul, South Korea, and then received a Master of Communication Design from Kingston University in the UK. The illustrator of several acclaimed picture books, she lives in Seoul with her family.