The Old Woman Who Named Things, Paperback/Cynthia Rylant

How does an old woman who has outlived all her friends keep from being lonely? By naming the things in her life she knows she will never outlive--like her house, Franklin, and her bed, Roxanne. When a shy brown puppy appears at her front gate, the old woman won t name it, because it might not outlive her. Tender watercolors capture the charm of this heartwarming story of an old woman who doesn t know she s lonely until she meets a plucky puppy who needs a name--and someone to love. "