The subject of death is a difficult one to explain to childrenand send a positive, yet real message. Death happens, and"sometimes there isn't a single reaons in the world for something to happen." It is okay to grieve and talking about it can sometimes be the best way to work through a loss. The writer clearly portrays a boy struggling to understand the loss of his dog, and meeting up with his neighbor-- an older man who's wife died previously. The older man understands the boy's frustration and grief, and empathizes with the boy's feelings word for word. As the boy describes his life with the dog, the man remembers his life with his "best friend" (his wife.)

The book does not specifically address where people go after they die, except to clearly state that they are in a better place, happy, able to run and see, etc. (I would hope that people from any religion would be able to interpret this to be whatever they wanted.) And, the man teaches the boy how to be with his dog whenever he wants, by just closing his eyes and imagining... Really beautiful!

This subject matter is difficult, but I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has suffered a loss. I think this will help children understand their feelings and know they are not alone in losing someone. Very well done!