Author: Yvonne Perry
ISBN: 9780982572207
Publisher: Write On! (2006)
Available from Amazon at http://tinyurl.com/AmazonSidSeries
Reviewed by Donna B. Russell
How do you help a child deal with the death of a beloved pet when you, yourself, struggle to understand "why"? Yvonne Perry does so with simplicity, sensitivity, and the understanding that children need to be allowed to express their own thoughts and, in doing so, may impart a wisdom of their own.
When the family dog dies of old age, Ran-Ran, Von-Von and grandson Sid must come to terms with their grief. In an atmosphere of safety and acceptance, Von-Von wonders out loud why dogs don't live as long as humans do. Sid's surprising response, and a stray puppy, help them come to terms with their loss and open their hearts to another dog in need of love. Without euphemisms that are confusing to children, Yvonne Perry's tender story takes you through grief to healing, ending on a positive note.
Perry says, "Some people will tell you that dogs and cats don’t have souls so they can’t go to heaven, but I don’t believe that." Anyone who has lived with an animal companion, and taken the time to really understand them, would agree with her. This is one of the best books I've read on the subject of pet loss.
Puppy Love is one in a series of holistic children's books written by Yvonne (Von-Von in the book) for her grandson Sid, who is the main character. It may be written for children, but adults will enjoy it, too. I recommend it as a sensitive way to help children (and adults) deal with a very painful subject.
Yvonne Perry is a freelance writer, editor, award-winning speaker, and owner of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services in Nashville, TN. She is also host of Writers in the Sky Podcast, which include interviews, seminars, and audio workshops available through iTunes.com and other podcast directories.
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For more information, you might enjoy reading the complete book More Than Meets the Eye True Stories about Death, Dying, and Afterlife. Purchase on Amazon.com
Hi Yvonne,
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post, thank you for the link. Losing a pet is never easy and this is very helpful.
I found your blog while searching for unique and helpful content about dealing with loss. I think you could benefit from sharing your personal story to an audience of people seeking information on dealing with loss. Wellsphere's HealthBlogger Network (HBN) is comprised of over 3,000 of the web's best health writers, including doctors, patient experts and people pursuing healthy living.
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Wow Yvonne. What a great post and blog! We all have to cope with the death of a loved one and it's good to know these resources are here. Thank you.
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