I'LL BE YOUR FRIEND FOREVER

In this illustrated children’s book, kids whose beloved pets have died learn to cope with their loss.

“We grew together side by side. / I licked your cheeks when you laughed or cried.” So begins a series of reminiscences, pairing pet animals with their young owners: a lovely, big golden retriever with a dungaree-wearing girl with light brown skin; a snuggly tabby with a barefoot, brown-haired white boy; a free-flying golden canary with an exuberant girl with brown braids and light skin; a red Siamese fighting fish with a bespectacled, fair-skinned blond boy; a tame gray rabbit with a gentle African American boy; and an affectionate, red-speckled black snake with a freckled, red-haired girl. Moroko’s digital pastels capture the simple, unadulterated joy of these relationships, and then the trauma and anguish as the pets die. First, the golden retriever’s owner must part with her dog: “Then, one day, my fur turned white. / My legs ached, and I lost my sight.” In a scene where parents and children alike will feel her heartbreak, the redhead grieves her departed snake. And yet, Vadali assures us, the bond between animal and child is too strong to break with death. The golden retriever is shown crossing the rainbow bridge to a happy, pain-free afterlife among other departed animal friends. Moreover, these deceased pets are depicted in whitewashed, transparent ghost form, still watching over and playing alongside their erstwhile owners. Readers may take this literally, or as a metaphor for how a pet’s impact long outlasts its earthly life, but either way it is sure to bring comfort. Vadali even tackles the guilt and trepidation that a child might feel embracing a new animal: “A day may come when you want another pet. / But just the thought might make you sweat. / I’m here to assure you it’s all fine with me. / In fact, I’m sure I’ll watch with glee!” Such sentiments will reassure readers, and the pictures will warm their hearts—so true to life and full of love. The engaging book concludes with a list of ways to celebrate departed animals and, most endearingly, a seven-page gallery of child-drawn pet portraits.

A sweet, sad, supportive guide, respectful of the wounds left when a child’s pet dies.