the best choice of all.
If you want to add things
to the box to keep your
Something Dead company,
that would be fine.
A GUINEA PIG might like
an orange nub of carrot.
A FISH might appreciate ... "
What's a child supposed to do when 'something wonderful' ends up dead? It might be a goldfish, a turtle, a pill bug, a guinea pig. There is no doubt that it was much loved for a time. Having left no instructions for what to do following its demise, a child must believe that the pet trusts that a fitting funeral will be arranged for backyard burial.
"Because even dead, they know how much you
miss them, and how much you want to be able to
explain that to everyone.
But that sort of explaining can be hard. Having
a backyard funeral helps when you can't find all
the words.
(Or when they get stuck on the way out.)
Planning is needed - for the container, the resting place, the stories to be told, the love felt, favorite songs, the presence of a tissue box and even flowers, once the hole is covered over. There are no rules. The right way is the one that feels right for the child experiencing the loss. It is sad, there is no doubt. Suggestions are made for follow-up remembrances and the prospect of another pet in the future.
Full of purpose, while also meant to provide some comfort in the face of death, Ms. Lucianovic has created a book unlike any I have read. The various spreads created by George Ermos perfectly match the tone and humor of each scenario, adding an extra dash of comic relief. It is perfect fare for older readers who will appreciate the humor presented when losing a pet that does not often become part of the family, as would happen with a family pet of long standing.
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