death of a beloved dog

[pashminamum]

My 2 year old ds was devoted to our jack russell terrier who died at the grand old age of 15. Does anyone know of boosk that will help with bereavement of a pet? Also grateful for recommendations of any books for parents to explain death to toddlers. Thank you

[DandyDan]

Yes, Harry & Hopper, which I think doesn't have words (or very few) - just pictures. It won the Kate Greenaway prize this year for illustration and text. It is by Margaret Wild and Freya Blackwood. It is about a boy who grows up with a dog, and then the dog dies, and he still sees it for a while but gradually it fades away and he is okay with that in the end.

Badger's Parting Gift is a well-known one too.

For older children (not a 2 yr old), The Velveteen Rabbit is well done (but has an implication of an afterlife - not everyone will want that necessarily). There's another one about water beetles, I think.

[GrimmaTheNome]

I was going to mention Badger's Parting gift. That is also good if you're anticipating the death of a beloved elderly relative - around the time of DDs great uncle's demise, when she was 3, she asked for it repeatedly.

The last in the Mog series too - can't think what its called offhand.

[DandyDan]

Is it "Goodbye Mog"?

[GrimmaTheNome]

That's the one.

Its a bugger to read aloud though, make sure you've tissues handy! Same goes for the Velveteen Rabbit.

[applestrudel]

Scrumpy by Elizabeth Dale is about the death of a beloved dog - suitable for a two year old.

[pashminamum]

Thank you so much. I have ordered them all on Amazon; I also put some photos together and created a little photo book for him which seems to have helped. Ofcourse it took us 4 days to be able to read it without tears!