Saying Goodbye to Lulu by Corinne Demas

Saying Goodbye to Lulu by Corinne Demas and illustrated by Ard Hoyt
I admit it. This book did bring tears to my eyes. It definitely reminded me of the many memories I have with the dogs that I grew up with as a kid. Just the title suggests what the story is about. It mainly focuses on how this young girl deals with saying goodbye to her dog, essentially dealing with death. I thought it was well-written and appropriate because a lot of times children's first experience with death is with a pet. The young girl talked about how Lulu started to move really slow, losing her vision, and just sleeping all day. The girl wasn't surprised at the death of Lulu but sad nonetheless. It talked about how it was ok to be sad and cry over Lulu. The mother in the story suggested that they plant something where Lulu was buried to celebrate the memory of her. The story also deals with getting a new pet and how bittersweet it can be. I think books that deal with subjects like this are valuable to open up discussions about life and death with young children; but not in an overwhelming and scary way.