Book description
My cat Barney died this Friday. I was very sad. My mother said we could have a funeral for him, and I should think of ten good things about Barney so I could tell them...
But the small boy who loved Barney can only think of nine. Later, while talking…
- Coming soon!
Why read it?
3 authors picked The Tenth Good Thing about Barney as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
This simple children’s book shares the story of the death of a beloved pet and the subsequent processing of the loss. It has a gentle and clear approach, without any suggestion of an afterlife but rather an appreciation for all the wonderful things about the pet who is gone.
If you are interested in continuing bonds with a child after a loss, this is a nice way to approach and expand on the topic.
From Betsy's list on for grieving without God.
Sometimes, as if by magic, a book arrives at exactly the right moment.
When my 7-year-old grandson’s cat was killed by a bobcat earlier this year it was his first experience with loss, and we all struggled to find language to help him. I remembered hearing about Judith Viorst’s book many years ago but had never read it. The Tenth Good Thing about Barney was published in 1971 and is still in print fifty-two years later – for good reason.
After his beloved cat dies, the unnamed boy in the story struggles to think of ten good things to say…
From Eve's list on grief to normalize mourning and confirm you're not going crazy.
There are a lot of picture books about the afterlife of pets (such as the classics Dog Heaven and Cat Heaven by Cynthia Rylant, which I love) but I adore this book because it grapples with the uncertainty many people feel after a death: is Barney the cat in heaven?
The dad in this book isn’t entirely sure, and makes sure his kid knows that, but something the dad does know for sure is that Barney was a great cat during his time on earth and that there are at least ten good things about Barney to remember. I also…
From E.B.'s list on teaching kids about pet death.
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German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…
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