I'll Always Love You

This one is great to help a grieving child. We've got four older pets, and my little one is probably going to have to go through this process in the near future. This one will be on the top of my list to help her through it.

A recent discussion in the Children's Books group I moderate has reminded me of this book, which - together with Judith Viorst's The Tenth Good Thing About Barney - is one of my top recommendations for those looking for books to help a child begin the grieving process for the loss of a pet.

"This is

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a story about Elfie - the best dog in the whole world" begins Hans Wilhelm's I'll Always Love You, in which a young boy and his beloved dachshund grow up together, only to be parted when Elfie grows old and dies. As he and his family begin to grieve, the narrator is comforted by the many wonderful adventures he had with Elfie, and by the fact that every day he told her: "I'll always love you."

With its simple but heartfelt narrative, and expressive (and often humorous) watercolor illustrations, this little picture book offers a sensitive portrayal of a child's love for his animal companion, and his grief at her loss. Young readers who are facing a similar situation will find comfort in Wilhelm's gentle story. Highly recommended.

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I'll always love you is a story about a child's sadness at the death of his dog. He honors his dog by saying I'll always love you, every night.
Ages 4 and up
Pierce College Library

I would have given this 5 stars, but it made me so sad! It really is a very good story about the love a boy has for his dog. The boy and dog grow together, playing and enjoying each other. But the dog grows old while the boy just gets older. In the end the dog dies from old age. The boy as able to

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look back on their relationship, happy that he told his dog, "I'll always love you." For dog lovers, this book really hits home.

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In my opinion, this book is too sad for children in Kindergarten to Second grade however it is too simple for older students. Although the plot was well-organized it was somewhat abrupt. The author built up the relationship with the boy and Elfie then ended it quickly. A majority of the book talked

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about the good times that the little boy and Elfie had and then after the visit to the vet, Elfie just passed away. I believe that young children will find this book upsetting and not enjoy the ending. Nevertheless, the book pushes the readers to think about tough issues, like losing a loved one. It brings the readers to reality when it informs them of Elfie's death. Children may enjoy reading about the fun times that the little boy had with Elfie but also might be able to relate to losing a pet or loved one. The general idea or message of this story teaches children to appreciate their loved ones and to frequently tell them that you love them because you never know when it'll be their time to pass.

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I really like this book because of the content in it. It is simply done, pictures and language wise. The pictures take you through the story well, and they are pictures that are calming to the reader. The story is pretty sad at times but the plot is a realistic and important one for kids to

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understand. The plot takes you through a little boy's journey of grief after his pet dog doesn't wake up one morning. I think it is important for students to understand death and dying, and that it is ok to be sad and upset. I don't think this book should be used in a classroom because of the sensitive subject matter, but at home with the parents, for sure. The main message in this book is understanding death, and that it is ok to be sad when it happens to someone around you.

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I really liked this book because of my personal connect to the events in it. I think the plot, overall, describes an event that many readers may be able to relate to. I found that the pace of the story was typically good, but at some points just went straight to the point. This was seen as a

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positive as well as a negative. I, as an adult, was able to predict the ending of the story, but i'm unsure if the ending is something the targeted audience is ready to *read* about. Specifically, on page 22 when it says, "One morning I woke up and discovered that Elfie had died during the night" it was quite abrupt to read that Elfie just "died", all of the sudden. Although there was some build up to this moment, there could have been a more delicate way to say it. Despite certain examples, the book pushes readers to care for the things that they have. You see this theme throughout the story as Elfie's owner cares for him and loves him in spite of everything. The point of view was in first person throughout, which I believe may be beneficial to readers. The main idea or message that I believe the author is trying to get across is to not take for granted the time you have with another; for that time can go very quick.

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This is a sad little story. I tell my pets every day that I love them and they know it.