Customer Reviews

The Beloved Dearly

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

My sons, who are 9 and 10 years old, really loved this book.They laughed out loud through many of the chapters.They are not the most enthusiastic readers in town, so it was great to see them so engaged. It was also fun to hear them discussing what they had read and their take on childrens literature. They are fairly burned out on Harry Potter,and the Lemony Snicket books. The Beloved Dearly is by far their favorite book of all time, or so they say. Now we just have to wait for Mr. Cooneys next book to come out.Could you ask him to try to have it ready in time for our long flight to Orlando this June?

Doug Cooney bursts into the world of children's literature with his delightful story of love and loss. The pet funeral business is booming and characters like Swimming Pool, Ernie, and the dead bunny bring humor and warmth to his tale. Five thumbs up!

How to describe this book? If you're under 13, think ABC Saturday Morning's "Recess" morphed with Nickelodeon humor (more sharper edged). If you're over 35, think "The Little Rascals" for a new millenium. I'm not doing it justice, but that's the best way to explain the kids in "Beloved Dearly." These are distinct and memorable kids, and out of scraps, odds and ends, and sheer will, they transform an abandoned lot (and their own lives) into a venture (and adventure) with a real (albeit moneymaking) purpose - to help the grieving children/pet-owners achieve closure with a funeral, including a viewing, eulogy, mourners, and custom-made coffins.

Ernie's the con man whose mind never stops working. Swimming Pool is tough but heartfelt as the girl who cries over the pet funerals Ernie stages. Dusty is the artist who pours his soul and his creative energy into the functional artwork (not mere coffins) that celebrate the lives of the dearly departed pets. And a whole rich cast of wacky characters (mostly kids but a couple of adults too) make childhood a whole lot cooler than you remember (if you're a grownup) or may be currently experiencing (if you're not).

Mind you, this was a stage play that Doug Cooney was asked to turn into a book, and so the dialogue is amazing, fluid, fun to read and fun to say aloud (and hear read aloud, for that matter - an audiobook version is on its way as of this writing, with a full cast of kids clearly having fun in their roles).

There's nothing vanilla in this sixteen scoop/seven different toppings/whipped cream with a cherry on top/sprinkles *and* nuts sundae of a book. It's inventive, unpredictable, engaging, and fun ...and touches upon several deeper themes without ever slowing down the pace or the language. The relationships between Ernie and his dad, and Swimming Pool and her brother, will tug at you long after the story ends, when you're no longer diverted by the snappy and clever dialogue and the subplots have time to sink in.

Just before she read this, my 10 year old daughter woke up one morning to find that her beloved crayfish (brought home from a 5th grade science "observation" project and tenderly cared for for weeks) had died in the night. She was utterly torn apart, just as much as if it had been a small furry mammal. Oddly enough, reading this book (even though it was a humorous look at pet funerals) helped her because it honored a whole host of "pets", not just the ones that look cute as babies.

This book is about a boy that is like you and me except that he wants to run a business to help his father pay for his mother's funeral. So, he found an empty lot which he made into a funeral lot to make money. Later he got clients to have funerals at the lot. He made about $10 a funeral. But he paid Swimming Pool and Dusty per funeral too. I like this book because it inspires me to not be greedy and to not expect everything to be handed to me. It also inspires me to treat people the way they need to be treated and not take things for granted.

This book addresses children's grief issues in a personal and intimate tone. Adults and children of all ages can learn from this insightful expression of love and loss. Cooney's use of dramatic language brings color and passion to every chapter. The book is inspiring and a joy to read. I highly recommend it!

I highly recommend "The Beloved Dearly" by Doug Cooney.
The words in the book are really clear and describing.

The book is about a boy named Ernie. He is always looking for quick bucks. This time he gets into a money making bonanza: PET FUNERALS!
He hires Dusty to design the mini burial boxes for the pets and Tony to dig the holes, but his best find is a tomboy who can cry on cue.

My favorite scene is when the gang finished working on the funeral yard.
You'll have to read the book to find out what the yard looks like.

My favorite character is Dusty because he always has ideas and a good imagination, also he seems very smart.

The book theme is that your friends are more important then a business.

I love this book because it has so many things that are entertaining: it has some humor drama, sadness, and joy. It makes you feel all theses emotions, happy, sad, funny, excited, and joyful. You will like this book!

Twelve-year-old Ernie had a brilliant idea, he was going to sell MacDonald's hamburgers to the students in his lunch room. It was working well until the principal got ahold of him and called his father. Ernie's father told him if he ever started another business, he would be grounded.

While talking to his father about the cost of his mother's funeral, an idea popped into Ernie's head, he would go into the funeral business. Kids were always losing pets.

Ernie hired an artistic kid, named Dusty, to make the pet-size caskets. He hired Tony, the boy with the shovel, to dig the graves. Something was missing. He needed some emotion to get the mourners going. Dusty suggested a tomboy named Swimming Pool.

Ernie interviewed Swimming Pool, trying to find a soft spot. "Have you ever lost a pet."
"No".
"Had a bad report card?"
"No."
"Had someone leave and not know if you'd ever see them again?"
Finally a tear threatened as Swimming Pool thought of her older brother leaving home.

The day of the first funeral, Swimming Pool, wearing her red sneakers and an awful purple dress, tried everything to bring about tears. She pinched herself, punched herself in the eye and still no tears. But, finally the tears came.

Ernie ran funerals for pets including rabbits, turtles, and an iguana, but he drew the line when it came to an earth worm. He was a hard boss, who would rather lose his business than to give his crew a raise.

Will his dad stumble upon his funeral business? If Ernie is grounded, who will run the business? Will he be able to make his partners happy? Will the pets keep dying?

This is a fun book about friendship and smart business sense.

Jill Ammon Vanderwood
author: Through the Rug
Through The Rug: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)

this book is about a 12 year old guy named Ernie who is a natural salesperson guy. He starts a buisiness with pet funerals...woot.
This book was okay...But I just didn't like it. But that dosn't mean other people won't like it. I suggest you check it out of a library before you buy it.

Ernie comes upon another money making sceme. With the help of Dusty, someone to decorate the "coffins", Tony, the hole digger, and Swimming Pool, a tomboy who can cry on cue, they start a great business for pet funerals. This story is full of exitement and suspense when some things go wrong for the team of four. A great book.... I have read it a lot!!

My daughter has a list of books to read for a type of competition in her school. I order them for her at the library and she reads them. Every once in awhile I pick one up and read it to be sure they have decent content, etc. This one just looked good to me from reading the back cover and also the illustration. I read it and laughed and laughed. It was very enjoyable. It had serious moments in the book that helped round out what was happening in the story. It was well written. I would have to say that the author, although writing this for children, put in things that adults would chuckle over and enjoy; things you would understand if you watch old black and white movies. It's so enjoyable that I ordered a copy for our family to own. We have 8 children and I think all of them will enjoy this one!