Goodbye, Jake is the story of a family coping with the loss of one of their beloved pets, Jake, a red and black greyhound. The story centers on Cole, an inquisitive, sensitive young boy. Jake's passing is Cole's first experience with death. With the help of his grandmother and a local archaeologist studying ancient Native American cultures, Cole learns how people, past and present, preserve memories and celebrate the lives of loved ones who have died. Goodbye, Jake is a reassuring story for children dealing with the death of a pet or anyone coping with loss.
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About the Author
Bam Schildkraut, Ph.D. is an animal behaviorist, writer and educator. She taught for many years in the department of psychology at the University of Massachusetts/Lowell and was the Director of Research and Education for the Boston Zoos. She writes a column about dogs as well as feature articles for PETroglyphs Animal Resource Magazine. She is a member of the Dog Writers Association of America and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She recently won the Dog Writers Association of America Maxwell Medallion for Best Magazine Series of 2006. She now resides near Santa Fe with her family, horses, and dogs.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
How do you deal with the death of a pet? And how can you explain that death to a child? These end-of-life issues are difficult for all of us to understand and even more so when a child is involved. Goodbye, Jake tackles them head on.
Jake, his grandparents' beloved greyhound, is dying, and Cole is trying to understand what it will be like to say goodbye to him and to have him die. On Saturdays he visits Grammy and Pop but this Saturday is marred because he knows Jake is very sick. Following his usual Saturday activities, Grammy takes him in to visit with Jake, who is lying on his fuzzy, blue bed. She helps him say goodbye to a dog he knows he won't see again. On the following Saturday, Cole is sad that Jake isn't there, but Grammy takes him to visit the Memory Garden, where all her dogs are buried. She explains that every time she has a good memory of a dog she puts a stone on the dog's grave. She invites Cole to think of a good memory he has of Jake and then put a stone on the grave. The next week Cole brings a special stone to put on Jake's grave to honor a special memory. Then Cole can run off with a lighter heart to breakfast on his favorite chocolate-chip waffles.
Schildkraut approaches the issue of a pet's death with sensitivity and warmth. She gets the child involved with the animal, honors the boy's feelings and fears, and then shows him a way to turn his sadness into something positive. The idea of using ritual to help heal after a pet's death is beautifully handled and provides parents with a coping mechanism they can use when they talk with their children about this difficult subject. The soft, watercolor illustrations by Whitney Martin set the perfect tone for the story and add texture to the words. Written for young children, it is a book that will touch adults as well. Goodbye, Jake is an outstanding addition to children's books on death and how to discuss it. I highly recommend it to parents, libraries and anyone facing the trauma of a pet's death. - N. Marano
Jake, his grandparents' beloved greyhound, is dying, and Cole is trying to understand what it will be like to say goodbye to him and to have him die. On Saturdays he visits Grammy and Pop but this Saturday is marred because he knows Jake is very sick. Following his usual Saturday activities, Grammy takes him in to visit with Jake, who is lying on his fuzzy, blue bed. She helps him say goodbye to a dog he knows he won't see again. On the following Saturday, Cole is sad that Jake isn't there, but Grammy takes him to visit the Memory Garden, where all her dogs are buried. She explains that every time she has a good memory of a dog she puts a stone on the dog's grave. She invites Cole to think of a good memory he has of Jake and then put a stone on the grave. The next week Cole brings a special stone to put on Jake's grave to honor a special memory. Then Cole can run off with a lighter heart to breakfast on his favorite chocolate-chip waffles.
Schildkraut approaches the issue of a pet's death with sensitivity and warmth. She gets the child involved with the animal, honors the boy's feelings and fears, and then shows him a way to turn his sadness into something positive. The idea of using ritual to help heal after a pet's death is beautifully handled and provides parents with a coping mechanism they can use when they talk with their children about this difficult subject. The soft, watercolor illustrations by Whitney Martin set the perfect tone for the story and add texture to the words. Written for young children, it is a book that will touch adults as well. Goodbye, Jake is an outstanding addition to children's books on death and how to discuss it. I highly recommend it to parents, libraries and anyone facing the trauma of a pet's death. - N. Marano
Jake is a dog. And Cole is a little boy who loves him. But Jakes gets sick. Cole's grandmother explains that Jake is weak and going to die. "Will Jake come back after he dies?" asks Cole. The story unfolds with a charming way to honor Jake after he's buried among the trees with other past dogs. Sometimes the book feels crowded with characters and events but they do happily tie in at the end. Even though the wonderful illustrations don't always complement the text and maybe even confuse the storyline, the story is definitely uplifting for kids who might be facing the death of anything.
This is not an easy subject to deal with for adults as well as children. The book is very well written. I would highly recommend it to anyone with children or grandchildren that has or will soon be dealing with the loss of a pet or loved one.
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