Customer Reviews

Jim's Dog Muffins

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

 

 

At first, I though this book was about dog treats. After all, the title reads, "Jim's Dog Muffins," not, "Jim's Dog, Muffins." I picked the book for my son because it was on the required reading list for first grade. He started reading and became upset immediately. The first sentences, "Jim's dog got killed by the garbage truck! It was all squashed." Perhaps a little too graphic? Maybe it was my fault for not reading the book before checking it out but I had no idea the book was about death. The title doesn't exactly reveal what the book is really about. Close to the end, my son said, "This is such a sad book. I don't know why someone would write it."

Having experienced death and loss in our family, I have read several children's books dealing with these issues. If you're looking for a book to help your child learn about the grieving process, I'd recommend, "What is Heaven Like," by Beverly Lewis. It is much more gentle and explains death in a more complete way than this book attempts.

I can see the other reviewer's point of view in feeling that this book may be inappropriate for her first grader but I read this book when I was young. I was probably about the same age. I believe it is an excellent book that helped me to understand death and the feelings and actions that go with it before I actually experienced it. I think it is better for children to read it and understand it before they NEED to read it. It opened up a forum for great conversation with my parents and helped me understand the cycle of life. I think it is an excellent book and not inappropriate at all. Again, I stress that every child should read a book like this before they NEED to read it.

Even if a child has been lucky enough not to experience the loss of a loved one (or a pet), someone they know might well have. Perhaps even a classmate. This wonderful book helps children understand the sadness that comes with loss and, most importantly, that recovery comes with time and good friends. A sensitive treatment of an important issue.

My daughter brought this book home from the school library and started to read it aloud. I was appalled at the first sentence. "Jim's dog got killed by the garbage truck". Of course, that immediately caught my attention. I wasn't sure she was making up the sentence! I thought WOW. I didn't think it was at all appropriate for a first grader in general. This book should be used for a very specific purpose. Perhaps maybe if the first grader was in a situation where their pet died but not for leisure reading at all. The book's characters display isolation and aggression; verbal and physical. I considered the entire content of the book very inappropriate.