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The Day Scooter Died: A Book about the Death of a Pet (Helping Kids Heal)
 
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The Day Scooter Died: A Book about the Death of a Pet (Helping Kids Heal) [Hardcover]

Kathleen Long Bostrom (Author), Cheri Bladholm (Illustrator)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)


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Book Description

July 12, 2005 4 and upHelping Kids Heal (Book 9)
Losing a beloved pet can be devastating for young children. When Mickey's dog, Scooter, dies, he wants to know, 'Is Scooter in heaven?' With patience, his wise parents help him learn to grieve. Written with sensitivity and candor, this tender story addresses the tough questions young children ask about the death of a pet. A special section at the end written by R. Scott Stehouwer, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Calvin College and clinical psychologist, provides suggestions for parents and caregivers of hurting children.


Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A Book about the Death of a Pet A tenderly written story dealing with the loss of a pet—for ages 4-8 When Mikey’s special pet, Scooter, dies, he wants to know, "Is Scooter in heaven?" Scooter was part of Mikey’s family. Is he part of God’s family now? Written with sensitivity and candor, this tender story addresses the tough questions young children ask about the death of a pet. The book includes two pages of helpful advice from a professional child counselor—for parents and others comforting a child through a loss of this kind.

About the Author

Kathleen Long Bostrom is an accomplished author who has written numerous children's books, including Sunrise Hill and Mary's Happy Christmas Day. She lives in Wildwood, Illinois, with her husband and three children. SPANISH BIO: Kathleen Long Bostrom es ministro ordenada, co-pastora y autora. Ella obtuvo una maestria en educacion cristiana y divinidad del Seminario Teologico Princeton en Nueva Jersey y ademas un doctorado en ministerio del Seminario Teologico McCormick en Chicago. Kathleen ha escrito numerosos articulos publicados en periodicos y revistas y es autora de mas de una docena de libros para ninos, entre ellos Cuando e se enfermo l papa de Pablito. Kathy y su esposo, Greg, tienen tres hijos: Cristopher, Amy y David.

Cheri Bladholm is an accomplished artist who illustrated many children's books. She lives in Syracuse, New York, with her husband and their children.

Product Details

  • Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  • Hardcover: 32 pages
  • Publisher: Zonderkidz; 1 edition (July 12, 2005)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0310709024
  • ISBN-13: 978-0310709022
  • Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 9 x 0.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,227,450 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kathleen Long Bostrom is an accomplished author who has written numerous children's books, including Sunrise Hill and Mary's Happy Christmas Day. She lives in Wildwood, Illinois, with her husband and three children.

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Every child who has ever had a pet will some day have to face the loss of that pet. Sometimes animals die of old age and sometimes their death is the result of an accident, as in the story of The Day Scooter Died.

Written by well-known Christian children's author Kathleen Long Bostrom, this is a touching story about Mikey and his dog, Scooter. When Mikey is born, Scooter becomes "his" dog and the two are inseparable, spending hours playing catch-the-ball together. One day, when Mikey throws the ball too far, Scooter runs out into the street and is hit by a car. Mikey then has to deal with the loss of his best friend.

When he and his parents talk about Scooter, Mikey blames himself for Scooter's death. His parents assure him it wasn't his fault. Mikey asks if Scooter went to Heaven. Since no one is really sure of the answer to that question, his parents respond, "The Bible tells us that at the end of time, all of creation will be made new. All creation includes every living thing." That seems to satisfy Mikey as he is reassured that God cares about all his creatures, even dogs.

The illustrations by Cheri Bladholm are life-like and provide a wonderful accompaniment to the text.

What I Like: I like a story about the death of a pet that children can relate to on a personal level. Even though this story features a boy and his dog, I think the story would still be appropriate for both girls and boys dealing with the loss of any type of pet.

What I Dislike: There were two things I didn't like about the story. First, when Scooter dies, Mikey is very sad but there is no mention of any tears. When Scooter got hit by a car, Mikey's dad wrapped him in his special blanket and took him to the vet. The text says, "Dad took Scooter to the animal hospital and came home with only the blanket. Dad washed it and dried it and folded it, and set it on Mikey's bed. That night, Mikey could not sleep. He tried not to think about Scooter, but Scooter was all that he could think about. . . Mikey wrapped himself in the blanket, curled up on the floor next to his bed, and fell asleep." I think Mikey would have cried himself to sleep, but that is never said.

Also, even though Mikey talks about Scooter's death with his parents, this conversation doesn't take place until several days later, after the night Mikey falls asleep while wrapped in the dog's blanket. I think Mikey was left to carry around his pain and guilt longer than necessary; his parents should have talked to him about Scooter's death the same day it happened.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: 4-8.

Christine M. Irvin - Christian Children's Book Review
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Help for youngsters February 14, 2009
Format:Hardcover
The Day Scooter Died is a heart-warming story that reads like a family scrapbook of a boy, Mikey, and his beloved dog growing old together. But when the dog is hit and killed by a car as he and the boy are plying, Mikey must deal with guilt, grief, and loss. His parents patiently guide the boy through the grieving process. Written from a Christian perspective, the story ends on a positive note and has colorful pictures that mirror the feelings of Mikey as he proceeds through the many feelings a boy would feel at the loss of a pet. An end note gives insight to parents for helping young children dealing with a similar loss. Those who are not of the Christian persuasion may have a difficult time sharing this book with children.
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