Goodbye, Brecken

Losing a pet is often a child’s first experience with loss, and can be a significant and painful experience. Goodbye, Brecken is a story that addresses a girl’s feelings of loss, sadness, and grief after the death of her dog. Includes a "Note to Parents" written by Allan Peterkin, MD.

Lupton’s take on the experience of pet loss is notably lacking in sentimentality. Missing are the usual pages describing what a great dog Brecken was, and the illustrations have a scratchy, swirling, almost Edward Gorey–like aesthetic that eschews cuddly thinking. That’s a good thing, because readers, like young Isabelle in the story, will bring more than enough emotion to the table. Brecken, an enormous, shaggy mutt, has died, leaving Isabelle bereft. Her parents offer consolation, but “their words gave Isabelle no comfort.” So begins the dream sequence that dominates the book, a strange wandering through a snowy forest during which Isabelle encounters various silent animals who remind her in various ways of her dog. Lupton sketches these deer, fox, rabbits, and so forth with beautiful detail, making them look like wise, mournful gods. Brecken does return to Isabelle for a while, reminding her that her memories of the dog will always be there. Closing pages inviting drawing in the book might irk librarians, but the appended coping strategies for parents will be appreciated. Grades K-3. --Daniel Kraus