I'll Always Love You

I received this book from my elementary school teacher before I moved with my foster mom and baby sister to a new city. Having received this book to make my journey a little bit smoother while simultaneously reminding me that I was dearly loved is by far my most fondest memory as a child.

Helped with grieving the loss of our precious dog

I got this book to help my daughter deal with the loss of our dog who had become sick and had to be put down. I liked the way the book was to the point and very sweet at the same time. The book also stays away from taking a religious stand point which I was greatful for. My daughter is too young to have to deal with that aspect of life or death. This book teaches that sometimes something you love will go away forever, but even though they are gone, you can always love and remember them.

As a little girl I read this book when my dog was dying. It truly helped me deal with his death and realize that is okay to be sad. It is a wonderful tool to help children understand death a bit better. Few books since my childhood have made such an impression on me as this one, and it is the only book from my childhood I still keep on my shelf as a college student. In fact, my cat grew very sick of cancer and I read this book again to make myself feel better about the situation. And I have never forgotten to utter Hans Wilhelm's words into my pets' ears. And right before my cat died, I whispered "I will always love you" just as the little boy in the story did.

As a librarian and a mother, I have used this book many, many times and recommended it often to deal with death - not just the death of a pet, but also the death of someone close. It was such a comfort to my son when our neighbor died because he was very young and had never experienced death before. He was confused as he had prayed for our neighbor for so long, but didn't know if he could continue to pray for him, or love him, or talk about him. It was a book that we read over and over again. As a librarian, it is a book that I can recommend with confidence and each time I do, the response is most favorable. I have had to repeatedly reorder the book - some children cannot bring themselves to returning it. It becomes their "warm fuzzy" when thinking about death. Thank you Mr. Wilhelm!

There are some books I think should be in every household, and if you have both children and pets, this is one of them. Dealing with the death of a beloved pet is difficult enough for anyone, let alone a child, but this book helps. In fact, I would recommend this book to adult pet owners as well. Nothing will stop the pain of the loss of course, but "I'll Always Love You" helps bring back the happiness and lets the healing begin. I have been a booster of this book for years and hope it NEVER goes out of print. Do yourself a favor and buy this warm story of Effie, "the best dog in the whole world" and her boy....